Face-Off in the Gold Coast

There's a face-off in the Gold Coast.  The facade of what used to be Sur La Table (52 East Walton Street) has been pulled, pushed, knocked, ripped, and torched off over the last couple of weeks.  It looks like the whole place is being gutted.

Last we heard, a cupcake joint was looking at moving in here.  But there are still "For Lease" signs on the scaffolding, so maybe that plan fell through.

Leveling the Field at Ogden School

Construction is well underway on the new Ogden Elementary School (24 West Walton Street) on State Street.

We've talked about the demolition and construction of the new school before (here and here).  The old school is long gone, and foundation work is underway on the new one.  This picture was taken not that long ago when there was still a little snow on the ground.  With Odgen gone, it's easier to appreciate the the old Scottish Rite Cathedral (915 North Dearborn Street) across the street.  That, by the way, is for sale.  Hopefully the new owners will respect its visual integrity.

The Gold Coast's New Marc Jabobs Store Looks Ready To Go

It looks like things have really come together at the new Marc Jacobs store. The boutique inside the Elysian Chicago Hotel (11 East Walton Street) has finally shed its cloak and you can clearly see the shelves stocked and the windows being decorated with stuffed animals. We haven't heard what the official opening date is, but it looks like it could be pretty soon.

Elysian Chicago Officially Opens

One of the Gold Coast's most anticipated buildings is officially open.

The hotel portion of the Elysian Chicago (11 East Walton Street) opened Wednesday (December 9, 2009).  We've been invited to a lot of building openings lately, but somehow were left off the guest list of this one.

Nevertheless, here is a video that the Elysian PR folk put out.  For some reason it has no sound.

Construction Sites Vie For Luxury Supremacy

There's an interesting things that the developers of luxury buildings do in Chicago (and likely elsewhere): They try to out-do each other's scaffolding.

Now that the foundation work appears mostly done at the Ritz-Carlton Residences (664 North Michigan Avenue), there is proper scaffolding over the temporary sidewalk that pedestrians use on the west side of Michigan Avenue.

But the Ritz has trumped the other lux developers by including a two-story illuminated rendering of its building on the outside of the walkway.  The effect is best seen at night, though this CrappyCameraPhone™ picture simply doesn't do it justice.

This bests the previous best effort, which was at the Elysian Chicago (11 East Walton Street) where the tasteful black scaffolds featured 24-hour piped in classical music.

I can't wait to see what's next.

(In the interest of full disclosure it should be noted that I have recently begun blogging for the Ritz-Carlton.  However, I stumbled across the subject of this article before that agreement was reached.)

Status Update: Walton on the Park

We've been following the construction of Walton on the Park (900 North State Street) for a while not (here and here).  Glass is moving up the sides of the building, but there's still plenty of work to be done at the top.

Status Update: The Ogden School

If you enjoyed the simple lines and literary details of the William B. Ogden School, then cherish those memories.  It's gone now.  Just a pile of bricks.  As we told you back in June, the new Ogden Elementary School (24 West Walton Street) should be ready for students by January, 2012.

New Lululemon On the Gold Coast

Someone who describes herself as a "sometimes reader" (what's up with that?) of this blog e-mailed us these pictures today of the newly erected retail space at the corner of Rush and Walton.

This was formerly the location of a Gino's East pizza joint that was torn down.  Then it was used for construction storage while the Elysian Chicago was built.  Now it's retail, and from the signs in the window -- it looks like it's going to be a Lululemon yoga place (with an address of 930 North Rush Street).  No opening date is posted, but a note on the Lululemon web site notes that the Rush and Walton location is "coming soon!"

Last we heard about this location was a Crain's article from last year that stated that men's clothier Varvatos was heading into this space.  While the chances of me practicing yoga at Lululemon or anywhere else are pretty close to zero, it's nice to have this space filled, and we welcome Lulu to the neighborhood.

And for those of you who don't get our Tweets, it looks like the Sur La Table nearby is going to become a Sprinkles cupcake joint by March.

Status Update: Almost Done at 930 North Rush

We've been following the lot at the corner of Rush and Walton streets for a while  here, here, here and here) as it was transformed from a condemned Gino's East pizza restaurant into what is almost but not quite yet the district's latest retail boutique.

Today 930 North Rush Street looks pretty good, and went up in what felt like record time once construction finally began. The wood, glass, and steel exterior which faces the main shopping drag works well with the Urban Outfitters across the street, and even makes the Diesel store's facade look slightly less like a Tim Burton film.

Our big worry as this corner was being filled out was the Walton Street side, which is mostly just a brick wall.  But planters have been installed with climbing frames for vines and a wide swatch of exterior wood panelling make it seem less industrial and more warm.  It looks good right now, but it also remains to be seen what a couple of good Chicago winters will do to it.

A Date With Marc Jacobs

New signs have gone up at the Elysian Chicago (11 East Walton Street) at the corner of Walton and Rush streets in the Gold Coast.  Click on the CrappyCameraPhone™ picture above and you'll barely be able to read the declaration "Marc Jacobs Opening Spring 2010" in the windows.  That's news to us.  Last we heard, MJ was slated for Fall, 2009.  

Of course, the hotel itself still has signs up proudly claiming a "Summer 2009" opening.  Unless the Elysian plans to cater to meteorologists, it's time to change those banners.

Unfurling at The Elysian

New banners have been unfurled over the second floor windows at the Elysian Chicago, 11 East Walton Street.

The signs promise that the hotel will open in "Summer 2009," wrapping up a closely watched construction process for this highly anticipated property.

For those who don't remember, this was formerly the location of a run down 7-Eleven that was a staple of the neighborhood vagrants.

But don't worry -- Walgreen's plans to start selling booze at its locations, soon.  You know -- because between the cup shakers outside and Hollywood stars getting arrested inside, there aren't enough problems at the Walgreen's at Chicago and State (757 North Michigan Avenue).

Status Update: Walton on the Park (2)

Walton on the Park continues to grow.  Now that the parking garage is done, the building is growing quite quickly and starting to take on its final skyscraper form.

Sticking Bricks Together at the Old Gino's East

After nearly a year as one of Chicago's most prominent vacant lot, workers are plowing ahead with earnest on 930 North Rush.

The retail development on the corner of Rush and Walton was formerly the location of Gino's East Pizza, which was torn down several years ago.  After that it was used as a storage lot for construction equipment from the Elysian Chicago skyscraper going up across the street.

Now that the Elysian is almost done, construction is finally starting.  The result is expected to be a row of faux brownstones fitted out for retail.

So, who's coming?  It's hard to say at this point.  Every time we hear a name we hear another name, too.

Latest word from Crain's Chicago Business is that it's going to be Varvatos, the men's clothier.

Another Big Step Forward at the Elysian

It's always a milestone when a crane goes up.  To architecture geeks it symbolizes that construction of a skyscraper is unarguably underway and that the result has the potential to be something tall and magnificent; something worth bringing in a crane for.

Starting today, the crane at the Elysian Chicago is coming down.

Having performed its service, the crane will be removed today (May 12, 2009), tomorrow, and Thursday.

If you're the sort of person who drives, then avoid the area.  It will be a mess.  If you're the sort of person who likes to stand around watching cranes be disassembled, there's a Starbucks on the next block.  Grab yourself a cupppa Joe and enjoy.

Status Update: Elysian Stands Proud and Tall

It's tapering off!  It's tapering off!  That means there's reason to believe that The Elysian Chicago is going to top out soon.  When construction started we knew it was going to reach 700 feet, but didn't envision how it would absolutely tower over everything else in the neighborhood.

Not that it's a bad thing -- the podium surrounding the roundabout driveway and the setbacks keep the building from giving off claustrophobic vibes.

There were a lot of people in the neighborhood who were against this project, but I think it's coming along quite nicely, and I have high hopes that it will contribute more to Chicago than just its skyline.

Now about that ground floor retail....

Gaylord Finally Opens

It's been one of the longest restaurant sagas we've seen in a while.  A year ago the Gaylord Indian restaurant moved to Walton Street from Clark Street, but only opened two weeks ago.

Gaylord got very good reviews at its old location, and something in the back of my mind tells me that the Chicago Tribune's Phil Vettel called it the best Indian food in Chicago; but I might be imagining that.

Either way, it picked up a subterranean space vacated by some random fashion boutique in early 2007 and put up a sign pledging to open in April of that year.  Well, that date came and went with no sign of construction.  Then at the very end of June a sign went up stating the place would open in June.  Nope.  Finally, right around the New Year, Gaylord opened its doors to an adoring public.  Or not.

The sad fact is that of the half dozen or so times we've walked by the place has been empty.  Just a bartender and maybe a maître'd waiting for someone... anyone... with a hankerin' for Indian food to come on down.

I don't like Indian food very much at all, and I've tried it everywhere from fancy American restaurants to London takeaways to open air restaurants in the Little India section of Singapore.  I've given it a shot, but it's not my cup of tea.

If you like Indian food, then do a good deed today and stop by Gaylord.  The last thing the Walton Street area needs is another vacant storefront.  And if the food is as good as it was at the old location, then you're in for a treat.

Another Boutique Fleeing the Gold Coast

In the last few years a number of Near North and Gold Coast boutiques have fled the heart of the city to seek their fortunes in Old Town, Bucktown, Wicker Park, and elsewhere.  The latest one pulling up stakes is Battaglia Footwear.

The Walton Street shop was a nice fit for the area, but is seeking greener pastures to the north.  It's a shame because it got rave reviews on Yelp and elsewhere.  More of a shame is that it's another vacant storefront at a time when landlords should be making deals to retain tenants and a bunch of other retail space is about to become available nearby.

It would probably help if I told you where it's going, but the photo I took of the announcement on the door didn't come out.  Sorry.