Dorm, Rockwell, Congress projects get the go-ahead

06/19/2009 10:13 AM

By Micah Maidenberg
Editor

14 Comments - Add Your Comment

Members of the Plan Commission gave the backers of three major developments in the South Loop and on the Near West Side permission to move their projects forward, according to freelance reporter Ian Fullerton, who covered yesterday's session in city hall for Chicago Journal:

  • The Congress Hotel, enmeshed in a six-year-old strike, received permission to add to their Michigan Avenue building;
  • East Lake Management won approval for a series of zoning changes it needed for the next phases of the Rockwell Gardens redevelopment;
  • A partnership between L & H Real Estate Group and Brownstone Realty got the go-ahead to construct a 37-story building with approximately 621 rooms and 1,221 beds and retail space over a surface parking lot at southeast corner of Van Buren and Wabash;

More details coming in next week's paper.

UPDATE
Indeed, as Jim notes below, a number of reporters covered the Plan Commission meeting yesterday. ChiTownDailyNew.org's higher education reporter Peter Sachs wrote about the dorm project. And here are links to stories about the Congress Hotel project in the Sun-Times and Tribune.
Also, Megan Cottrell, of the ChicagoNow.com One Story Up blog, which covers urban affairs and public housing, attended Tuesday's meeting about Rockwell Phase II. Be sure to check out her story about the event.


14 Comments - Add Your Comment



By We still need answers from We need them NOW!!!!!
Posted: 06/28/2009 7:11 PM

He's not going to. If he does, it will expose it for the sham that it is...


By Daniel from Printer Row
Posted: 06/24/2009 8:13 AM

Jim, I see you failed to answer the questions about the Aldermans secret Advisory Council and the person running the development behind the scene.


By Daniel from Printer Row
Posted: 06/24/2009 8:13 AM

Jim, I see you failed to answer the questions about the Aldermans secret Advisory Council and the person running the development behind the scene.


By Say Ye Oh Surrogate!!! from From Everywhere
Posted: 06/23/2009 10:02 PM

"...the alderman has better things to do..." Yea! Like taking money from developers. Or like cohorting with the likes of Higginbottom. But "Jim," since you are obviously a surrogate for Fioretti, why don't you answer these allegations instead. Did Higginbottom threaten to run a candidate against Fioretti if he didn't support the Rockwell Gardens development? Simple question. Yes or No!!!


By Jim from South Loop
Posted: 06/23/2009 6:52 PM

I sure hope the alderman has better things to do than answer comments on this website.


By claudea from united center
Posted: 06/23/2009 5:04 PM

The silence from Fioretti says it all.


By Is Fioretti Corrupt??? from Shocked Observer
Posted: 06/22/2009 12:31 PM

Alderman Fioretti: Is it true what they are saying about you? Did Higginbottom threaten to run a candidate against you if you didn't support his development? Did you cave in to his threats? Please issue a statement denying these allegations. Please let us know you will stand up to developers like you promised during your campaign, especially shady developers with bad track records. These allegations agianst you - if true - are a big disappointment, and render you unfit for office!!!


By Shocked from Near West Side
Posted: 06/22/2009 10:46 AM

Well the way he is going, he is going to get ousted anyway! Especially if more things like that come to light. He probably got the same threat from Earnest Gates for Food 4 Less and the Andrew guy for Felony Franks. He is almost garuanteed to lose the next election the way things are going.


By Fioretti can\\ from Near Westside
Posted: 06/22/2009 10:22 AM

I can’t see any difference between Alderman Fioretti and Haithcock. Fioretti told four people at his ward night meeting that he was getting plenty of heat from Elsie Higginbottom about the Rockwell project. He said that Higginbottom was going to run another candidate against him in the next election if continued to deny the zoning change for this project. What happened to all of the promises he made to us during election??????


By Sir Isaac Newton from Printers Row
Posted: 06/21/2009 11:25 PM

Jeremy - you realize that the Chicago Olympic Committee recently purchased an additional $500 million insurance policy on potential losses, in addition to the $500m policy they already had. No Olympic city since 1976 has lost money (even though some cities over that time built a LOT more new venues then what Chicago would have to build)....and you're trying to tell us that Chicago will lose over $1 billion from the Olympics??? Can you tell me what you are smoking and where I can get some???


By Jeremy from North Kenwood
Posted: 06/19/2009 12:44 PM

Higginbottom's deal pales in comparison to our Mayors recent shenanigans. Yesterday Richie Daley basically sold out the taxpayers to the Olympic committee. Yep, Joe and Jane sixpack stand to pay for all the shortfalls if the Olympics don't pay the dividends that are expected. Chicago is known worldwide as a politically and fiscally corrupt city and so far we are holding up our end of the deal! Business as usual on the 4th floor.


By Jim from South Loop
Posted: 06/19/2009 11:05 AM

The Tribune and Sun Times both ran stories on the Congress hotel and check out chitowndailynews.org for the story on Rockwell Gardens.


By Helen from South Loop
Posted: 06/19/2009 10:50 AM

Thanks for the speedy update, Micah! I am loving this new website. It's such a great service to the neighborhood, and you're doing an excellent job. Now, maybe you can answer me this: Should we expect to see a farmer's market tomorrow morning and if so, where? Apparently, last Sat. they were trying to sell strawberries from behind the construction fences at the soon-to-be Printers Row Park. I hear they are supposed to move to the chip lot at Dearborn & Polk, but what about that fence?


By claudea from united center
Posted: 06/19/2009 10:29 AM

Gee, what a surprise. What Elsie wants, Elsie gets. Even if it isn't for the good of the community. Good going planning commission. Maybe the commission should be forced to go to any public meetings before they vote on such contriversal matters.