Grant Park Advisory Council Meeting Feb. 11th

Grant Park Advisory Council and Grant Park Conservancy public meeting

Monday, February 11, 2008 - 6:30 p.m. (location TBA but on Grant Park)

Parkitecture 2008

Grant Park's rapidly-changing Michigan Avenue Streetwall (Historic Michigan Boulevard District)

We will have a thorough presentation about the streetwall and the many new plans and changes as well as the progress of those projects under construction. We will include new Wabash Avenue high-rises as well.

Six years ago next month, the City of Chicago designated Grant Park's Michigan Avenue streetwall a Chicago Landmark. It comprises buildings designed by such great architects as: Adler & Sullivan, Burnham, Holabird & Roche, Marshall & Fox, Cobb, Beman, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, and Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge. It is one of the world's most-recognized architecture walls framing the increasingly rejuvenated and world-class Grant Park.

There have been many positive changes to the streetwall but there are also deteriorating buildings or those not realizing their potential, even an empty lot and a large, but closed, historic theater. What can we do to encourage and support more adaptive re-use and other development in this slower real estate market to create a more lively, energized district and thus Grant Park?

Thank you for your interest and participation.
Please contact: Bob O'Neill, phone: 312-829-8015

Grant Park Advisory Council and Grant Park Conservancy public meeting
Parkitecture 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008 - 6:30 p.m.

Daley Bicentennial Plaza - 337 E. Randolph ( just east of Columbus Drive across from the BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois Building and in the park)
Grant Park's rapidly-changing Michigan Avenue Streetwall (Historic Michigan Boulevard District)

We will present a visual description of past, present and future projects and the many new plans and changes. We will also include the new high rises on Wabash and some of the changes on the north and south walls quickly completing Grant Park's frame with new, modern high-rises. It will also be a discussion of how to encourage more changes, renovations and improvements.

Our speakers will be:

Denise Casalino, Vice President, Earth Tech. Denise is a recent, former Commissioner of Planning and Development at the City of Chicago. She was also the project manager for the new $200 million Wacker Driver Reconstruction Project. She completed the 21-month-long and one of the City's most complicated public works projects under budget and on time. She also streamlined the City of Chicago's permit process and finalized the development of block 37. Denise is a civil engineer.

Ken DeMuth, Architect, Pappageorge/Haymes. Ken is an expert in adaptive reuse and renovation developments. His notable adaptive reuse and historic preservation projects in Chicago include: Metropolitan Tower - 310 S. Michigan Avenue, The Park Monroe, The Montgomery, Domain, Metropolitan Place (former Florsheim Shoe headquarters) Haberdasher Square, the Fisher Building, 116 S. Michigan, and the new Chicago Central Post Office adaptive reuse.

Peter Psihas, Director of Sales and Marketing,The Blackstone, A Renaissance Hotel. Peter has an 18-year history in hospitality. Peter will give a visual presentation of this restored landmark hotel, opening on Grant Park later this month. This Marshall and Fox masterpiece is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sage Hospitality Resources, of Denver, Colorado is finishing up the renovation. It is a $110-plus million renovation of a long dormant hotel next to DePaul University's historic Merle Reskin Theatre on Balbo Drive. The hotel hosted many U.S. Presidents and countless celebrities.

Six years ago this month, the City of Chicago designated Grant Park's Michigan Avenue streetwall a Chicago Landmark. It comprises buildings designed by such great architects as: Adler & Sullivan, Burnham, Holabird & Roche, Marshall & Fox, Cobb, Beman, Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, and Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge. It is one of the world's most-recognized architecture walls framing the increasingly rejuvenated and world-class Grant Park.

There are big plans for Grant Park's streetwall and there are many changes underway and even more planned. However, with all of these success stories, there are also deteriorating buildings (one even boarded up and scaffolded) and empty lots right on Grant Park/Millennium Park. With the many changes to the streetwall, there are buildings not realizing their potential, even a closed, historic theater.

What can we do to encourage and support more adaptive re-use and other development in this slower real estate market to create a more lively, energized district and thus Grant Park?

Thank you for your interest and participation.
Please contact:
Bob O'Neill
Phone: 312-829-8015