Adjustments being made to south wall of Grant Park  

By Marie Balice Ward

At a meeting of the Greater South Loop Association (GSLA), Tim Desmond, president of Central Station Development LLC, called the four towers constituting the South Wall-Central Station, as “the southern bookend” for Grant Park. This was the developer’s fourth community group presentation concerning the South Wall project.

South Wall-Central Station is bounded by Roosevelt Rd. on the north, 14th St. on the south, Columbus Dr. on the east, and Michigan Ave. on the west. Its four towers are One Museum East, One Museum West, Grant Park Tower III, and Grant Park Tower IV.

The highest, Grant Park Tower IV, would rise 900 feet tall and the lowest at 720 feet, for an average of 757 feet. The development was designed to balance the north end of Grant Park, where buildings range 650 to 1,136 feet high, for an average height of 866 feet.

Second Ward Alderman Bob Fioretti recently introduced an ordinance allowing Grant Park IV’s increase to 900 feet.  Fioretti did not return Gazette phone calls concerning this subject.

            The zoning change for Grant Park IV would allow a taller but slimmer structure without changing its residential density, which already has reached the maximum the City allows.  Desmond said the City requested the height change to provide a better visual balance with the buildings on Grant Park’s north end.

Jeff A. Renterghem, senior associate at Pappageorge/Haymes, Ltd., architects for the South Wall- Central Station buildings, said Grant Park III has an abstract nautical design with representations of sailboat sails and waves.

The developer plans boutique sized retail space—none larger than 2,300 square feet—for the towers’ street levels to house stores and restaurants.

Central Station Development is partnering with Enterprise Company to develop the first three South Wall buildings. Desmond hopes Enterprise will partner with his firm again for the final tower.

            Community residents continue to raise quality of life issues at meetings. Jim Sturm, president of the Park Row Townhomes located between Indiana and Prairie Aves. just south of 14th St., said, “There already is considerable traffic on Indiana due to cabs and buses from McCormick Place, and while I am in favor of a street wall along the park, I am concerned about traffic and parking.”

Timothy Ray, who lives at 13th St. and Indiana Ave., asked about guest parking, noting the South Wall-Central Station buildings do not provide for any.

Plans allot 1.4 parking spaces for each unit in the towers as well as parking for retail customers, Desmond replied, adding that vehicular access points to the towers will be off the main thoroughfares and be one-way right turns to reduce traffic on each of the streets. Additional parking to accommodate monthly and guest parking for up to 75 vehicles also will be available, although specifics need to be worked out with the buildings’ individual boards. For information about this ancillary parking, he said to call (312) 662-1255.

Sales at the South Wall-Central Station are brisk, Desmond noted, with the first tower 92% sold and Grant Park II 70% sold. The first of the towers has been topped off, he added.

The developer will schedule a meeting with the Chicago Department of Planning sometime in December, said Desmond, to be followed by a meeting of the Zoning Committee in January or February. Additional community meetings will be held as design plans for the last tower evolve.

Desmond stated the City will create an “extension of Grant Park” over the railroad tracks flanking South Wall-Central Station and Columbus Dr. His firm is sponsoring an international competition for the extension’s design and has narrowed its choice to three finalists.

            He noted Metra likely will consolidate its tracks and relocate its Weldon Yard structure just north of 18th St., where train cars are washed, to a more ”under grade” location in Grant Park north of Roosevelt Rd., perhaps at 9th St. Another solution would have Metra continue to use the current structure but reduce its height to between 18 and 20 feet.

            Desmond also announced the St. Charles Railroad will close its operations in March 2008.

In other news, the 2007 New Orleans-themed Bash on Wabash 2007 was “a great success”, said Gail Rutkowski of the GSLA. Bob Wilson of Wilson Rental, which provided tents and other structural amenities for the bash, gave the GSLA a check for $1,000 to defray costs.

Volunteers are needed for next year’s Labor Day weekend Bash on Wabash, which will sport a Nashville theme, Rutkowski said. For more information, log on to www.greatersouthloop.org.