In case you missed this story last week in the Chicago Tribune, the Adler Planetarium is one of many institutions hoping to land a space shuttle:The Adler is one of 20 museums in the running to get one of two orbiters up for grabs, Endeavour and Atlantis. NASA will reveal the two museums that will get those shuttles April 12, the 30th anniversary of the first shuttle space flight.
"Chicago is the best place in the Middle West for a shuttle," said Adler President Paul Knappenberger after revealing an elaborate concept drawing of the kind of building Adler would erect on a parking lot west of the planetarium to house a shuttle and related exhibits.
As part of their bid, Adler proposes an interesting pavilion to house the shuttle:
Hoping to create a little last-minute hoopla for its cause, Adler Planetarium on Thursday unveiled plans for a dramatic lakefront glass pavilion that it proposes to build if it obtains one of the soon-to-be-retired space shuttles.
(Image from the Chicago Tribune)
This would be great. Why stop there? this area needs more vision. As Mayor of Southloopville here is my next steps:
ReplyDelete1. Air-Craft Carrier off of Norther Island or Navy Pier - , with Chicago's history in WWII as a naval flight school at Navy Pier, proximity to Great Lakes Navel Academy, etc. I would go after a retired aircraft carrier with some deck planes like San Diego has. http://www.midway.org/files/imagecache/display/photos/Downtown%20Location.jpg
2. Ft. Dearborn - Next I would be building a recreation of Ft. Dearborn somewhere just north of McCormick Place or on Northerly Island.
3. IMPROVE STREETSCAPE SPACE - Stop wasting money on Roosevelt Collection type projects - they are vehicle based. I would improve and soften, with little money needed, the streetscape needed for the business. On Wabash south of 13th to 16th, Printers Row, and Motor Row, I would create restaurant and small business / pedestrian friendly destination anchors with brick, narrow the street, lighting, widen sidewalks for cafe's, etc. like in some of these photos below. Wabash, Dearborn, Michigan Ave don't need to be wide spots like that, or commuter through-fares - make it for the residents and visitors.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/congressforthenewurbanism/3972417120/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/congressforthenewurbanism/3971646603/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/congressforthenewurbanism/3971744957/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/congressforthenewurbanism/3971743827/
4. Finish the parks, and build some high-end zoned garage with good design frontage, especially while land can be had.
5. Street Car Circulator between MCcormick Place up Indiana, down Wabash and back crossing Motor Row on return to McCormick Place - tracks are already buried under the center of Indiana and Wabash Ave's. Run this thing on evenings or weekends...Get McCormick to help fund it. http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2009-feb-affordable-streetcar-seattles-waterfront-streetcar
Love these ideas Anon. On a side note, Atlanta got cash from the federal gov't for a streetcar for their downtown, but yours has so much more potential than Atlanta's because of its destinations.
ReplyDelete@ 3.27pm I love your vision - how do we make you Mayor of Southloopville??
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