It's well documented that the residential tower at 2138 S. Indiana has had some issues (timing, water damage, ownership issues, etc). Well this week news came out that the new tower is re-branded as "The Lex" and is ready for rental occupancy in April (most probably remember it as the Lexington Park Condominiums before it was converted into rentals).Many Sloopers and businesses that live on the South side of the neighborhood should be ecstatic about this news. One of the big knocks on this area of the South Loop is that there isn't a ton of people and foot traffic.
While this probably won't completely solve the problem, its gotta help. As we've mentioned many times here on Sloopin, the development of Motor Row/Music Row is of big interest to us and this should at least bring more people to this area.
Anyway, back to "The Lex". Their new website has a slick image gallery and from what we can tell the places look pretty swanky albeit pretty small. We also found it interesting/funny that one of the amenities listed on their website includes "Pinball machine in the lobby".
So what do you think? Look good? Good for the neighborhood? Not going to make a difference? Will it provide some more momentum?
We can't imagine that there are many place in the city that allow you to live in a high-rise and become a pinball wizard:
(Image from The Lex Website)
27 comments:
Big news for the fastest growing area of Chicago.
now all they have to do is trick people into actually living there, lol
Yikes
Not a hard sell actually. Brand new, high-end finishes, roofdeck, rooftop pool, Super safe area (yes, there is still some straglers, but you could count those on your hand - it's still Chicago) and 3 blocks away from Chinatown, Red Line at Clark, access to the LAKEFRONT at 18th, CTA bus 1,3,4 and 129 right outside the door (easily get seat.. by the time it hits 18th it is super packed); Highway access: LSD, 55, 90/94, 290 all within 3-4 blocks, only 1 block away from future Green Line stop. Restaurants, bars coming in this year just south of Cermak; thousands of owner residents who live in Prairie District + Motor Row. Just need to get retail downstairs, but in the meantime, everything else the South Loop has to offer is right there.
I don't know how any person with half a brain would want to live near an expo center and drunk bums loitering at White Castle
This part of town is a joke, worthless
yOU COULDNT PAY ME TO LIVE ON CERMAK
I think it's good for the area. Hope people rent quickly because that can only help the area.
anon @ 12:31
Dont forget your just walking distance to bbq and jerk chicken stands as well as a stones throw to many vacant lots on the south side of Cermak! Oh how exciting!
Don't foget all the "foot traffic" at the corner of State and Cermak right by the charming Blue Star autoparts store and the abandoned liquer store. Yes there is so much the south end of the south loop has to offer!!! OH how wonderful!
To Anonymous at 12:31 ;
I am in total agreement about The Lex's geographical location NOT being a hard sell.
This area of South Loop is going to be one of the hottest neighborhoods..bars, historic music venues, large expansive areas for retail!! I am looking forward to my home's values increasing as the retail/businesses in this area expand.
I love this area, the bus stops right in front of my building, the ease of access to expressways, the 18th street lakefront access. We just love it here!!!!
I look forward to new neighbors in the hundreds as "The Lex" continues to rent and fill up this little corner of the South Loop neighborhood that WE all share!!
This area still has alot of work to do before it is recognized as a quality place to live. I still have problems with street people from time to time but the police are always very accomidating
Cheers
CL
It'll attract the drive-in drive-out crowd who will use it to crash for a couple years before moving out to the burbs.
These folks aren't really a part of the neighborhood, but hey it's a big city. Everyone's got a right to the pursuit of happiness.
ChipotleLuver circa 2003 "You couldn't pay me to live at 14th and Michigan".
Really, it depends on what kind of pinball machine they have. Addams Family? Attack from Mars? sure! No Good Gofers? not so much.
these are the important choices in life
Most, if not all of the RENTAL ONLY buildings North of 16th are geared towards students.. Everything south of 1620 S Michigan you get owner occupied and buildings that are geared towards the professionals, young couples, etc.. THE LEX is the first RENTAL only building that is geared towards the professional demographic. All of the right steps have been taking place to get the area going. The only corner that needs to get cleaned up (is State/Cermak) which will get developed soon. The open lots are getting transit oriented development, + hotels + high-end music venues, restaurants are being planned. I realize some people on here are just trying to get a rise, but it is worth saying that it is a great area over there and is actually going to be much more lively than any other area in the South Loop within 1 year. Which is great for us that live just north, east or west of there to take advantage of NIGHTLIFE (in the future).
I wish they would build out that technology park that Daley wanted. That would really help this area. As long as it didn't include a parking spot for every employee.
Technology Park should be built where the formers ickes site was. It will be situated one block East of the Red Line stop and 1/2 block away from the Green Line. Also, lake shore drive, 55, 90/94 exits are right there. It would be great to bring corporate companies in that spot. Build hotels and restaurants in motor row area and you have a great business district along with McCormick Place as the anchor.
How is a building that is touting a pinball machine in the lobby NOT catering to students?
Further, based solely on its location alone (proximity to housing projects, empty lots, abandoned buildings, liquor stores, and currency exchanges) I foresee a lot of low income folks turning The Lex into a section 8 hotbed.
Anon 11:51am - There won't be any section 8 in this building. Also, could you clarify where the liquor stores are please? There are ZERO in the area. The closest place that sells liquor is the upscale South Loop Market on 18th and Michigan. There are undeveloped buildings & lots right on S. Michigan/13th/14th with no plans in place and the buildings in that area of Cermak actually have more momentum of being turned into something. Also, there is only 1 currency exchange in the entire area of the South Loop vs one every other block in most neighborhoods. Regarding housing projects.. let's see.. You have Hilliard over at Clark and Cermak which is now about 50% Asian people over the age of 65.. the ONLY buildings that are not even close to capacity are Long Grove and 2101 S Michigan which are the only buildings the South Loop needs to get rid of which I agree with (but again, not much to worry about on a daily basis).
Again--- who in the world would want to live in an dumpy, bum ridden neighborhood like this?
Maybe in ten years the area gets a bit of a makeover ( i doubt) then i could see but right now its an urban distaster area
Oh whoopty doo they might have a green line stop and a papa Johns
Get real--- those who get excited for this are clearly idiots
If this were the late 90's and we were on this website commenting about the upcoming developments in Museum Park, there would be comments the same as today about how dark the place is. Thankfully, people with vision beyond what kind of chicken and burgers are eaten steer the course for our neighborhood.
dumb anon @ 1:53
There is a huge difference in developing a neighborhood directly south of Grant park that HAD A DEVELOPMENT PLAN. This area that we are commenting on in this blog does not have any of that. It is and always has been a derelict, abandoned dump for decades and clearly there is no direction for this area for the future.
believe me, the only reason Lex is even there is because of areas like mueseum campus. However things have changed and the area is now hopeless. You've got a better chance of Biff Tannon building a casino tower there than the area developing on its own. Any faith in this area has been lost with the gerrymandering of wards.
You're blind and stubborn. People who are posting about this area being a dump are correct, if that makes you wanna cry and whine then go ahead but you look foolish than you already are.
Celebrate development. I live by Roosevelt and wabash and the greed keeps empty commercial space. I hope business comes in from the south. I agree that area is rough but hopefully the rent is cheap to attract development. Greedy developers by me would rather take a loss on commercial space for the tax write off then adjust the rent to the economy to get some new businesses in. I say let's start with the hood and head north.
We will see what all these idiots say when they can no longer afford the rent in their 1950's dumpy, smelly, piece of crap apts in some congested northside neighborhood 10miles from the loop.
Speaking about the area. Very cool article on Motor Row..
First link is the ONLINE MAGAZINE link as well as the TEXT version link below...
http://media.modernluxury.com/digital.php?e=MBCH
View Pages 46-48
Text Version:
http://digital.modernluxury.com/display_article.php?id=998447
As many people bring up the fact that a new green line stop is coming soon to the Cermak corridor (just a stones' throw away from the long-standing red line stop at Cermak that has failed to ever establish this area as a thriving destination) to support the argument that Cermak is "the next big thing" for Chicago, I think that it is incredibly relevant to point our neighbors to the multiple news stories about the violence over the past two nights (Fri and Sat) all over the hoods just south of the Cermak corridor. Tribune has reported no less than 20 reported shootings (meaning there were likely more) all over the south and west sides since late Friday. At least 6 people are dead. And, the kicker, not one single person is in custody for any of the shootings. When our "saviour green line stop" opens in the near future, these communities will be accesible in mere minutes from Cermak. Not a good thing. Go take a peek at the hood surrounding the Green Line stop at Lake and Ashland and let me know what you think.
Anon 9:31am.. wow! "Just south or west" to me would be something 5 to 10 blocks in either direction. Could you state the addresses of where any of this serious crime occurred? Just west of the West Loop has major issues, just North of River North has issues, just west of Wicker/Bucktown has issues. "Just South, West, East or North" of this area - there has been zero incidents like the things you are mentioning. People really need to start living outside their 2 block bubble.
Regarding the GREEN LINE.. as ALL CTA stops, there is huge benefit to having the stop. URBAN POLITICIAN - We are not talking about the actual plans (it will be more patchwork, but it will come together) for the area, we are talking about what the mindset of people were about Michigan/Roosevelt not even 7 years ago.. now it is one the safest, modern looking neighborhoods in the US.
Anon 9:31am - Want to apologize for being direct as I forgot to mention that I 100% agree with your comments about the CTA and the potential problems that come with it. Just as ALL CTA stops have issues, I was actually trying to say that the areas surrounding the south part of the south loop are very safe. Hopefully, the right development around Cermak/State comes in to not give the wrong folks a reason to be hanging out in the area.
OK folks. Stop the madness and come to Chef Luciano, only half
block from the Lex and enjoy a cool BEST LEMONADE in Chicago.
Summer is almost here.
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