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| New street level rendering with stairs up to public park (photo from Curbed Chicago) |
The British School and Roosevelt Collection developer McCaffery Interests have released revised renderings of the private school's planned South Loop campus. In response to growing public dissatisfaction with the compromised public park space implied by the first set of designs, the revisions demonstrate more care for public access to the school's rooftop park with the inclusion of a broad staircase from the street, and also concede adjacent space for a dog run. The programmatic greenspace beside the school will also be shared with the community. There will now be two basketball/tennis courts, a soccer field, and a playground.
Thoughts?
27 comments:
A broad staircase?? It's only nine feet wide and has 72 steps. After four weeks of pushback from five different public meetings, the only change is that the staircase is now a straight line instead of switchbacks.
Why aren't South Loopers more concerned about letting our park be sold to a private school, letting the Roosevelt Collection Grand Staircase be demolished—and getting nothing in return?
A broad staircase?? It's only nine feet wide and has 72 steps. After four weeks of pushback from five different public meetings, the only change is that the staircase is now a straight line instead of switchbacks.
Why aren't South Loopers more concerned about letting our park be sold to a private school, letting the Roosevelt Collection Grand Staircase be demolished—and getting nothing in return?
our park? who cares. develop develop develop
Who cares about another park if we get another school in return? Property values would increase and the residents of the south loop would benefit from another school option in the area (and not have to look elsewhere, like the west loop). Fortunately, the south loop has many parks in the area, not including Grant Park.
Are the ball fields available to the public ?
The developer says he'll "try to work something out" with the school. But the fields will be controlled by the school, so any such agreement will likely be forgotten the first time a British School kid slips in dog waste, or the first time the school reviews its insurance policy.
We have enough parks in the South Loop, and right now where BSC is going is not a park (nor would it ever be) walk by it - so let's not pretend we're losing a park. A school is many times more valuable to the community than a piece of undeveloped land that is not currentlt nor will it ever be a stand alone park.
Why do you think it will never be a park? Remember that current law requires the developer to turn that space into a park, and says nothing else can be built on it. To allow the school, the developer has to have the law changed.
Enough parks in the South Loop? Remember there's nothing at all west of the Metra tracks, where eventually 4000 or more people will live.
You're wrong about that. The current Planned Development Ordinance requires a park to be built on the land the British School wants, hence the zoning amendment McCaffrey currently seeks.
There's nothing inherently wrong with the British school going there. But it's going to be a bunch of wealthy helicopter parents dropping off and picking up their kids and whisking them back home. I don't see it leading to any more money spent in the neighborhood for stores, restaurants, retail. No pedestrian traffic.
It's better than a bunch of empty lots, but other than the percentage of nearby residents with young kids who can afford it, it's not going to make a difference to this neighborhood one way or another.
Would people please stop the bull crap lies that the south loop has enough parks?
Get out of the south loop and go see the quantity, quality, and completed parks and multifunctional open spaces in other areas like the west loop, north side, and even south of us (39th st harbor or changes to Dunbar). The south loop has been getting shafted and the promised parks have not come to fruition.
@ 8:41am yes please stop with all the lies about parks. quality perhaps, but does not seem to be a lack of quantity following a quick search.
http://greatersouthloop.org/southloop/parks/ - 14 parks
http://www.westloop.org/cityresources/ - 4 parks
I don't think the area needs a park the size of that lot anyway. Plus the elevated park might keep those lazy dog owners that don't pickup their poop out. I like the idea of the school. Bet there are more families in the area that would pay the tuition than move to the burbs then you think.
ANON @ 8:41
his/her dumb comments have been exposed and personify what is wrong with the dumb anons that post on here.
Nothing but trouble they are...
Without veerying into adhomenim comments the key issue here seems to be that BSC is a private school not a public school. A private school in Chicago seems to evoke images of pampered children living with priviledged ('helicopter') parents. Somehow this has drawn the ire of dog and park lovers everywhere. But this is far from the truth - BSC parents are just as caring and devoted to the education of their children as any other 2 income family trying to get their kids a better education and a better chance at life. As for the area - a park will produce $0 in tax revenue and will cost $$ to maintain. BSC will have about 700 kids attending at $25k a pop - a 9.5% that's $1.66 million in IL corporate taxes (yes the school is business) per year. Not to mention the countless City of Chicago taxes, fees, etc. Let's be a little more realistic about who is sending children there and what that will actually do the community instead of sounding off at them like they were born with silver spoons in their mouths and trust funds to boot. These parents value education and they they only want to co-exist in the community in a positive way.
Where is the parking for this school?
Hilarious. A privately owned park pays property taxes. A private school does not. Sales tax is not charged on tuition—in fact, Illinois allows the parents an income tax credit for private school tuition, so state revenues go down for every student enrolled.
Parking will be in the Roosevelt Collection garage.
Mr downtown- completely false. For parents able to afford BSC they do not qualify for state deductions/handouts. British School is great for the sloop. Old St Marys combined with BSC invites families into the neighborhood. This is not ment to be a cheap or affordable area nor should it be with its natural location.
Mr Downtown, check your figures. IL caps tax credits to $500, tuition for BSC is more like $25k and parents that can afford that usually don't qualify for it.
Looks great. This will be a huge addition to the neighborhood. This is not an easy parcel to develop. Really excited with the flexibility/creativity of McCaffery here.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287009/Get-rid-Americans-Fired-admissions-director-exclusive-British-school-New-York-claims-UK-employees-received-preferential-treatment.html
This is the same organization that owns the British School of Chicago. Is this who we want moving in to the Sloop?
The New York school in the Daily News story is completely unrelated to the British School.
@ badly researched Anonymous 1:53pm
http://www.wclschools.org/Locations
....seems to suggest something different. They ARE a related school.....different name, same organization, same rules for their staff! Before spreading you propaganda please spend some time looking in to it.....
Hey folks going by British School roster there are many many families already in the south loop whose kids attend this school. There are also families from other areas of the Chicago. Don't act like this is a bunch folks from outside the neighborhood. One reason why the school chose this site is because of the numbers of kids in the SL who already attend.
Amazing that dogs and dog "poop" are more important to folks then kids getting an education. Also note this is a very community minded school The kids raised nearly $30,000 at the AON step up for kids for Lurie Children's. This is one of many things they do to give back.
No one objects to having the school. But it's outrageous to sell them the park. Let them build on the parcel between Wells and the river, or on the enormous vacant site south of Roosevelt, or at Harrison & Wells, or a dozen other places in the South Loop where the school would have enough room for an auditorium and a cafeteria with windows and real double-ended soccer fields.
Seriously, some people are acting like this is the only piece of vacant land in the south loop. Let them build the school on land that's not promised for a long-awaited park.
Did anyone read this?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287009/Get-rid-Americans-Fired-admissions-director-exclusive-British-school-New-York-claims-UK-employees-received-preferential-treatment.html
The company pays American teachers less than they pay their British Teachers......are you kidding me! How can we allow this organization in to the Sloop when they are so discriminatory to Americans.
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