“Star Wars” creator George Lucas has selected Chicago over Los Angeles and San Francisco as the future home of his collection of art and movie memorabilia, according to a spokeswoman for the museum.
A vote by the museum’s board, which would make the decision official, is expected Wednesday. The board also is expected to change the name of the museum from the Lucas Cultural Arts Museum to the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
Pending approval of the Chicago Plan Commission, Lucas' institution would be located on parking lots between Soldier Field and McCormick Place and would open in 2018. Architectural renderings will be presented to city officials in early fall, according to a statement from the museum.
It's a pretty fascinating story and in our opinion seems like a good thing. A museum is better than a parking lot, right?!?!?!
We thought Chicago was just being used as a negotiation tactic against San Francisco, but clearly we were wrong.
Many more details (and likely opposition) are likely to emerge. While we never like to "block" the lakefront, it seems like a museum with park would be better than a parking lot.
Beyond the museum, the original proposal from the city states that this development would also include a pedestrian bridge from the site over to Northerly Island as well as upgrading the 18th street entrance/exits to the lakefront (which is pretty bad right now).
Stay tuned to this story, it seems to be just starting. Our guess is it will be a roller-coaster of a ride (see city's handling of Motor Row expansion as evidence), but sounds like it's moving forward for better or worse.
(Hat tip: JG, KP, AR, DF!)
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