Enhanced Security Coming to This Week's Lollapalooza

It's lollapalooza week and looks like security measures are being beefed up (via Chicago Tribune):

Expect to see enhanced security — more Chicago police officers, additional fencing, new bag restrictions and airport-style screening at the entrances of Grant Park when Lollapalooza returns Thursday, months after a music festival in Las Vegas was the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

City officials hope their plans for the four-day, star-studded event — featuring Bruno Mars and the Weeknd as headliners — will ease the minds of any concertgoers following news that the Las Vegas attacker also booked rooms at a hotel along Michigan Avenue, across the street from last year's Lollapalooza.

If you're heading the fest expect long lines to get in.  Probably worth it, but prepare.

Infamous Blackhawks Emergency Back-up Goaltender Scott Foster Apparently Works in the Sloop

The Blackhawks Convention invaded the Sloop this past weekend and while their was plenty of typical hockey talk, one of the more interesting tidbits that we read was that last years surprise, emergency back-up goaltender - Scott Foster - apparently works in the Sloop (via Tribune):

As inconspicuously as possible, Scott Foster fidgeted with the pads near his forearm before the Blackhawks-Jets game March 29 until he found a crevice that would help chronicle the time of his hockey life.

“It’s very hard to stuff a cellphone in goalie equipment, but you find a way,” Foster recalled Thursday in the Hawks dressing room at the United Center as the red No. 90 sweater he wore that unforgettable night hung in the locker stall he used. “It was a cool experience and I wanted to share it. I knew I could be professional, so it was OK to be giddy like a kid inside. I wasn’t going to take pictures. I just hid the phone so I could text my wife.”

OMG, it still defies logic that the 36-year-old senior financial accountant began one day last spring crunching numbers at Golub in the South Loop and ended it hearing 22,000 fans chant his name after the emergency goalie played the final 14 minutes in a 6-2 Hawks victory.

If you're not familiar with the story, it's a fun read. 

#ShotsAroundTheSloop: Nature's Firework

(Hat tip:  TG!)

Ilovekickboxing.com Is Open at 1325 S. Michigan Ave

In case you didn't know:

I am writing to let you know that ILKB South Loop opened its doors in April 2018 at 1325 S. Michigan Ave. 

ILKB South Loop operates an Ilovekickboxing.com franchise at the location and looks forward to new members joining their incredible kickboxing family.

Crains Editorial Chicago wants your HQ2, Amazon

A fun read from a couple weeks back from the Crains Editorial Board - and a call out to a future South Loop development which would be great for the Amazon:

In short, we wouldn't want you to think we're staring at the phone waiting for your call. Even so . . . um . . . have we mentioned that we really, really want you to join us here in the Windy City? It's true. We do. So much so that we're hoping you might find an entirely new, built-from-scratch neighborhood just unveiled a few weeks ago to your liking: It's called the 78, and we hear it's one of the locations you've been thinking about as you size up Chicago. It's 62 acres of new residential, office space and riverfront parkland just south of the Loop, and it'll encompass the University of Illinois' plan for a huge research facility called the Discovery Partners Institute. It's also a stone's throw from the Illinois Institute of Technology and the planned Barack Obama Presidential Center, and it's roughly equidistant from both the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. We can picture you there. We really can.

Second Presbyterian Church Has a Newly Restored Tiffany Stained Glass Window

A cool story (via ABC7):

A newly restored Tiffany stained glass window is being re-installed inside Chicago's historic Second Presbyterian Church in the South Loop neighborhood.

Workers spent the last year cleaning 100 years of dirt and grime off the 16-foot "peace window."

It has been restored to its original design by Louis Comfort Tiffany. A wealthy church member commissioned Tiffany to design the window around the turn of the 20th Century.

"After this restoration, it has new colors we hadn't seen before and will sparkle like it did in 1903," said Linda Miller, of Friends of Historic Second Church.

The famous window, which measures 16 feet high and 8 feet wide, is one of nine original Tiffany stained glass windows in the church.

Who Wants Some Delicious Dumplings? Me Do!

This relatively close restaurant call-out caught our attention (via Eaters - 12 Chicago Restaurants Overlooked for Michelin Stars):

10. Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings
2002 S Wentworth Ave #103
Chicago, IL 60616

Not xiao long bao, gyoza, wontons, or potstickers, Qing Xiang Yuan Dumplings—QXY Dumplings for short—specializes in an unsung style of Chinese soup dumpling with a crescent shape, bearing fingerprints along its crimped mohawk of a top. Within a Chinatown strip mall, QXY is quietly steaming and frying the city’s greatest dumplings, freshly stuffed while the guests waits. The menu is lengthy, yet very affordable. Pro tip: don’t miss the cumin lamb.

Columbia College Selling Building @ 731 S. Plymouth to Adaptive Reuse Real Estate Company

Looks like Printers Row is getting some rental units and Polk Street may be getting some more retail (bisnow.com):

3L Real Estate completed its second real estate acquisition in 12 months in the South Loop from Columbia College Chicago. The adaptive reuse specialists bought 731 South Plymouth Court from the liberal arts school, in a deal valued at more than $20M.

Columbia College put the 343-room building on the market in September. The school will lease the building for the 2018-19 school year, allowing the school to house students and various offices while construction of its new $50M student center at Wabash Avenue and Eighth Street continues. 3L Real Estate CEO Joseph Slezak said his firm will then redevelop the building into market rate apartments. The firm partnered with Skydeck, the investment arm of the Polsky family, on the redevelopment plan.

Additionally, the article ends with the following:

The building's main level will be converted into retail space.

Will be interesting to see what that means, but could be a good development for the Printers Row burgeoning retail scene.

(Hat tip: JP!)

#ShotsAroundTheSloop: Beauty and the Fog

(Hat tip: JH!)

Dollop Coffee Company Officially Opens at Alta Roosevelt (801 S. Financial)

Ok, it's been open for a bit, but we've haven't posted about it...so here you go.  A reader writes:

A local resident here in South Loop. Just wanted to share that Dollop Coffee has opened their newest location in the neighborhood on Financial Place. Great addition!

(Hat tip: CD!)

"What I Am" Mural at 1600 S. State Gets Some Love from Curbed

We love the Wabash Arts Corridor so we aren't surprised to see one of the murals get some love on a recent Curbed Chicago post:

12. What I Am1600 S State St
Chicago, IL 60616

New York painter Shinique Smith completed this 65-foot-wide mural at the corner of State and 16th streets last fall. A recent addition to the South Loop’s Wabash Arts Corridor, the dynamic-looking piece features vidid splashes of color, feathers, flowers, and graffiti-inspired graphics. The action centers around a large, handwritten “love.”

Plan for 900 Mixed-Income Residences Unveiled for Former Harold Ickes Homes Site

In case you missed this last week, big plans were revealed for the large piece of land running just west of South State Street between Cermak and Stevenson Expressway (via Tribune):

Eight years after the last building was demolished in the Harold L. Ickes Homes public housing development, an ambitious plan to build almost 900 mixed-income residences on the site is moving closer to reality.

The developers leading the long-awaited project hope to begin construction by early next year on the vacant site in the South Loop where 11 high-rises that made up the Chicago Housing Authority complex once stood.

If the project gains zoning approval and kicks off in 2019, it would be a big step toward finally bringing the CHA’s sweeping but oft-delayed Plan for Transformation to the finish line. The project, likely to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, also would contribute to a wave of ongoing and planned real estate projects in the area where the South Loop, Bronzeville and Chinatown converge.

Planned for three construction phases, the entire 11-acre development is expected to include 770 apartments and 107 town homes and condominiums, and potentially more, said Will Woodley, director of development in the Chicago office of the Community Builders. The Community Builders, a Boston-based nonprofit that specializes in mixed-income developments, and Chicago developer McCaffery Interests were chosen by the CHA in 2015 to lead a redevelopment of the site.

The $90 million first phase would create two six-story apartment buildings with a combined 200 units — 68 public housing units, 18 affordable units and 114 market-rate apartments. It also would include 18 for-sale town homes.

The project is another big one for the neighborhood with transformational potential.  So what's next?  Apparently the plan is to be reviewed at  the Chicago Plan Commission’s July 19 meeting.  After that it's off to city council for vote.

Stay tuned.

First Draft (649 S. Clark) Gets a Patio

Looks like First Draft (649 S. Clark) has a patio now (via Facebook).  An reader writes:

First Draft also opened their new full service patio on Clark Street!

(Hat tip:  CD!)

#ShotsAroundTheSloop: City on a Lake

(Hat tip: MW!)

Essex on the Park Reveals Two New Renderings for Its "Winter Garden"

The "winter garden" is one of the most interesting components of the new Essex on the Park development. We're curious to see how it comes to life, but some new renderings give us a new glimpse into what it could hold (via Curbed):

As the South Michigan Avenue’s 56-story Essex on the Park tower continues its skyward climb, a pair of newly released renderings provide fresh perspectives of the skyscraper’s stunning four-story winter garden overlooking Grand Park.

“The design team was inspired to capture within the building a slice of the park beyond,” Paul Alessandro, partner at Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA) tells Curbed Chicago. “If Grant Park is an oasis of green carved out of the city proper, the atrium is an oasis of green carved out of the new Essex on the Park tower.”

Indeed, the interior of the winter garden draws many design elements directly from its eastern view, according to the architect. The hanging gardens and green wall is meant to evoke the trees and lawn of the park while the infinity-edge pool mirrors the water of Lake Michigan beyond.

Site Available Sign Still at Polk/Dearborn Despite Recent Article Saying Micro-Apartments Coming

As a follow-up to our recent post about Roots Pizza potentially moving into a "micro-apartment" building, a reader questions the validity of that story:

Polk/Dearborn - This sign is up on that small vacant lot right now. Sure doesn't look like the micro apartments project is happening...?

We're skeptical too...

(Hat tip:  PB!)

Starbucks "Coming Soon" Sign Appears at SE Corner of Michigan and Cermak

While many may roll their eyes at this picture, the impending opening of Starbucks at the southeast corner of Michigan and Cermak marks a pretty big development for this stretch of the neighborhood.

Yes we've been chronicling these changes for awhile (ahem Subway coming to the area), but this one feels bigger.

Ever since we started this blog we've heard people comment about how the south portion of the neighborhood was a joke and how they couldn't even get a Starbucks south of the one on Roosevelt (although we think there was always a Starbucks INSIDE McCormick Place...but that's not the same).

While we didn't really pay heed to this narrative, it stuck with us.  Anyway, now that this is coming it feels like the momentum is building and probably won't stop.

Thoughts?

Group of Robbers Use Panhandler in Wheelchair to Lure Victims

Stay aware (via ChicagoTribune):

Police are searching for a group of robbers who lure in South Loop victims with a man panhandling from a wheelchair.

In the month of July, three of these robberies have occurred, according to the Chicago Police Department. It starts with the man in the wheelchair asking for change or a cigarette. As someone approaches, other offenders attack the victim.

The first reported incident occurred at 3:12 a.m. July 3 in the 700 block of South Michigan Avenue, police said. The next was at 9 a.m. that day in the 900 block of South Michigan Avenue.

Poke & Roll Closes at 555 S. Dearborn

A reader writes:

The Poke and Roll at 555 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60605 has permanently closed. Carlos the owner said he is opening a restaurant in Hyde Park area.

It seems like this spot never really gain traction.  As a reminder they opened in the spring of 2017 and opened pretty quickly.  We had a couple decent meals, but frankly it didn't wow us.

Maybe Hyde Park will treat them better?

(Hat tip:  SC!)

ShotsAroundTheSloop: S&R

(Hat tip: MW!)

Bike Lane on Dearborn in Printers Row Finally Repaved

A reader writes:

The bike lane on Dearborn in Printer’s Row finally has been repaired. It has been ripped up for a year (it seems).

As someone who rides their bike on this stretch almost daily all I can say is finally.

(Hat tip:  DH!)

Happy 4th of July from Sloopin!

Roots Pizza Coming to Printers Row and Anchoring 15-Story Micro-Apartment Building?

If you're into the restaurant business, Crain's has a good read about the 50/50 restaurant group.  It's an interesting read, but what really caught our eye was this paragraph:

Beyond the high-profile Old Town project, Mohr and Weiner are readying other ventures. A fourth, supersized Roots Pizza will open in the South Loop next summer. The 11,000-square-foot, two-story restaurant will sit atop a 15-story luxury micro-apartment building going up at Dearborn and Polk streets.

Lots of goodness to unpack here.  First - is that really a "micro-apartment" reference again?  If you're an avid Sloopin reader you may remember way back in 2015 when the micro concept was revealed.  Subsequently we were under the impression those plans were scraped, but maybe not?   

Second, bringing another restaurant - especially one with a proven track record - to this stretch of Printers Row is only going to continue the momentum for Dearborn.  Yes it's another pizza joint - and we certainly have a lot of them in the neighborhood - but still seems like a good addition. 

What's even more interesting is that it apparently is going to be a two-story concept with a retractable roof (via Eater):

A fourth Roots pizza is planned for the South Loop at 776 S. Dearborn Street. They’re gunning for a summer 2019 opening of a two-floor restaurant with 320 seats. About 200 seats will be on the second floor that will be covered by a retractable roof.

Wowsa - sounds sweet!  Thoughts on this news - seems positive if true?

Shedd Aquarium Partnering on "Wild Mile" Project on Chicago River

Although this isn't in the Sloop, it is something the Shedd is doing and since they're in the neighborhood thought it was worth a post (via ChicagoTribune):

From the Cherry Avenue Bridge, the rehabilitated span for trains and pedestrians at the northern tip of Goose Island, the North Branch Canal of the Chicago River looks like a silty, murky mess. The riverbanks are scarred with concrete and wooden and metal retaining walls. Unruly trees pay the barriers no mind, stretching defiantly into the water, their sagging branches capturing a flotilla of plastic bags and beer cans.

But look southward from this point only a few steps from the rush of North Avenue, toward the Lincoln Park Whole Foods store, and the river is alive with floating tufts of greenery. The gardens are the beginning of a vision to turn the old industrial channel on Goose Island’s eastern edge into a “wild mile,” an eco-park of floating plants, wetlands, kayak piers and public walkways.

Soon these water gardens, the work of Urban Rivers, will have companions. By the beginning of July, a new set of native plant gardens will float in the canal, courtesy of a partnership between the environmental nonprofit and Shedd Aquarium.

Shedd’s river “island” will add 260 square feet of native plants such as swamp rose mallow, marsh marigold, Dudley’s rush and queen-of-the-prairie to the 1,500 square feet installed a year ago by Urban Rivers.

#ShotsAroundTheSloop:. Easy Like Sunday Morning

(Hat tip:. JH!!)