Revisiting the Top Sloopin Post From 2018: A Somber but Beautiful Statement at South Loop Elementary

On the last day of the year, we wanted to take a quick look at our traffic and were happy to find that one of the most memorable things we've ever seen in the Sloop ended up having the most traffic. 

This post from February 20th, 2018 was a moment we won't forget:

A Somber but Beautiful Statement at South Loop Elementary 

If you were taking your kids to South Loop Elementary today or happened to be walking by, you likely noticed this:

While it took us a minute to wrap our head around the picture above, it quickly became clear that the Chicago Police department was "escorting" the daughter of murdered CPD Commander Paul Bauer back to school (via CBS Chicago):  

Chicago Police Cmdr. Paul Bauer is remembered for far more than his leadership on the CPD.

The commander of the 18th Police District was a man who got involved in his community, whether it was at his church – Nativity of Our Lord in Bridgeport — or at the school of his 13-year-old daughter, Grace.

At South Loop Elementary, blue ribbons line the street. Bauer is being remembered for always stepping up, starting the daddy-daughter dance and always smiling when with his daughter. 

We were choked up by the statement and symbolism as we walked to work. We can only imagine how his daughter and family are feeling.

While the reason for this moment was terrible and tragic, it was moving to see such a statement of support and love.

On that note, wishing everyone a safe, happy and healthy 2019! 

Pondering the Location of the Proposed New 15th Street CTA Red Line Station

We've been going back and forth on the potential of a new CTA red line stop at 15th and Clark.  As most issues - especially ones pertaining to a wide swath of people - there are certainly many pros and cons to the discussion.  While we're not going to debate them all right this moment, one thing that immediately caught our attention was why 15th street?

The most logical answer is that it would benefit "The 78 development" as it would be a major access point near the middle of the project.  On the flip side, a stop 3 blocks south and 2 blocks west of Roosevelt seems excessive.  Maybe if securing a major tenant (like Amazon) was contingent on a 15th street Red Line stop then maybe it would tip the balance to justify this stop - but that would still be a major MAYBE in our book.   

Does anyone know if they considered the block between 17th and 18th?  In our opinion this would be better for the neighborhood as it could provide access to the Red Line and Orange line.  It would be closer to 18th street which is a major east/west route for the Sloop and is a better walking route to Soldier Field/Museum Campus.  

The one major concern could be the proximity to the Chinatown red line stop which has an entrance at Cermak and to the north at Archer.  That being said, the fact that the Orange Line doesn't have a stop between Roosevelt and Halsted (which is just over 2 miles away) seems like a missed opportunity.

Does anyone have any thoughts or perspective on this option?  Is it feasible?  Did they consider it?

Regardless, the "open" concept renderings for the 15th street station look pretty awesome (via Curbed):

Float Sixty Opens at 1143 S. State

In case you missed the bright neon light on South State street, Float Sixty is now open at 1143 S. State:

Float Sixty was originally planning on opening on Michigan Avenue and we first posted about that back in 2016.  It's been a long journey to open the store in the Sloop, but we're certainly intrigued by the therapy.  The website states:

Getting rid of all sensory input allows the ‘constantly-make-sure-you’re-not-dying’ part of your brain to chill out for a second, allowing the creative, relaxed part of your brain to come out and play. Without the constant pressure of analyzing the world around you, your body lowers its levels of cortisol, the main chemical component of stress. Your brain also releases elevated levels of dopamine and endorphins, the neurotransmitters of happiness. 

The site goes on to list a wide range of benefits ranging from increased immune function to "super-learning".

Anyway, we hope to try it out someday.  In the meantime, anyone been yet?  If so, please share your response.

Subway at 13th and Wabash Closes Doors

Looks like the Subway at 13th and Wabash is donzo:

What's not clear is if they're truly "moving this location" or just closing this one in favor of the Subway that's a block away at 1212 S. Michigan.  Back when the Subway on Michigan avenue opened in 2010 we wondered why there would be a need for two of these restaurants so close to each other.

Regardless, this opens up another good retail spot on a stretch of Wabash that has some of the best dinning/bar activity in the neighborhood.  Between this and the empty space where Gioco was, maybe this block will get a couple of other good spots.

(Hat tip: SW!)

New Chipotle Coming to Retail Space in 1136 S. Wabash

We recently saw a post on Hello South Loop's Facebook page and it appears that one neighbor has sleuthed that one of the most (historically) desired fast food spots is opening in the  Sloop:

While maybe not as desired (ahem) as it use to be or big of deal as it was when many people were talking about the need for Chipotle in 2012, it is a good addition to this stretch on Wabash.  

We're unsure when this will open, but our guess is in the spring.

As a reminder the Sloop has a Chipotle west of the rive on 1132 S. Clinton.  It opened in late 2013 and has always maintained a steady hum of business.  We imagine this second location will also be popular.

(Hat tip:  TA!)

Happy Holidays from the Sloopin Crew

From the Sloopin crew:

Fire at the South Loop Target

A reader writes:

There was a fire in the parking lot in the South Loop Target yesterday. Didn’t look like anyone got hurt which is great. If you publish this, remind readers to call 911 if there’s an emergency and not just post about it on social media (I saw many people Snapchating and FB-Living the event and when I called 911, they said it was the first I heard of that fire).

Museums Announce Free Days for Chicago Residents in 2019

While the Shedd hasn't announced their free days for 2019, you can get into some other local Sloop institutions if you want to brave the crowds (via Curbed):

Chicago’s museums can take you back in time or to another planet, however, it can get a little costly. If you’re an Illinois resident there are handful of days where you can get into world-class institutions for free. There are also plenty of museums that are free all year.

FIELD MUSEUM

• January 21

• February 1-28

• April 5-7

• May 2

• June 26-28

ADLER PLANETARIUM

• January 21-22, 29-31

• February 5-7, 12-14, 18-21, 26-28

• April 2-4, 9-11

• June 3-5, 10-13

• September 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27

• October 7-9, 14-16

• November 8, 11

• December 2-3, 7, 12-13

Ferrara Candy Confirms Relocation to Old Post Office

Looks like the renovated post office is getting a second corporate tenant (via Chicago Tribune):

Ferrara Candy Co. will relocate its corporate headquarters to Chicago's Old Post Office from Oakbrook Terrace next summer, bringing almost 400 jobs to the massive structure straddling Congress Parkway.

Ferrara has a little more than 300 office employees now, with plans to expand to about 400 in the new space, where it will move by late next summer, Ferrara CEO Todd Siwak said. The move downtown, to an open and collaborative layout, will help the company recruit and retain talent, he said.

“It provides us the opportunity to create the space employees have asked for, with the necessary flexibility to expand as our business continues to expand,” he said.

A good get for the post office!

Sloop Seemed Poised to Land Amazon's HQ2 if Chicago Had Won

The news that Chicago didn't win the Amazon HQ2 corporate sweepstakes is relatively stale, but a new piece in Crain's points to some juicy new details about the bid.  One of the most interesting items for us Sloopsters was that "The 78" seemed to be the preferred location for the Amazon team:

In the end, Amazon wanted to look only at one site, the 78. Insiders have whispered for months that the company really liked that location, which effectively is raw, undeveloped land, but located near the central business district and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Amazon made two trips here, not three, according to both Rivkin and the emails. Both visits included a mix of wandering around sites and looking at surrounding amenities, such as the Museum Campus, Soldier Field and Chinatown.

As we stated back in June we thought this site might tickle their fancy.  So I guess we can take some pride in "reading the tea leaves".  (sigh...)

Another interesting tidbit was a piece about U of C:

Chicago offered some intriguing little things in the response to Amazon's request for information. Included were promises that the University of Chicago would open a second campus of its renowned elementary and secondary Lab School near the HQ2 site, the Chicago Transit Authority would offer an Amazon-branded transit card for company workers, and “concierge” service in the city’s Building Department would be available for the company to reduce red tape on construction jobs and for its employees to be able to do the same on home-related work.

The article also says that Chicago was one of the "final five competitors".  Yay?!?!?!

What will become of the 78 is still an open question.  Could the development someday land an anchor corporate tenant?  It seemed primed for Amazon (sorry we had to do that).   

Wha?!?!?! Construction on Jane Bryne Interchange - a Major Artery for the City and Sloop - Will Go On For Another 4 Years!

In case you missed this doozy last week...all we gotta say is damn (via Chicago Tribune):

Drivers, be patient, and find alternate routes if you can. Work on the Jane Byrne Interchange will go on for another four years.

That’s the word from the Illinois Department of Transportation, which has been rebuilding what used to be known as the Circle Interchange or, informally, the “spaghetti bowl,” since 2014. The finish date for the project had originally been projected at 2019. IDOT now expects it to be complete in 2022.

IDOT engineers warn that the biggest impact to traffic is coming in the summer of 2020, when a major ramp will need to be closed. This is the ramp from the inbound Eisenhower Expressway to the northbound Kennedy Expressway, which sees 26,000 cars a day.

Why is the project taking so long? It involves three different interstates, a constricted urban area, working around the CTA Blue Line, multiple bridges, a city water pumping station and the need to keep traffic flowing in a spot that sees 400,000 vehicles every day, said Steve Travia, engineer for project implementation at IDOT.

Fatpour at Cermak/Indiana Opens its Doors!

Looks like Fatpour  on the corner of Indiana and Cermak is ready to open:

As a reminder, we first posted about this in February of this year.  Since then there has been some considerable momentum for this up and coming area of the neighborhood.

(Hat tip: EH!)

This Weekend Head to the 20th Anniversary of South Loop Neighbors Loft Walk

One of the Sloop's best events:

Neighborhood Infrastructure Updates: Canadian National Railway Repairs & Traffic Light at 21st/Indiana

Looks like the railroad line that runs just north of 16th street is getting some much needed repairs (via Gazette):

The Canadian National Railway (CN) will complete preliminary utility work and then, in early 2019, will start reconstructing overpasses at Michigan and Wabash Avenues as well as State, Dearborn, and Clark Streets.

While some may be disappointed that the line isn't closing down, there are some benefits to this work.  Alderman Dowell weighs in:

Dowell said she held two community meetings about the project, and noted the railroad has been open to community concerns.

“I was surprised to learn that the rail line was over 100 years old,” Dowell said. “The investment needs to happen. There will be improvements in the lighting underneath the bridges, and the neighborhood will be more friendly to traffic as well as to pedestrians.”

Dowell said that changing the look and feel of the trains as well as the bridges will make the growing South Loop neighborhoods more appealing. In addition to the bridges, she said the railroad will reduce train noise and vibration in densely populated areas by moving an idling station further from residential buildings.

The Gazette article also points to a new a stop light going in at the intersection of 21st and Indiana given the influx of activity around Wintrust Arena.

Nike Force Store Pops-Up at 9th and Wabash

If you're a sneakerhead you may already know this, but it appears a Nike Force pop-up store is up and running at 9th and Wabash.  This picture was snapped this past Saturday and there was a line around the corner (which is hard to see in this pic):

We couldn't find much online.  Does anyone have any info?

Some Crazy Beautiful Pics at the New NEMA Rental Building

Some beautiful new shots from the NEMA rental building rising high above our city at Roosevelt and Indian (via Curbed):

After quietly breaking ground nearly two years ago, the 893-foot apartment tower known as NEMA Chicago has grown to dominate downtown’s southern skyline. The still-growing project has already claimed the title of the city’s tallest rental building as it continues its skyward climb along the southern edge of Grant Park. 

Although the Rafael Viñoly-designed project isn’t expected to open until next year, a handful of new images offer a first look inside the building’s 800 units and 70,000 square feet of amenity space.

The renderings include shots of an outdoor terrace, an indoor resident lounge, a corner apartment unit, and NEMA’s south-facing pool that juts out slightly beyond the building’s facade.

#ShotsAroundTheSloop: A Crow's Sunrise

(Hat tip:  JH!)

CPS CEO Commits to Strengthening Existing High School Options Instead of New South Loop Neighborhood

More news on the future of a neighborhood high school (via SunTimes):

Chicago Public Schools will come up with another plan to give residents of the Near South Side quality high school options now that National Teachers Academy won’t be closed and converted into a high school, CEO Janice Jackson said Wednesday.

“I want to publicly state that we are committed to exploring ways to strengthen the existing high school options in the Near South community and we will be working collaboratively with the residents to do just that,” Jackson told the Chicago Board of Education. She did not offer any details.

The words existing high school is likely to rub many South Loop residents the wrong way.

The article goes onto say:

When Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Ald. Pat Dowell had championed the new school, promised to Chinatown residents, they noted how few families in the area considered Phillips High School a viable option for their children, though that’s their assigned neighborhood high school. Phillips, home to just about 750 students now, holds CPS’ second-lowest rating but has made improvements in the last few years.

Dunbar High School in Bronzeville enrolls just about 300 students in its career and technical programs open citywide. Its building at 3000 S. King Drive could hold several times that number of kids.

We will see.

Italian Restaurant - Il Culaccino - Plans Spring Opening in Motor Row Area

Some more good restaurant news for the Motor Row entertainment district (via Eater Chicago):

Diners near McCormick Place are getting yet another new food option, as the owners of Bridgeport favorite Franco’s Ristorante are working towards opening a fine dining Italian restaurant in the South Loop. Il Culaccino is a 225-seater pegged for a spring opening at 2138 S. Indiana Avenue, inside the 35-story Arrive Lex Tower apartment building. It’s more good news for convention goers and locals in a neighborhood with a limited number of restaurants.

Franco’s has served Italian food since 1986 in Bridgeport. It’s owned by the Ruffolo family and in 2016 they remodeled their then-27-year-old restaurant. They own three more restaurants: Franco’s at the Fountain in Millennium Park, Franconello Italian Restaurant in the Beverly, and Jam ‘n Honey in Lincoln Park/DePaul.

The area has seen a wave of new restaurants and shops coming to the area.  Succezz, Vu Rooftop Bar, Starbucks, Pizano's Pizza are some of the new places that are popping up in the area.

COPA Investigating Incident with Police and Young Man at Roosevelt Stop

An incident from Thanksgiving weekend at the Roosevelt red line station (via SunTimes and The Grio):

A Chicago police officer caught on cellphone video repeatedly striking a teen with handcuffs is now being investigated by the city’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability.

According to The Chicago Sun Times, during Thanksgiving weekend, officers tried to detain a teen boy as he peacefully waited for a train at a South Loop commuter train station, because they believed he matched the description of a robbery subject.

When the young man allegedly threatened the officers by clenching his fists and flailing his arms, that’s when they say they performed a “take down” on the suspect, who was later identified as 16-year old Skyler Miller.

Miller, who attends Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy, was arrested but later released without being charged because the officers failed to get statements from the victims of the alleged robbery.

Here is the video if you're inclined to watch:

Judge Halts Plans to Convert National Teachers Academy into South Loop High School

Yesterday we posted about the impending ruling from a judge and here is the update (via SunTimes):

Hours after a Cook County judge on Monday granted a preliminary order to block Chicago Public Schools’ contentious conversion of the National Teachers Academy to a high school, schools officials backed down, saying they won’t appeal the ruling.

That means NTA will remain an elementary school and will not be converted into a new high school serving the rapidly growing South Loop — a school that was supposed to open this fall. NTA will keep its regional gifted center, and high school boundaries that changed to make room for the new high school that would also serve Chinatown and Bridgeport will change back to what they had been in the past.

Congrats to all the families, teachers and students who fought hard for this decision.

What remains up in the air is what the solution is for a South Loop neighborhood high school:

It’s not clear how CPS now will make sure those neighborhoods have “a high quality neighborhood high school,” which Passman said remained a “top priority,” or what will happen with the millions that had been allocated for the conversion championed by Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) and outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

We'll see.

1407 S. Michigan is HOT HOT HOT!

Sponsored Post

As of this week 115 out of 199 units for rent will have been leased at 1407 S. Michigan. The development is offering one month free rent on a 13-month lease or two months free on a 18-month lease. All units are ready for immediate occupancy— You can lease today and move in tomorrow!

The building features unobstructed east lake views and beautiful city views overlooking the Magnificent Mile. No attention to detail was forgotten. Luxury features of each unit include:

• European-style cabinetry
• Hardwood floors throughout
• Whirlpool stainless steel appliances
• Quartz countertops
• Custom backsplash
• Custom organized built in closets
• In-unit full size washer and dryer
• Custom roller shades
• Black out shades in all bedrooms
• Grohe faucets
• Custom baths
• Extra sound insulation throughout the unit

The luxury does not end at the unit door; additional building features abound! Get the best that city luxury living has to offer with superb onsite amenities:

• 24-hour door staff
• Onsite management
• Massive workout room featuring Hoist and Precor equipment and free-weights
• Outdoor work out area
• Dog run
• Basketball court
• Yoga studio
• Locker rooms with sauna
• Onsite press box dry cleaning service
• Conference room
• Beautiful party room with gourmet kitchen
• Bar, game room, fireplaces and theater
• 1 Gig wireless internet access throughout the building

Best of all, there is abundant, gorgeous outdoor space that is not usually found in in-city living buildings. Incredible outdoor pool deck featuring grills, fire pits, cabanas and, of course, unsurpassed beautiful lake views. Garage parking is available for $275. Pets are welcome!

Chance the Rapper Pens Article on Plans to Close National Teachers Academy

Chance the Rapper pens article on plans to close National Teachers Academy (partial blurb from Tribune):

During the last school year, CPS decided to close NTA as an elementary school, so that its building can be used for a new high school. CPS made the decision despite NTA’s educational successes and despite unwavering objections from the NTA community.

Through its affordable after-school activities, community health clinic and senior recreation center, NTA has figured out that the key to providing a successful educational experience is collaboration with the community. NTA has become more than just a building — it’s a village. NTA parents, teachers and students are battling to keep this village.

Located at the former Harold Ickes public housing project, NTA’s students are 80 percent African-American, and 76 percent fall below the poverty line. Over the last five years, NTA has welcomed students from neighboring schools that have been shuttered. NTA is also a Level 1+ school, earning CPS’ highest school rating and outpacing 80 percent of students across the nation. The Illinois State Board of Education has called this accomplishment “commendable,” which is an understatement given the state’s history of inadequate public school funding, NTA’s past principal turnover and its initial school rating of 3 (which is CPS’ lowest school rating). This five-year turnaround is a testament to the teachers, parents and staff at NTA.

He finishes with a powerful statement:

It’s not too late for CPS to make the right decision and change course. This moment could set a precedent for future school closings and end the displacement in education that has plagued CPS history. In the fight for equal education, it is imperative that we all stand with NTA.

#ShotsAroundTheSloop: Down and Out

Our favorite mural: