Bad ROI: Cancelled Plans for Research Hub at The 78 Cost Illinois Taxpayers $30M

Well this doesn't seem good (via WBEZ):

Seven years ago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Gov. Bruce Rauner invited dignitaries to a 62-acre plot of land in the South Loop and offered a bold promise: The long-vacant property would be transformed, with a high-tech research facility that would give a massive economic boost to the city of Chicago.

The University of Illinois would operate the proposed $285 million facility, dubbed the Discovery Partners Institute. It would sit on an acre south of Roosevelt Road along the east bank of the Chicago River donated by the property owner, Nadhmi Shakir Auchi, an Iraqi British billionaire who has long been denied entry to the United States as a result of past criminal convictions.

But the university pulled the plug in October on the planned research hub at the sprawling site that has sat vacant for decades and is now being marketed as The 78. The U. of I. said it would turn its vision to the south and become part of a quantum computing research park that Gov. JB Pritzker wants to build on a vacant, 300-acre site at East 79th Street and South DuSable Lake Shore Drive, once occupied by U.S. Steel.

That decision means Illinois taxpayers are now out of more than $30 million, records obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times show.

And the losses for taxpayers still could grow, sources say, to $40 million.

This property has been this biggest quagmire for the neighborhood, government, and numerous ambitious business people.  Our first post back from taking a bit of a hiatus pondered the question "The 78: Will 2025 Finally be the Year?"  So far the answer has been an expensive, resounding no!

This giant empty piece of land that is so visible from so many vantage points across the Sloop is tantalizing to dream about the possibilities.  But so far, it's just been an expensive, bureaucratic nightmare with big dreams but little return on investment.     

Grazie, Forno Mauri!

Need an escape? Want to transport yourself to Italy? Or pretend to? I've got an idea. Pay a visit the new hot spot pizzeria in Printer's Row, Forno Mauri! I promise you that it's less expensive than a flight to Italy. 

I know I know - we've got a lot of pizza in Chicago, and definitely in the Sloop. But, hear me out. Newly opened in December 2024, Forno Mauri does it right, almost just like you're in Italy.

We can thank Maurizio Michi for the thin crusted deliciousness. Michi is also the owner of Sofi Italian, which happens to be right next door. The ingredients used in both restaurants are imported straight from Italia, and give a sense of flavor that you don't find just anywhere. Of the three pizzas I tried at Forno Mauri, my favorite was the Emiliana. Check it out and show our local Sloopin' eateries some love!

Riverline Development Starts Construction at 1010 S. Wells

The Riverline development was announced way back in 2015 and almost 10 years later the project is finally underway at 1010 S. Wells (via Urbanize Chicago):

Renderings have been released for 1010 S. Wells, the first building to be constructed at Riverline in the South Loop.  Developed by CMK Companies, the project will be located along the South Branch of the Chicago River at the intersection of S. Wells St and W. 10th St. 

With Gensler behind the updated design, the 21-story tower will stand 227 feet tall. As part of the redesign, the building has shifted from 286 condos to 386 apartments. The building’s parking count has been reduced from 240 spaces to 182 parking spaces. The building will include 2,904 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. 

The article goes onto say that there will be retail that will be accessible via Wells and most importantly this will also have a public river walk that hopefully one day will allow you to walk from Harrison all the way south to Ping Tom Park in Chinatown.

While CMK's buildings are usually modern and glassy - they're pretty straightforward.  This one looks a little better in our opinion - maybe because it's on the river?!?  

This isn't the only project CMK is working on at the moment - they have four (yes 4!) buildings under construction in the Sloop (according to Yimby Chicago - 1730 Wabash (red) – 1700 Wabash (green) – 1630 Wabash (yellow) – 1717 Michigan (orange):  

Is Something New Cooking at Old Cuatro Restaurant Space (2010 S. Wabash)?

Wow!  It's been awhile since we've heard about anything cooking at the old restaurant space where Cuatro (2030 S. Wabash) lived.  This article in Block Club Chicago says something could be coming - but after reading this feels like it still has some hurdles to clear:  

After 15 years of sitting empty, the building formerly occupied by a popular Latin fusion restaurant could become a new restaurant later this year.

Joji Tirumalareddy told Block Club he aims to open Rhumbar at 2030 S. Wabash Ave. in six months. Tirumalareddy has been trying to open the bar and restaurant in south suburban Frankfort since 2019, but pandemic-related delays and concerns from nearby residents has slowed progress.

Tirumalareddy has owned the South Loop property for several years. He began work on the restaurant in 2020 but the pandemic forced him to put everything on hold. Now he’s ready to get back to work, recently applying for a liquor license under Tulips Chicago LLC.

Tirumalareddy is in the process of renovating the kitchen and dining area so patrons will be able to get a glimpse of the “behind the scenes” action. He envisions a restaurant serving upscale American bar food, with exposed brick walls and big screen televisions.

For those who are curious, check out this post from 2010 about Cuatro's last stand.

We're curious to see if Rhumbar becomes real - would be nice!

#ShotsAroundTheSloop: Head in the Sand

 

Humans of The Sloop: Our Guinea Pig

Welcome to Humans of The Sloop!

Humans of Sloop is a spin on the ever-popular Humans of New York blog that features community members and their stories. Our goal is to share Sloopers’ stories, bring joy to people and connect our neighborhood in unique ways. The South Loop is an incredible neighborhood and we have many gems within it - businesses and humans alike. Check back often for new stories of our residents! 

Do you or someone you know want to be featured in an upcoming story? Please email us at sloopin@gmail.com to communicate your interest.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Are you guinea pig obsessed? Yeah, I wasn’t either. But, then I talked to one of our Sloopin’ friends, Jen, and I think I’m going to reconsider. Jen is our first ‘guinea pig’ (GP) for our Humans of the Sloop feature stories. Turns out, she cares for 4 GPs of her own - fitting. 

It sounds a little strange at first. Guinea Pigs. Obsession. Really? These tiny little creatures? I guess they’re cute. But, FOUR? Four GPs? I need to know how this happened. Jen, who has called the Sloop home for 19 years, lights up as she starts the story. 

I couldn’t help but notice some tiny marks on Jen’s shoulder that she quickly tells me are bite marks. Like a proud mama, she tells me that gps are sweet, smart, and very communicative. When they are done playing and ready to go back into their cage, they start to nip. Plus, they have tiny bladders and need to go to the bathroom every 15 mins or so. Wow. That’s distracting. Nelly - named after Nelly Furtado - is the original “Hello South Loop Front Lawn Special” that began as a Facebook post and became a neighborhood rescue mission, Jen laughs while telling me.

Wait a minute here, Jen - Nelly was a GP rescue? This story is getting even better! Yes, Nelly wouldn’t have made it without the neighbor who found her and posted on Hello South Loop! and the help of some Sloopers that intervened. Jen goes on to tell the wild story that ended with she and her family welcoming a new roommate home in May 2024. Wrapped in a small hand towel! Ok, I’m starting to see how obsession happens.

 
Jen had hamsters growing up, so she thought she’d just raise Nelly like a big hamster and feed her pellets. After intense research on gp forums (yes, they exist!), Jen learned that 80% of the diet for a gp should consist of hay. Oops. Ok, Nelly - we’re upgrading your meal plan! Not only does Nelly get hay, but she also eats fresh mini salads presented by Jen each morning. Now, this is the life! Remember how Jen said that GPs are communicative? Yeah - well, Nelly went from scared and timid to happy and energetic when her meals went from McDonald’s to gourmet!

She also ‘wheeks’ (cute squeaking noise) with her other GP roomies when salad breakfasts with lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, parsley and cilantro are presented each day. The gourmet salads are the highlight of the gps’ day AND Jen’s! The anticipation and squeals are just too much.

So, tell me more about these roomies….. GPs are herd animals and thrive with at least one other GP friend. It’s difficult to find a GP single, so Jen adopted a pair that were already bonded. Nelly, meet Coco and Mila! Hm, apparently that didn’t go so well. Nelly must not have wanted anything to interfere with her gourmet lifestyle and attacked. Now, Coco and Mila live in a separate cage in the “GP duplex” Jen has built.

 
After the roomie drama, Jen adopted Lucy to pair with Nelly. Once Lucy arrived and the two bonded, Jen started to hear GP-specific noises that Nelly had not used prior. I don’t speak ‘Guinea’, but I think this means Nelly’s happy with her new friend!

 
Now, if you’re as in love with these cuties as we are, you should know it all comes full circle in the Sloop! We’ve been sloopin’ around and noticed that “One Tail at a Time”, which is where Jen adopted Mila, Coco and Lucy, is moving into the neighborhood (inside Petsmart 1101 S. Canal)! We’ll be welcoming a lot more GPs and other animals.

As Jen and I close out, she nervously gushes about her big dream of owning her very own GP rescue. I’d say she’s well on her way. Thank you, Jen, for being featured as our first Humans of Sloop guinea pig!

Sloopin’ Love: Jen’s favorite South Loop hotspots are Tapas Valencia (1530 S. State) and Spoke ‘n’ Bird (205 E. 18th)! Say hello if you see Jen or any of our salad-eating friends around!

Former Chicago Bear Star Israel Idonije Set to Officially Open "The Staley" on January 27

Looks like The Staley (1736 S. Michigan) is set to officially open on Monday (via Chicago Star):

Former Chicago Bear Israel Idonije and acclaimed chef Stephen Gillanders are teaming up again to bring Chicago “The Staley,” a high-energy neighborhood sports bar set to open Monday, January 27. Building on the success of their fine dining spot, Signature, which debuted last year, The Staley aims to deliver a more casual, approachable experience while retaining the same dedication to quality and innovation.

For those not familiar with the space this used to be Kroll's - which was one of our faves and had a rough go of it during the pandemic.  

Although we miss Kroll's, it's nice to see something open up in the space, so we're curious to see how it does.  

For those in the know and confused... thinking "didn't that already open?" - you're not crazy.  They did have a "soft opening" during the Bears season last year.

The article in the Chicago Star also has some pictures of the food and the pizza looks pretty good (maybe i'm just hungry?!?).  Looking forward to trying this one out.

#ShootsAroundTheSloop: Bears down; Buffalo Up

 

The Winter, Indoor Version of South Loop Farmers Market Opens this Weekend at Roosevelt Collection

Sloopin’ friends! Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Want to get inside and out of the cold Chi-town winter air? Local artisans? Kid and pet activities? Live DJs? Food? 🤩 

We’ve got exciting news! While doing our usual sloopin’ around, we learned that the indoor South Loop Farmers Market opens up this weekend at Roosevelt Collection. The market is on Saturdays from noon-4 PM and runs through March 30th. Explore the vendors this winter. 

Since it’s such a popular happening, the South Loop Farmers Market has also been invited to set up shop at the iconic Water Tower Place. Sundays noon-4PM. Water Tower Vendors. Validated 2-hour parking at both locations. 

Check one or both out over the next few months!

Video: What Makes the South Loop A Neighborhood

Stumbled upon this youtube video, figured some of you might enjoy it (via YouTube):

Dick's Sporting Good - at The Maxwell on Canal Street - Closing on December 4th

Well this ain't a great way to start the new year (via Chicago Star Media and Chicago Block Club):

Dick’s Sporting Goods will close its South Loop location on Jan. 4, adding to a string of recent retail departures in the area. The closure was announced via a sign near the store’s entrance, at 1100 S. Canal St., according to the Block Club Chicago. 

Dick's sign outside of The Maxwell on Canal street
(via Block Club Chicago)

The retailer is part of The Maxwell, a shopping center that also lost T.J. Maxx nearly a year ago. Remaining tenants at The Maxwell include Nordstrom Rack and Burlington. 

The South Loop has seen several high-profile exits recently. Rising rents forced The Container Store to announce its departure from Roosevelt Collection Shops, while Show Place Icon theater and local boutique Kido Chicago also have closed.

While some might poo poo on big national retailers, the reality is that it's just not a good sign for the neighborhood if they can't be supported.  The Dick's store was massive and nice.