1 hour ago, Mouthsider said:

…which is why I wondered as to if there’s a plan to develop that area. So that it doesn’t become another CN rail yard in Harvey.

It's not like Harvey would be totally gentrified if not for their intermodal yard. While the Amtrak facility to Bridgeport is certainly not a positive addition, I disagree with the implication earlier that the area will become another Harvey because of it. Plus, I believe that Harvey facility brings in a lot of truck traffic with semis constantly coming and going. That's not going to happen with an Amtrak facility other than employees coming and going on city streets.

As far as any plans for the Rate Field land if and when the Sox leave, if there isn't a plan, one should be developed. I saw somewhere that John Daley said the focus should be a new lease to keep the Sox there. How does he intend that to work? Force the team to stay? And what kind of lease? Another sweetheart deal that will make everyone howl in anger?

Edited September 17Sep 17 by 77 Hitmen

3 hours ago, tray said:

That is your opinion and you are welcome to it. See you at the game...or at the meeting tonight?ox

Was worried about Sox sewage.

Not surprisingly, the crowd at the Amtrak public meeting was pretty angry.

Chicago Sun-Times

Bridgeport and Chinatown residents press Amtrak leaders t...

Hundreds of residents confronted Amtrak leaders and developers planning to construct a rail yard in Chinatown and Bridgeport, demanding they answer concerns about the project's impacts on safety, qual

Edited September 18Sep 18 by 77 Hitmen

15 minutes ago, 77 Hitmen said:

Not surprisingly, the crowd at the Amtrak public meeting were pretty angry.

Chicago Sun-Times

Bridgeport and Chinatown residents press Amtrak leaders t...

Hundreds of residents confronted Amtrak leaders and developers planning to construct a rail yard in Chinatown and Bridgeport, demanding they answer concerns about the project's impacts on safety, qual

Dang, it's going to bring rats to the neighborhood. They didn't have those before. It's going to provide an atmosphere conducive to rats. They will feed on diesel fuel and lubricants and will multiple FAST.

"Stop Amtrak's railyard so it can stay as UP's railyard!"

It was a semi-clever strategy to frame the issue around Bridgeport as though Bridgeport is the "Southside" as in "Southside White Sox." No. Then to target Bridgeport residents as above. And they deserve this from a billionaire only interested in satisfying his own agenda?

There is no immediate need for a new stadium and no need to demolish a stadium that belongs to IL taxpayers. The degree of urgency to replace a solid publicly owned stadium with a privately owned stadium speaks for itself.

Ishbia's first priority should have been on improving the team instead of running amuck with this absurd plan. In addition, Ishbia could have purchased property surrounding the Rate and developed it in order to enhance the gentrification of the area. The area and the stadium could benefit from construction of new residential buildings, bars, restaurants and shops.

Instead, Ishbia decided to acquire land to build a park he will own. But all he could find on his self-imposed timetable was a substandard tract in a RR yard which he was confident that architects could design a stadium to fit. The reverse logic there is flawed and his miscalculations abound. The result of rushing to build on that parcel (as depicted in the renderings) looks horrendous, i.e., 3 or 4 decks, enclosed pedestrian bridges spanning a street and adjacent railroad tracks, and wall in RF that appears to be driven by a mistaken notion that the canal /RR location would remind fans of Oracle Park - but here hitting the ball into dirty canal water. Ishbia's rail yard is a junk yard compared to Oracle or the upcoming Athletics stadium in Vegas. He should pause, keep the WSox at the Rate while considering other alternatives.

Of course Chicago is not on the ocean but please, look at the railyard rendering. What a joke. It's awful. Take a timeout Ishbia and perhaps a project that would not require a rail yard at Rate field or a stadium next to RR tracks will emerge.

Edited September 18Sep 18 by tray

The real tragic irony of tray all is that Reinsdorf was the one to initiate the whole push towards the 78 and wanted public funding to build the whole stadium

2 hours ago, tray said:

It was a semi-clever strategy to frame the issue around Bridgeport as though Bridgeport is the "Southside" as in "Southside White Sox." No. Then to target Bridgeport residents as above. And they deserve this from a billionaire only interested in satisfying his own agenda?

There is no immediate need for a new stadium and no need to demolish a stadium that belongs to IL taxpayers. The degree of urgency to replace a solid publicly owned stadium with a privately owned stadium speaks for itself.

Ishbia's first priority should have been on improving the team instead of running amuck with this absurd plan. In addition, Ishbia could have purchased property surrounding the Rate and developed it in order to enhance the gentrification of the area. The area and the stadium could benefit from construction of new residential buildings, bars, restaurants and shops.

Instead, Ishbia decided to acquire land to build a park he will own. But all he could find on his self-imposed timetable was a substandard tract in a RR yard which he was confident that architects could design a stadium to fit. The reverse logic there is flawed and his miscalculations abound. The result of rushing to build on that parcel (as depicted in the renderings) looks horrendous, i.e., 3 or 4 decks, enclosed pedestrian bridges spanning a street and adjacent railroad tracks, and wall in RF that appears to be driven by a mistaken notion that the canal /RR location would remind fans of Oracle Park - but here hitting the ball into dirty canal water. Ishbia's rail yard is a junk yard compared to Oracle or the upcoming Athletics stadium in Vegas. He should pause, keep the WSox at the Rate while considering other alternatives.

Of course Chicago is not on the ocean but please, look at the railyard rendering. What a joke. It's awful. Take a timeout Ishbia and perhaps a project that would not require a rail yard at Rate field or a stadium next to RR tracks will emerge.

I have never read so many words that amounted to absolute nonsense in my entire life. Seek help.

The public doesn't own the current ballpark. The ISFA does. All the current ballpark does is cost taxpayers money. What the f*** are you even talking about?

P.S. Reinsdorf has had decades to do those things. Why hasn't he done anything?

Edited September 18Sep 18 by Paulie4Pres

I don't think Ishiba showed up at the Bridgeport meeting.

4 hours ago, Paulie4Pres said:

I have never read so many words that amounted to absolute nonsense in my entire life. Seek help.

The public doesn't own the current ballpark. The ISFA does. All the current ballpark does is cost taxpayers money. What the f*** are you even talking about?

P.S. Reinsdorf has had decades to do those things. Why hasn't he done anything?

It’s funny. He points out Isbia building up Bridgeport. Yet, Reinsdorf at one point tried and hit was the same Nimbyism that tray is spewing.

And to build up around Bridgeport causes Isbia to buy up housing and tear it down. According to tray logic, there’s no need to do that with perfectly good land.

And think of the noise pollution it creates when adding more bars and potential drunks….

Trays argument falls apart on itself.

16 hours ago, waltwilliams said:

As someone who has lived in the South Loop for 20 years, the Bridgeport/Bronzeville/Armour Square area around Rate Field probably is busier than Roosevelt and Canal. Even for someone who lives in the South Loop, the area around the 78 is pretty remote right now. The active areas of the South Loop include Dearborn Station, Wabash between Roosevelt and 18th Street, and State Street around from Balbo to Roosevelt. All these areas aren't that close to Roosevelt and Canal. The closest activity is the Roosevelt Collection mall a few blocks away, but that mall isn't exactly a people magnet. Of course, that would change with Ishbia's proposed mixed-use village. But there definitely aren't thousands of people walking around Roosevelt and Canal on any day of the week.

There most definitely is. That’s actually an insanely popular area. You have the Whole Foods, BoA across the street, a few shopping centers, Roosevelt Collection is right on top of the bridge which houses more shopping, and residences. From the Roosevelt Collection, you have a direct line of site to the current railyard. I know because I lived there.

You have the Roosevelt bus and South Loops residents traversing by there in car as well when they’re heading south or southwest to get to the highway.

There’s the Jewel shopping center across the street as well which is pretty damn large. On the southern end, right off of 16th and Roosevelt are a bunch of train tracks, warehouses and housing. Have yet to see anyone complain of health.

There’s are thousands, and that’s under selling it if anything.

Edited September 18Sep 18 by nitetrain8601

4 hours ago, Paulie4Pres said:

I have never read so many words that amounted to absolute nonsense in my entire life. Seek help.

The public doesn't own the current ballpark. The ISFA does. All the current ballpark does is cost taxpayers money. What the f*** are you even talking about?

P.S. Reinsdorf has had decades to do those things. Why hasn't he done anything?

Cause he forgot about Tray

4 hours ago, BRayne said:

The real tragic irony of tray all is that Reinsdorf was the one to initiate the whole push towards the 78 and wanted public funding to build the whole stadium

And Ishbia doesn't own the team, by law.

3 hours ago, WBWSF said:

I don't think Ishiba showed up at the Bridgeport meeting.

See, Tray is right.

3 hours ago, WBWSF said:

I don't think Ishiba showed up at the Bridgeport meeting.

He did not, unfortunately. There was allegedly a representative from Canal Edge, but Alderman Lee’s source must have been mistaken.

Amtrak has plans for ISFA, White Sox parking lots - Sox M...

Amtrak released new designs of its planned maintenance facility in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood. But it requires access through a state-owned parking lot.

Sox Machine article summarizing meetings/takeaways from the last 48 hours. Also answers why the area was never were developed akin to Wrigleyville:

So why hasn’t ISFA developed the lots? Speaking with several sources, the biggest sticking point was Jerry Reinsdorf’s decision years ago not to renew the lease at Rate Field. Without an anchor tenant, developers have shied away. There’s no point in building commercial buildings next to Rate Field if it’s an empty stadium in 2030.

As per usual, it’s Reinsdorf’s fault.

12 minutes ago, Mouthsider said:

Amtrak has plans for ISFA, White Sox parking lots - Sox M...

Amtrak released new designs of its planned maintenance facility in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood. But it requires access through a state-owned parking lot.

Sox Machine article summarizing meetings/takeaways from the last 48 hours. Also answers why the area was never were developed akin to Wrigleyville:

As per usual, it’s Reinsdorf’s fault.

They leave out that in the late 00s he tried to develop but was turned away. It’s one of the reasons he didn’t renew the lease unless he was going to get a sweetheart deal again.

Jerry is in Real Estate. He’s developing the land around the UC. Think about that

16 minutes ago, Mouthsider said:

Amtrak has plans for ISFA, White Sox parking lots - Sox M...

Amtrak released new designs of its planned maintenance facility in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood. But it requires access through a state-owned parking lot.

Sox Machine article summarizing meetings/takeaways from the last 48 hours. Also answers why the area was never were developed akin to Wrigleyville:

As per usual, it’s Reinsdorf’s fault.

2 minutes ago, nitetrain8601 said:

They leave out that in the late 00s he tried to develop but was turned away. It’s one of the reasons he didn’t renew the lease unless he was going to get a sweetheart deal again.

Jerry is in Real Estate. He’s developing the land around the UC. Think about that

I am shocked. Shocked I tell you.

 

9 minutes ago, nitetrain8601 said:

They leave out that in the late 00s he tried to develop but was turned away. It’s one of the reasons he didn’t renew the lease unless he was going to get a sweetheart deal again.

I’ve heard of this once before, but I never found an article about it. Got a source? I’d love to read more about it.

32 minutes ago, Mouthsider said:

I’ve heard of this once before, but I never found an article about it. Got a source? I’d love to read more about it.

This was what was in my head when I mentioned before that Bridgeport didn't seem to want this.

7 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

This was what was in my head when I mentioned before that Bridgeport didn't seem to want this.

Gotcha. I don’t think it’s impossible that Bridgeport shot down a development, but its always seemed like a bit of an urban legend to me. If there were ever publicly released plans, I’d very much like to see what was proposed for the area.

11 minutes ago, Mouthsider said:

Gotcha. I don’t think it’s impossible that Bridgeport shot down a development, but its always seemed like a bit of an urban legend to me. If there were ever publicly released plans, I’d very much like to see what was proposed for the area.

It is possible Jerry is full of it, as I remember it being him as the source, but it was definitely out there in the ether in the past.

This would have been 2011 or 2012?

https://presidentlincoln.illinois.gov/Resources/d071eb72-bca0-4533-8fe1-b23b45e71d0d/Thompson_Jam_PFNL_Vol_V.pdf

1 hour ago, southsider2k5 said:

It is possible Jerry is full of it, as I remember it being him as the source, but it was definitely out there in the ether in the past.

Doesn't Jerry own a majority of the land around the Rate. IF so I ma sure developing it was the better option than leaving it as seldom used parking space. If I were to guess it was Bridgeport that pushed back on building up and now they will get a train yard for their effort.

Coming this weekend, The Chicago Dirty Canal Swim!