Bizarre real estate report

[Busjack]

I looked at this article in the Sun-Times thinking it might have some relevance to the question of extending Pace 383, but was surprised when I saw the later item:

OUT OF LIMBO: Three years ago, the industrial developer ProLogis announced big plans for the West Side. It had acquired 48 acres just north of the Stevenson Expy. from Ashland to Western, an old railyard it wanted to convert to modern warehouse or manufacturing space. The jobs would have been welcome, but nothing happened.

Now, the project is finally working its way through City Hall's zoning mechanism, which includes a promise for a $13 million subsidy. What took so long? The Chicago Transit Authority got in the way.

A source said former CTA boss Frank Kruesi advised the Daley administration that his agency wanted the property as its own railyard. The request put things on hold for a good year and a half, according to the source, and Ron Huberman scrapped the deal after he succeeded Kruesi. And it's a good thing he did. ProLogis had paid $23 million for the site and the CTA would have had to fork over at least that sum.

As our former governor would ask: "What was Frank thinking?" Probably nothing, but...

• I don't see the need for a rail yard there. Certainly not for the Orange Line, although there was the buzz on the Yahoo Group that you needed somewhere to store additional Brown Line cars, although 54th should have been adequate for that. Landbanking for the Circle Line?
  
• Was it really a place for a replacement Archer Garage? I had previously surmised that with the route swaps, that would be a more central location.
  

Anyway, that plan isn't happening.

[BusHunter]

I looked at this article in the Sun-Times thinking it might have some relevance to the question of extending Pace 383, but was surprised when I saw the later item:As our former governor would ask: "What was Frank thinking?" Probably nothing, but...

• I don't see the need for a rail yard there. Certainly not for the Orange Line, although there was the buzz on the Yahoo Group that you needed somewhere to store additional Brown Line cars, although 54th should have been adequate for that. Landbanking for the Circle Line?
  
• Was it really a place for a replacement Archer Garage? I had previously surmised that with the route swaps, that would be a more central location.
  

Anyway, that plan isn't happening.

That was to be where the circle line cars would have been stored had the project happened. ( like Howard yard etc.) Huberman was not interested in the circle line (or Block 37 for that matter) so he scrapped those plans. At least the Paulina connector was repaired. I once had the opportunity to travel it before it was rebuilt. It was pretty bad. The train would go from the NB tracks to the SB to the NB on a single track that was utilizing all of what that structure had left at the time. It would have been nice to see the circle line completed or any expansion for that matter.

[Busjack]

That was to be where the circle line cars would have been stored had the project happened. ( like Howard yard etc.) Huberman was not interested in the circle line (or Block 37 for that matter) so he scrapped those plans. At least the Paulina connector was repaired. I once had the opportunity to travel it before it was rebuilt. It was pretty bad. The train would go from the NB tracks to the SB to the NB on a single track that was utilizing all of what that structure had left at the time. It would have been nice to see the circle line completed or any expansion for that matter.

A Circle Line yard would make sense, from Frank's perspective.

However, it doesn't appear that Huberman has scrapped the Circle Line plans. The CTA site still has that the second screen happened, and "Meeting dates and locations for public open houses to receive input on preliminary findings from Screen 3 are being scheduled for early 2009" although that didn't get the publicity that the Red Line one did.

[BusHunter]

A Circle Line yard would make sense, from Frank's perspective.

However, it doesn't appear that Huberman has scrapped the Circle Line plans. The CTA site still has that the second screen happened, and "Meeting dates and locations for public open houses to receive input on preliminary findings from Screen 3 are being scheduled for early 2009" although that didn't get the publicity that the Red Line one did.

I don't understand why would they give up that parcel of land. It's like shooting yourself in the foot. That seems similar to something I heard about land south of the midway terminal being sold off when CTA would need it to expand to Ford city.

[Busjack]

I don't understand why would they give up that parcel of land. It's like shooting yourself in the foot. That seems similar to something I heard about land south of the midway terminal being sold off when CTA would need it to expand to Ford city.

A combination of

• How many cars would really be necessary to run that route (especially since it connects with many other routes that have yards)?
  
• As noted in the article, the CTA would eventually have to pay for it. It can't impose a de facto condemnation by having its City Hall allies put an indefinite hold on the zoning application. The owner has the right to use its land, and unlike what you say about land to Ford City, CTA didn't own it.
  

[BusHunter]

A Circle Line yard would make sense, from Frank's perspective.

However, it doesn't appear that Huberman has scrapped the Circle Line plans. The CTA site still has that the second screen happened, and "Meeting dates and locations for public open houses to receive input on preliminary findings from Screen 3 are being scheduled for early 2009" although that didn't get the publicity that the Red Line one did.

Although it not scrapped, ( bad word on my part) I would think it's not of the highest priority either. These projects are expensive, (I believe the Orange line construction ran in excess of $400 million) and harder to accomplish now in these tighter economic times. Perhaps some projects such as Block 37 and the Circle Line could get that shot in the arm if the olympics do get chosen for Chicago in 2016. Another real estate question I had myself was that a few years ago at North/Halsted there was land available that was bought by Borders book store and there is currently some project going on at the ex Amoco/BP site across the street. Wouldn't CTA need those parcels to develop the subway connection point/expansion of North/Clybourn Red line stop between the future Circle line and Red? Now that the Borders site has been developed, I see it almost impossible to build a subway under it to connect with the proposed superstation and removal of elevated Brown line service as in the original plans.

[Busjack]

Now that the Borders site has been developed, I see it almost impossible to build a subway under it to connect with the proposed superstation and removal of elevated Brown line service as in the original plans.

There was also the talk (here and in the press) about the food store connected to an L station, which I also believe involved North and Clybourn, although the Tribune link is no longer live.

It seems like with the interminable screens, the New Starts are not going fast, and none is at the design stage where one would know what land would be needed, or if there is enough r.o.w. under the street.

With regard to priority and costs, it appears that New Starts were taken out of the stimulus bill (at least the Senate version), so your point may be correct there. The Circle Line would be more expensive, since the second screen calls for an Ashland subway.