Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Vintage Midrise Behind Holsman House Site




While the rather plain and ordinary four square prairie house (in comparison) is being demolished at Sherwin and Sheridan the Farcroft is once again clad in scaffolding. This time with green tarps. Renovations of buildings of this age and magnitude take longer than most educated estimates. Not sure what the exact nature of this work is. No info on the Farcroft Facebook page.

For a building of this size to thrive in the city you do need some parking nearby. Most sites in the city downtown are towers on parking pedestals or there are surface lots or parking structures nearby. Not so in Rogers Park. Even progressive, bicycle loving, tree-hugging, ultra-liberal Evanston has plenty of downtown parking garages and condos built above parking. Somehow they survive the resultant river of traffic. If parking garages are good enough for Evanston, they are good enough for Rogers Park.

Please continue reading for more pictures and words




All forms of transportation need to be supported for a prosperous city. Too long Rogers Park and its lakefront has suffered from lack of investment and business. Lots of people pass through the RP on their way to the Northshore or downtown. These folks have money. Would be nice if they stopped to check out Rogers Park to shop, eat or even live. Pratt and Sheridan has had trouble keeping a decent restaurant in the old Rogers Park hotel. They probably need some valet parking or parking options nearby.

Perhaps one day Rogers Park will have office buildings and more opportunities for people to work. Rogers Park already has its fair share of nursing homes, outpatient psychiatric and social services. A great residential neighborhood that has decent public transportation (L and Metra), a respected private university (Loyola), and the most beautiful lakefront (Loyola Park, Farwell Pier et. al.) in Chicago. But most people have to commute in order to make a living, most of it not reasonably accessible by public transportation.

Now that there will be more parking by the lake there will be a lot of outsiders coming to see what they have been missing (and didn't know it). Not such a bad thing.



6 comments:

Donny kerabotsos said...

Don't let Billy and Tink here you talking like that. I think he is on his way to an aneurism with this fight. You should see the video of him ranting and raving about the lack of a permit being visible at the shambhala demo on his blog. The lunacy is only trumped by the redundancy. Not only can you find he permit online, but I know that there was one posted a few days ago. I suspect he may have taken it down himself. My favorite part was him trespassing in the start of the video. The no trespassing signs are clearly posted on the property next to shambhala. What kind of crazy hypocrite posts of video of himself breaking the law while raving about others doing the same. Pure comdey.

By the way, nice post! I love it when you're positive.

I am nothing, don't look said...

They're doing roof repair. It's hard to tell what's happening because the workers are hiding behind the tarp at the top.

Sorry if I was snippy in a comment in another of your posts. The things you put in your blog were one of the reasons we decided it would be alright to move back to RP after a decade in Andersonville. I have never been as excited about that place as I am about Rogers Park.

Philip McGregor Rogers said...

@Steve Browne

Hard to tell tone on internet, don't think you were (too) snippy. :)

Yes Rogers Park is a pretty cool place to live and it has a bright future.

Glad to hear that this blog had some impact on your move.

IMHO its the best place to live in the city.

Philip McGregor Rogers said...

@ DK

Chevanston is ALWAYS postive. ;)

Anonymous said...

I moved in the Farcroft of late, and was told that there was damage to the roof under the panels that had previously gone unnoticed. Work is expected to be completed by mid-November.

Philip McGregor Rogers said...

Thanks for the info anon.