The River District

— The River District

Navy Pier Centennial Vision Design Competition LO CAT I O N

Chicago, IL

Design for a changing world.

Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB) is an architecture, interior design, and planning firm with a thoughtful design vision and a dynamic national imprint. Since 1931, SCB has made a lasting visual impact on skylines, campuses, and neighborhoods nationwide.

From offices in Chicago and San Francisco, we offer our expertise to clients across the country, helping them achieve their goals, serve their constituents, and create unique built environments. Our approach is to ask questions, listen, and develop the best design solution for each individual project. We are future-oriented, continually challenging ourselves to design to a higher standard, innovate at every level, and give our clients more as we achieve design excellence.

Riverfront Transformation Like never before, the Chicago River is a catalyst for creative, new urban development. Historically, the Chicago River served as a shipping route and the back door to industrial properties. Today, the river is becoming a recreational and ecological amenity that is a stimulus for growth and revitalization of surrounding neighborhoods. In response to this emerging trend, SCB worked with Tribune Real Estate Holdings to envision the transformation of their industrial riverfront property into a vibrant 30-acre mixed-use neighborhood.

The new River District, located at the edge of Chicago's expanding downtown, was rezoned as part of the site’s planned transformation to accommodate new urban mix-use development. SCB's Master Plan provided a bold new vision for the future of this unique development site. The Master Plan and subsequent Planned Development was adopted by the Chicago City Council in November 2018.

The complex site constraints, and its unique location within the context of the rapidly changing west side, heavily influenced the master plan. The River District establishes a seamless connection between the Loop, River North, Fulton Market, and River West neighborhoods.

Drawing from best practices in urban planning and contemporary sustainable development, The River District will be a hub for innovation and technology in the heart of the city’s “Tech Triangle.” This new neighborhood balances 21st century downtown job growth with the desire to live near work, access the city through transit, and enjoy the abundant parks and recreation amenities.

600

DMDI / UI Labs

Mag Mile

Wrigley Innovation Center

North Branch Industrial Corrid

River District

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30 7.6 11+ ACRES

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TOTAL ACRES OF OPEN SPACE

Chicago Ave

Superior St Superior St

N Larrabee St

Jefferson St

Halsted St

Huron St

Huron St

Ancona St

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Erie St

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Erie St

Ohio Feeder Ramp Ohio St

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Grand Avenue

Proposed Development Site Plan N

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N Kingsbury St

Superior St

66 BUS

HALSTED BUS Superior St Superior St Superior St Huron St Halsted St

residential users. Transit within easy walking distance of the site includes a CTA Blue Line rail station, bus routes along

Huron St

Chicago and Grand Avenues, water taxi stops, the Riverwalk,

WATER TAXI

and several major city bikeways. The new site plan extends

Ancona St

Erie St

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1/4 MILE DISTANCE

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Erie St

development, enhancing transit connectivity, and promoting

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the existing transportation network into and throughout the

N Kingsbury St

urban, transit-oriented community serving both office and

Chicago Ave

N Larrabee St

The River District is well-suited to become a modern,

WATER TAXI

Jefferson St

Connected

1.

FUTURE TRANSITWAY

transit use. The site's history includes a rail yard, shipping, and packing uses, and today still contains a rail easement

Ohio Feeder Ramp Ohio St

65 BUS

N

Mil wa u

ke

777 W Chicago Scale: 1" = 200'

1. The plan expands pedestrian, bike, and transit access by connecting to the city’s existing infrastructure on a technically complex site that includes rail right-of-ways, air-right development, and elevated roadways.

2. Approximate location of future transitway through site.

Final location and design to be determined with CDOT.

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2.

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BLUE LINE STATION

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integrated into the new master plan.

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transit expansion. This potential transitway is thoughtfully

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that the City is actively pursuing as an opportunity for future

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00

100 100

03.27.2018

200' FEET Feet 200

WATER TAXI

CHICAGO CHICAGO

GRAND

FUTURE TRANSITWAY

MERCHANDISE MART

CLINTON

River District

Parks and Recreation An active riverfront greenway is the focal point of the The River District, serving as a shared public amenity for the site and neighboring communities.

The greenway balances soft-habitat and stormwater infiltration zones with public gathering places and paths for bikes and pedestrians.

Special care was taken to ensure that a broad mix of open space types, sizes, and characteristics were created to serve the expected diverse residents and employees of the new District. This public realm network includes a half-mile-long riverfront greenway, a four-acre river-edge recreational park, a large playground and active sports zone, multiple pocket parks that connect the river to the neighborhood, and office-oriented plazas. Overall, 44 percent of the site, over 11 acres, will be permanently dedicated to publicly accessible open space.

Central Riverfront Park

South Riverfront Park

The Riverwalk connects under Chicago Avenue to River District North

Central Riverfront Park

Central Riverfront Park and boulevard

1 1

2 3

Open Space Framework 1

Central Riverfront Park

2

Riverwalk

3

South Riverfront Park

Economic Impact

8 million $1.1 billion SQUARE FEET OF MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT

MUNICIPAL TAX BENEFIT TO THE CITY OF CHICAGO

19,000

18,000

JOBS IN DISTRICT

CONSTRUCTION JOBS CREATED

4,100 RESIDENTIAL UNITS

1.

RAINWATER HARVESTING

PERMEABLE PAVEMENT

GREEN ROOFS GREEN STREETS COLLECT, CLEAN AND DISCHARGE STORMWATER TO THE RIVER LANDSCAPE BUFFER

ROOFTOP STORMWATER REUSED OR CLEANED AND DISCHARGED TO RIVER GREEN STREETS COLLECT, CLEAN AND DISCHARGE WATER TO THE RIVER

STORMWATER INFILTRATION NATIVE HABITAT

2.

1. One hundred percent of stormwater (as allowed by code) will be diverted from the combined sewer system.

Native plantings, stormwater features, streetscape treatments and integrated stormwater landscapes will be utilized throughout.

2. Building massing is organized so that the majority of the riverwalk and parks receive six or more hours of daylight on average from spring to fall.

3. Proposed building heights are proportional to the surrounding context.

3.

EXISTING RIVER NORTH TOWER DISTRICT

HALSTED STREET

BUILDING HEIGHTS SHOULD TAPER DOWNWARD TO HALSTED STREET

CHICAGO RIVER

777 W CHICAGO AVE DEVELOPMENT SITE

River District Realization Due to the complexity and scale of the site, a strategic implementation plan creates a road map for the successful realization of the River District.

The phasing plan considers the needs of existing tenants, access to the site and infrastructure, physical barriers, and synergies with nearby development. The existing Tribune printing plant can remain in operation until the final phase. The phasing plan allows development-ready parcels to be constructed in the near term, while other parcels that need more infrastructure investment will happen in later phases.

Phase 1

Phase 2

Office Building Residential Building

Phase 3

Design for a changing world.

Architecture | Planning | Interior Design www.scb.com Š Solomon Cordwell Buenz