Latest news with #JoeMansueto
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Edward Keegan: Chicago Fire stadium plans cry out for a bit of quirkiness
Following a few weeks during which we had just a single fuzzy image of a soccer stadium to contemplate, the Chicago Fire and Related Midwest have finally given us a bit more imagery to assess for their proposed $650 million arena within The 78 master plan in the South Loop. As shown, the new stadium will anchor the 62-acre development that stretches from Clark Street to the Chicago River and from Roosevelt Road to 16th Street. We now have renderings and a video from the Fire that show just the stadium on the site and an additional half dozen images from Related that provide some context in the evolving master plan. Ubiquitous architectural behemoth Gensler is behind all the imagery; the brick, steel and glass-clad stadium has been designed by its Austin-based stadium team in coordination with the firm's Chicago office, which is responsible for the current master plan. As shown, the new stadium is simple, unimposing and not unattractive. The developers explain that Gensler has designed in the ''Chicago School' of architecture,' but it's more of a generalized warehouse aesthetic that you might find at a contemporary shopping mall anywhere in America. It cries out for a bit of quirkiness that would make the structure more distinctive and genuinely grounded in Chicago's unique architectural culture. An exposed steel canopy over the stadium's seating will provide welcome shade during the summer and some protection from precipitation, but its most important function is helping to define the stadium's interior as a more intimate space than a 22,000-seat venue might otherwise feel. It's also where a more contemporary take on Miesian structural expression might create a more memorable building. The western edge of the stadium will be on Wells Street with a new park that will open this face directly to the river. A smaller plaza, akin to the Cub's Gallagher Way in Wrigleyville, sits at the north edge of the stadium. Fire owner Joe Mansueto's track record for architecture is quite good. His Morningstar is located in a Ralph Johnson and Perkins+Will-designed building at Washington and Dearborn streets; his patronage created the University of Chicago's Helmut Jahn-designed bubble glass library at South Ellis Avenue and 57th Streets; and his elegant steel and glass Lincoln Park home was designed by Margaret McCurry. Gensler might be the most pedestrian of the architects he's employed to date, but we can hope that he presses it to develop the design to match these earlier forays in architecture. We don't know much about the evolution of the plans for The 78 other than that they have evolved. The original plans, released in 2018, relied on a healthy mix of office, retail, commercial and residential uses, but lacked a definitive neighborhood-defining element. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, which has had a hand in many large-scale plans in the city dating to the 1950s. The firm was replaced by Gensler some time ago, but we've yet to see what the full Gensler plan looks like, save what we now can decode from the handful of newly available renderings. Shown around the stadium are many new buildings, but they're reasonably sized for the South Loop — big, but not egregiously so. These are classic background buildings — they defer to the stadium, the riverfront plaza and the river. This is a quite reasonable hierarchy of structures and spaces, although it does raise the question of whether the stadium should have a little more sizzle. Related Articles Edward Keegan: Intuit Art Museum's newly renovated space reflects the institution and West Town neighborhood Edward Keegan: Chicago should turn Lincoln Yards development into a public park Edward Keegan: Pope Leo XIV's childhood home an example of the ordinary architecture Chicago does well Edward Keegan: Millennium Park has failed to live up to its promise Edward Keegan: Eero Saarinen's particularly strange house in Columbus, Indiana The biggest problem with The 78 has always been its lack of connection to the surrounding areas. The opposite side of the river is still predominantly a rail yard and offers no obvious opportunities to create links to the west. And the east side of the property has Metra lines and a Dearborn Park neighborhood that was planned and built as its own walled citadel. The latest plans connect 13th Street at Clark into The 78, but 14th and 15th streets, which Gensler uses to organize their plan, are cut off from Clark by the Metra tracks. LaSalle connects Roosevelt to the new plaza north of the stadium, a sensible move that will also accommodate pedestrian traffic from a number of nearby CTA stops for both buses and the 'L.' And there's no news about the status of a White Sox ballpark at The 78. It appears that adding a ballpark south of the Fire stadium is doable, but the larger footprint needed for such a facility would likely require adjustments to the alignment of the new streets that could be awkward. And adding a second stadium would render The 78 as predominantly a sports complex rather than the new neighborhood that Related has been pursuing for almost a decade. I suspect a more robust mix of uses might actually be more profitable for the developers — and the city — in the long run. Construction on the stadium is anticipated to begin by the start of 2026, with the new stadium slated to open in 2028. Because the stadium will be privately financed by Mansueto, this will finally get shovels in the ground at The 78. But whether it genuinely catalyzes the development of the remaining 50-plus acres on the site remains to be seen. Edward Keegan writes, broadcasts and teaches on architectural subjects. Keegan's biweekly architecture column is supported by a grant from former Tribune critic Blair Kamin, as administered by the not-for-profit Journalism Funding Partners. The Tribune maintains editorial control over assignments and content.
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
What to know as Bears, Fire and White Sox pursue new homes — and Blackhawks and Sky eye expansion
It's moving season in Chicago. The Bears, Fire and White Sox are in the market for new homes, while the Blackhawks and Sky eye expanding their footprint in the city. 'There's no reason to leave Chicago if you're a sports team. There isn't,' Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said. 'There's just too much soul in this city to leave it now.' Here's what to know about the teams' various plans — and various levels of readiness to pack it up. The Bears are shifting their focus from Chicago to a new stadium in Arlington Heights, a project that would depend on state legislation allowing for negotiated financing of large-scale development projects. 'Over the last few months, we have made significant progress with the leaders in Arlington Heights and look forward to continuing to work with state and local leaders on making a transformative economic development project for the region a reality,' the team said in a statement to the Tribune in May. The Bears said they won't seek state funding for the stadium. The Bears purchased the land in Arlington Heights — formerly the 326-acre Arlington International Racecourse — in February 2023, hoping to build a new enclosed stadium with a massive entertainment and residential development. In April 2024, the team laid out elaborate plans for a new publicly owned domed stadium on the Chicago lakefront but left unanswered how the city would pay for expensive infrastructure improvements. Now the storied NFL franchise's sights are set again on the northwest suburbs. The Fire unveiled detailed renderings of their proposed privately funded $650 million open-air soccer stadium at The 78 in the South Loop. The facility is meant to look like it has been part of the city's sports landscape for a century. Situated along the Chicago River, the intimate 22,000-seat, red brick stadium would feature a natural grass pitch, a steel roof and a plethora of premium options to go with traditional supporter sections and general admission seating. While the city needs to sign off on the proposed stadium, the project would not require public funding, Fire owner Joe Mansueto told the Tribune. The team is scheduled to break ground on the new stadium as early as this fall, with a target completion date ahead of the 2028 MLS season. Designed by architectural firm Gensler, the stadium seeks to provide the Fire with a 'world-class home' and catalyze a Wrigleyville-like development at the mostly vacant 62-acre site south of Roosevelt Road. It purposely evokes a similar vintage look to the longtime Cubs home. There would be about 2,000 parking spots available at The 78. Fans also could take the CTA to the stadium; there's a nearby 'L' station and multiple bus lines. Taking a water taxi is another possibility. The White Sox said they're still considering building their proposed new ballpark at the South Loop site as well, potentially creating a new pro sports nexus in Chicago. At least one industry analyst said shoehorning two new stadiums into the 62-acre site is not only viable, but potentially a boon for both teams and the city. Last year the Sox proposed a new publicly funded ballpark at The 78, but Springfield lawmakers balked at the idea of contributing a reported $1 billion to build it. 'It could work,' said Marc Ganis, a Chicago-based sports marketing consultant. 'They would have to work out the use of the infrastructure and the parking and scheduling and things of that nature. I think it'd be great for the city.' Building adjacent stadiums is gaining traction in several markets, including Arlington, Texas, where the Dallas Cowboys play at AT&T Stadium and the Texas Rangers are a line drive away at Globe Life Field. In the Los Angeles area, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, where the Rams and Chargers play football, is next door to the Intuit Dome, the new basketball home of the Clippers. It remains to be seen whether the Sox would be able to get the financial and political support to move. In 1988, Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf pushed through legislation to fund a new baseball stadium after threatening to move the team to Florida. Built in 1991, the stadium, now called Rate Field, was primarily funded through the issuance of $150 million in hotel-tax-supported bonds by the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. The Sox lease at Rate Field runs through 2029 and the ISFA still owes $50 million on the ballpark. The Stars will depart their usual Bridgeview venue to play a 'test run' game at Northwestern's Martin Stadium in September as they consider a permanent move there. Evanston has granted approval for the team to play all 16 of its 2026 home matches at the lakefront stadium, but the club has not committed to playing there next year, Stars spokesman Emmanuel Salazar said. If the team chooses to play there in 2026, Evanston would evaluate whether the stadium is suitable for additional use, Vargas said. Martin Stadium, home to Northwestern's soccer and lacrosse teams and the temporary home of the Wildcats football team while Ryan Field is being rebuilt, is on the Northwestern campus and not surrounded by homes like Ryan Field is. The Blackhawks gave a sneak peek at the Fifth Third Arena expansion — still a skeletal collection of steel beams, HVAC systems and construction dust. While Hawks players will continue to use the same two rinks they've used for practices and training camps since Fifth Third opened in 2017 just south of the United Center, the United States Hockey League's Chicago Steel will play home games at one of two new rinks — the one the Hawks are calling Championship Arena. It will seat 1,500 and host up to 2,000, with the building also including lounges, a fan patio with a skyline view, a restaurant named after late Hawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz and a 100th anniversary museum called Centennial Hall, which also will house the new Blackhawks Hall of Fame. The privately funded expansion, which began in May 2024 and is scheduled to be completed in January 2026, initially was projected to cost $65 million, but a source told the Tribune it likely will land 'significantly higher.' It also augments the 1901 Project, the Hawks' and Bulls' 15-year, $7 billion United Center campus development plan that will feature new residences, hotels and an entertainment district. Hawks Chairman/CEO Danny Wirtz noted how much has changed since the Hawks and Bulls moved from Chicago Stadium to the United Center. But as any Hawks or Bulls fan knows, once the game is over, the area can feel rather barren, bracketed on all sides by parking lots. 'We're sitting on a lot of parking lots, right?' Wirtz said. 'And we see parking has continued to decrease with other modes (of transportation) to get here. We're absolutely thinking about what the future could look like.' Completion of the Sky's new training facility in Bedford Park will be delayed into 2026 as the team and the village expand the original plans for the building. The $38 million facility originally was expected to be completed in October 2025. The building is being constructed in partnership with the village of Bedford Park as part of the second phase of development at the Wintrust Sports Complex, which also will add two turf fields, a hotel, a gas station and two restaurants this year. With their $5.9 million front-end payment in 2024, the Sky would secure a 10-year deal to occupy a 43,000-square-foot portion of the 125,000-square-foot facility constructed in Phase 2 of the Wintrust Sports Complex project. After 10 years, the Sky would have an option to renew for another decade. Original plans for the facility located next to the Wintrust Sports Complex just south of Midway Airport included two full-length basketball courts, a training room, a player's lounge, a content creation space and administrative offices.
Chicago Tribune
19-06-2025
- Automotive
- Chicago Tribune
Editorial: Streets close and wallets open for NASCAR next month
Chicago, the streets are closing as the city prepares to welcome NASCAR on July 5 and 6. But you probably already noticed that on your way about town. The race will return for its third year to a 12-turn, 2.2-mile course winding through Grant Park, along DuSable Lake Shore Drive and up Michigan Avenue — all of which will be closed off and lined with fences, grandstands and hospitality suites. What has been less observed is the tidy little subsidy the state approved for NASCAR in this year's budget in exchange for its Chicago spectacle: a $5 million check. This news comes on the heels of the exciting announcement that the Chicago Fire, led by owner and Chicago philanthropist Joe Mansueto, is building a $650 million privately funded stadium at The 78, the 62 long-fallow acres of former railroad-owned land bordered by Roosevelt Road to the north, Clark Street to the east, 16th Street to the south and the South Branch of the Chicago River to the west. That plan was met with enthusiasm by all — it's a boon for Chicago not only because it brings a world-class facility to our MLS team and the city's many soccer fans, but also because it showed us all that people are willing to make big investments here without incentives from the government. That the news came out as other teams, including the Chicago Bears and the Chicago White Sox, are seeking taxpayer funding made it all the more significant. And so the NASCAR check rubs us the wrong way, to put it bluntly, even though this payment does mark a decline in state funding support for the race. As we've written before, the jury remains out on whether NASCAR ought to become a fixture of downtown Chicago summers going forward. There are virtues to NASCAR that go beyond tax revenues, hotel stays and cash registers ringing at restaurants and bars. The gorgeous views of downtown Chicago are no small part of what makes the race so distinctive. Viewers from around the country are treated to an hourslong advertisement for a city that these days can use all the good PR it can get, especially in the red states where our city often plays the role of punching bag. But should taxpayers the state over be required to subsidize an event that primarily benefits Chicago? Before this budget passed, the state doled out $7 million to NASCAR. A $2 million cut is good, but it's still hard to justify given the state's massive public debt and the rapid acceleration of state spending since just prior to COVID. Asked about the funding at a June 16 news conference, Gov. JB Pritzker said he couldn't speak for the specific reason for it, but he was proud of the increased investment during his tenure as governor. 'Very importantly, it has brought enormous benefit to the state. Specifically, the investment in tourism yields revenue for the state that is vastly more than the investment that gets made by our tourism office,' he said. That's a fine political pivot, but let's not forget that NASCAR's economic impact hasn't always been what was promised, despite the significant disruptions city residents face so the show can go on. In 2023, the economic impact was $109 million — less than the $113.8 million NASCAR projected. That shortfall may not seem dramatic, but it casts doubt on the optimistic assumptions used to justify ongoing subsidies. We support NASCAR in Chicago, but the reality of the state's fiscal situation means the downwards trajectory of those millions in state money should continue.
Axios
17-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
First Look: Chicago Fire FC's new South Loop stadium plans
The Chicago Fire FC is wasting no time imagining the future of its proposed stadium in the South Loop. The big picture: Earlier this month, Fire FC owner Joe Mansueto announced he would privately fund a $650 million stadium in the South Loop as part of "The 78" mega development. State of play:"The 78" must have a full-time rendering department, because the in the past we've seen plans for a casino, a research institute and a White Sox stadium. Yes, but: This privately funded soccer stadium may actually become a reality. Here are new renderings released by the club and developer Related Midwest: Zoom in: This rendering shows what the stadium would look like after the rest of "The 78" is built, complete with towers and condo buildings filling out the remaining 62 acres along the south branch of the Chicago River. The intrigue: The final rendering shows the stadium being used for a non-soccer event. The proposed stadium would seat 22,000, big enough to compete for events held at the nearby Wintrust Arena or even the United Center.
CBS News
17-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Chicago Fire give sneak peek at renderings for new stadium at The 78 in the South Loop
Chicago Fire release renderings of new stadium at The 78 Chicago Fire release renderings of new stadium at The 78 Chicago Fire release renderings of new stadium at The 78 The Chicago Fire released a sneak peek at renderings of the new stadium they're building in the South Loop. The $650 million digs will be built along the Chicago River at The 78, a vacant plot of land south of Roosevelt Road. It will be privately funded by club owner Joe Mansueto and hold up to 22,000 fans. The design is an ode to the warehouses that represent the city of Chicago's grit. Construction is set to begin early in 2026 and the club hopes to have the stadium open to fans by 2028. CBS News Chicago spoke with club president Dave Baldwin about the decision to build in the South Loop. "It was important for our owner Joe that it was inside the city," Baldwin said. He said Mansueto fell in love with The 78 site, its accessibility and proximity to public transit, and how it was build-ready, with utilities in place. "Then Joe started thinking about how he wanted to acquire the land and Joe ultimate decided to take this himself," Baldwin said. Currently, the Chicago Fire host their games at Soldier Field.
