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Trump Unveils Plans For 90-Story Skyscraper
Manhattan developer Donald Trump has unveiled slightly redone
plans for Trump International Hotel & Tower, a 90-story
structure that at 1,125 ft. high would be the fourth tallest
in Chicago.
Financing still has to be secured before construction starts,
but Trump said the project is expected to begin next summer
with the demolition of the Chicago Sun-Times building. Completion
is expected in 2007.
The structure will house condominiums, offices, condominium
hotel, retail and restaurants.
Waukegan OKs $1B Redevelopment Plan
The Waukegan City Council has approved a $1 billion master
plan for redeveloping 400 acres of the city's downtown and
3.5 mi. of lakefront.
The revitalization plan is designed to make Waukegan a regional
retail, recreation, residential and business hub by capitalizing
on the city's assets, including its lakefront, location and
labor force.
"We have a great location, midway between Chicago and
Milwaukee, with excellent highway and train access and the
added bonus of an airport that works well for corporate jets,"
said Mayor Richard Hyde. "Waukegan has amazing natural
resources, with miles of lakefront, a 1,000-slip marina, dunes
and dozens of small lakes."
As a first step, the plan calls for reviving downtown Waukegan
as a destination for jobs, housing, entertainment, retail
and dining. The most immediate improvements, some of which
already are under way, will focus on landscaping, renovation
or adaptive reuse of existing buildings, new parkland and
better access to the lakefront.
Downtown residential development may start within the next
12 months. New residential neighborhoods are slated to begin
development in the South Lakefront area during the next two
years and in city's Harborfront and North Harbor districts
within a five-year timeframe. Over the next two decades, the
plan is expected add 4,000 new homes and 1 million sq. ft.
of retail, hospitality, entertainment, education and cultural
facilities.
Other key elements of the Waukegan plan include:
Enhancements to the marina, the only deep harbor between Milwaukee
and Lake Calumet
Creation of open space and recreational facilities
Relocation of industrial facilities to sites west
of downtown
Narrowing of the Amstutz Expressway
Realignment of the Metra rail line and building a
more pedestrian-friendly station
Parking for 2,000 to 4,000 cars
Environmental remediation around the lakefront
Initial funding for the program is provided through a $2 million
annual sales-tax set-aside. Developers will secure private
financing for their projects. About 70 percent to 80 percent
of private funding is expected to come from private sources
and the remainder from public funding.
Intermodal Center in Rochelle Complete
Union Pacific Railroad's Global III Intermodal Facility in
Rochelle is complete, announced Ragnar Benson Inc., the Park
Ridge-based construction manager.
The facility was designed to consolidate traffic inbound from
the west and outbound traffic and to accelerate the resegmenting
of trains and blocking of cars. It features a 720,000-lift
capacity, 10-lane automated gate system entrance, 4,000 parking
spaces and 7,200-unity container yard at full build-out.
The Combined Switch Yard and Intermodal Terminal provides
the capacity to improve interchange of shipments to and from
rail connections and to expedite operations of more than 25
trains and 3,000 containers daily.
Hinsdale, Lincoln Oases Closed for Rebuilding
The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority's $94 million Oases
Redevelopment Project continues with major work at the Hinsdale
and Lincoln oases on the Tri-State Tollway.
In September the Hinsdale Oasis over-the-road building and
the Lincoln Oasis fuel stations closed.
At Hinsdale, the over-the-road building will remain closed
until fall 2004, while the facility is rebuilt from the bridge
up. Upon completion of the reconstruction, visitors will find
brand new facilities with new and improved tenants and amenities.
The reconstruction of the ExxonMobil fuel stations at Lincoln
is scheduled to be complete early next year, and reconstruction
of the Oasis over-the road building, which is now closed,
will begin soon.
Five of the seven oases will be completely rebuilt, with the
DeKalb Oasis on the East-West Tollway and the Des Plaines
Oasis on the Northwest Tollway being remodeled.
Sea Lion Aquatic Park To Splash Into Lisle
Construction work recently commenced for the $8.8 million
Sea Lion Park in Lisle. The faculty is scheduled to open in
2004.
The outdoor facility will feature a zero-edge leisure pool,
25-yard, six-lane lap pool, two waterslides with a plunge
pool, waterworks pool with two drop-slides and various water-play
features. Also to be constructed are zero-edge kiddy pool,
a hydrotherapy pool, a teen-oriented spray feature and two
waterfalls in existing rockwork.
A children's sand play area, a raised spectator deck, a sun
hill and various shade elements are also slated for the park.
Additionally, a new bathhouse containing full locker rooms
and guard/admission support space will be constructed, as
will a new concession facility to serve pool and other park
patrons.
Construction management for project is being provided by Williams
Development Ltd., which is affiliated with Williams Architects
in Carol Stream.
BSA LifeStructures Expands to Chicago
Indianapolis-based BSA LifeStructures has opened an office
at 440 N. Wells St. in the Loop.
The firm has named Michael Czyrka to lead the Chicago office.
The firm's work in Illinois includes the renovation of the
dialysis facility at the University of Illinois at Chicago
and the Koke Mill Medical Center in Springfield.
BSA LifeStructures specializes in designing healthcare and
life science facilities. In addition to Chicago and Indianapolis,
the firm has an office in Charlotte, N.C.
Japanese Students Tour Lincoln Library, Museum
Engineering and architecture students from the Ashikaga Institute
of Technology in Ashikaga City, Japan, recently toured the
Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield.
The students' visit is part of a U.S.-Japan community partnership
project that joins Ashikaga and Springfield as sister cities.
Structural engineers Tom Bartolomucci and Mike Flatt gave
a brief presentation on Hanson's involvement with the design
and construction of the presidential library and museum, specifically
the specialized structural engineering services required for
this project.
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