It is going to be a really huge building, and I like that it is right up to the street.
I wonder if Sears would ever consider reviving the original building facade. The light bricks and sand stone panels along with the entrance canapes are all still there under the awful white and blue paint. I think it is the one building left in Frandor that has it's Mid-Century facade still intact. Doing that and removing the auto service center, would go to make nicer neighbors for the SkyVue than what is there now. That also goes for the former Ford dealership building now a Staples, it looks like a white fortress . This is going to be the focal point of a new city center, let's get rid of the ugly "edge of town" look this part of corridor has now.
Gillespie owns the Sears building and I assume his intentions are to redevelop the site, so it'd seem any renovation of the building would be unlikely. I'd also assume whoever owns the Staples building would be thinking more about building something new rather than renovating the old building. Assuming current trends persist (which I think they will), much of the Frandor area will slowly move toward multi-floor mixed use buildings and I'd expect any properties fronting Michigan Ave will be among the first to be redeveloped.
I actually think it would be good to do away with all the buildings on Clippert Street and start over there too. I know that will not happen for every property. Like you say it will happen for the areas right next to the new developments first. I also have no feelings about the Sears building other than they could make it look better for the period before they build something else.
I went by the site today and took a picture from the Frandor Plus parking lot. This picture shows the height of the water tower next to the building as well as the Frandor sign.
Was waiting at the Frandor bus stop this morning and somebody biked up who had apparently come from the SkyVue protest line and shared that they were paying takers $11/hr to stand on the line with them! He had decided he wasn't dressed for it today (too cold) and left, but said he was going back tomorrow properly dressed. And then just before the bus arrived somebody else ran up and he said "he was there with me, guess he decided it was too cold too". What in the world.
Not sure how much the developer is paying the non-union workers but it is customary for the union workers to demand that unions be hired for the job. Union workers pay union dues, some of which go towards helping to create more jobs. The protest line is one way that they work towards getting more union jobs. It also acts as a sort-of unemployment pay for union workers who are looking for work.
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@Michmatters I think the architect is Niles Bolton.
I wonder if Sears would ever consider reviving the original building facade. The light bricks and sand stone panels along with the entrance canapes are all still there under the awful white and blue paint. I think it is the one building left in Frandor that has it's Mid-Century facade still intact. Doing that and removing the auto service center, would go to make nicer neighbors for the SkyVue than what is there now. That also goes for the former Ford dealership building now a Staples, it looks like a white fortress . This is going to be the focal point of a new city center, let's get rid of the ugly "edge of town" look this part of corridor has now.