Railroad Forums 

Discussion related to commuter rail and rapid transit operations in the Chicago area including the South Shore Line, Metra Rail, and Chicago Transit Authority.

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 #1230027  by MisterUptempo
 
A new office building, named River Point Chicago, with an address of 444 W. Lake Street, will eventually be built on the site. The building is slated to rise 45 stories, with a height of around 650 feet, though the developer has indicated that it may be built taller, if needs dictate. They are currently building a platform over the tracks, which will serve as an elevated plaza, as well as a smallish riverwalk.

Further details, with plenty of renderings, are available at the following:

http://www.chicagoriverpoint.com/home.html
 #1230776  by EricL
 
Oh, ok, that's good to know that the actual building itself isn't going to be above the tracks. The "bridge" structure they built doesn't really look quite substantial enough to support a tower. It's more-or-less built like a highway viaduct.
 #1230951  by Milwaukee_F40C
 
More stuff to hold water and decay, just like the ceiling above the north tracks of Union Station, and the lower level streets near the Wrigley Building.

Even though its associated with private development, these things never get maintained until the city is basically forced to do something about it. It should be low maintenance for about fifty years though.
 #1231176  by Tadman
 
It'll be nice to see when they wrap the columns in cardboard to keep passerbys from getting tetanus, like they do on the far east platforms in the north concourse at CUS. Anybody see this?