Terrapin Properties has just been presented with the Chicago Association of Realtors’ “Good Neighbor” award for the West Loop mid-rise 909 Washington.
At first, Yo’s truly was a little mystified. I’m not a big fan of those squashed-up “Little High-Rises That Could” that are popping up all over the West Loop. I can think of better mid-rise designs in Chicago, although obviously 909 Washington appeals to the judges for other reasons, too.
Presumably, 909 is a good neighbor because it stayed under 11-stories, in a nod to the West Loop Community Organization, which lobbies hard to keep high-rises out of the neighborhood. In a press release, 909 congratulates itself for bringing several ground-floor shops (I think a Dunkin’ Donuts, a dry cleaner and a couple of others) to the retail-starved neighborhood.
But the real test of howdee-doodee neighborliness is yet to come: Terrapin is rumored to be considering throwing up one of those big old mean high-rises at Madison and Halsted streets.
It’s one of those deals where you ask the marketing director if it’s in the works, and he tells you that he doesn’t know either way. How do you explain that to the neighbors?