CCM2007

Children's Museum Move to Daley Bicentennial...page 3 (2007-1 version)

"One picture is worth a thousand words." It actually took two wide-angle pictures from a civic-minded associate at Lake Point Tower to show the daily traffic congestion from busses serving the Children's Museum and other Navy Pier attractions.

These are the words that accompanied the photos received on May 25, 2007: "Here is the Children's Museum bus traffic at Navy Pier on a busy day. This many busses on Lower Randolph would be a catastrophe! It took two wide angle photos to encompass all the buses. This should be some good additional ammunition for your arguments against the Randolph St. location for the museum. P.S. Lots of horn blowing going on by drivers frustrated with the traffic jam." A follow-up email clarified that only some of these busses are serving the Children's Museum.

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The public Grant Park Advisory Council (GPAC) and the private Grant Park Conservancy (same non-resident leadership) are holding a "public hearing" at the Daley Bicentennial Fieldhouse at 6:30pm on Tuesday, May 29, 2007. It is important that our adjacent New Eastside residents share their ideas and opinions, so that persons not directly affected do not "overly influence" the museum move outcome. Inviting a projected 800,000 visitors annually across the street from our growing residential community would have a negative impact on our quality of life. The taxi and family drop-off on Upper Randolph and the over-running of our limited neighborhood playground would be unwelcome.

Visitors to this www.neweastside.org website can share their comments with other visitors.

For neighbors without internet access, print this page in "Landscape " mode.

For electronic sharing with your email neighbors or groups.

For your neighbors with their permission --------->

The first three pictures of the model were taken from the front Randolph side, and the last 2 pictures are from the Grant Park side. The Children's Museum has not made their PowerPoint presentation slides available for 2006, 2007-1, or 2007-2 online for those who were not able to attend their individual "building meeting". Also, their traffic study 2006, 2007-1, or 2007-2 has not been available for review by the public. (There is one graphic added 7-27-07 from the CCM website at the end of this webpage.) Very sad cooperation.

Chicago Children's Museum Main Entrance on Upper Randolph

100,000 sq.ft.

PEDWAY to Monroe Garage and Museum

Rebuilt Daley Fieldhouse

20,000 sq.ft.

Relocated Park District Fieldhouse

Non-ticketed Museum Entry

Ticketed Museum Spaces

Views looking north from Grant Park

Two parking levels of Monroe Garage

Current Ice Rink location (MAY be rebuilt by park district)

<------This roof is 30 feet ABOVE

Upper Randolph "ground level".

The 13,000 sq.ft. of the proposed building that is above Upper Randolph, compares to only 1,300 sq.ft. on the 2006 proposed 40' diameter "dome" design.

Upper Randolph has been removed from model to show school bus entry on Middle Randolph

<--------School Bus Entry

Upper Randolph MUSEUM Street Address

Relocated Daley Fieldhouse

Eastbound street lanes

Westbound street lanes

Relocated Park District Fieldhouse

Relocated Park District Field House

Proposed Children's Museum site (current Daley Fieldhouse)

(added 7-27-07)...The Children's Museum officials have stated that they now receive about 16 busses per day, and no more than 4 to 6 at any one time. That is projected to grow to 6 to 8 busses with the proposed increase in museum space from 57,000 sq.ft. to 100,000 sq.ft. Therefore, the 33 busses in the two pictures below are apparently serving many other attractions at Navy Pier.

This information was previously on this webpage since May, 2007:

The following group email dated 7-27-2007, notified the community that the above pictures were available for review, and focused ONLY on the legal "above ground" problems with the design, and not the MAIN REASON that the LOCATION adjacent to a growing residential high rise community is not acceptable:

"For those of you that want to study the model of the proposed Children's Museum that was presented at the five individual "building meetings" held by Alderman Reilly, click on http://neweastside.org/CCM2007.html

The museum officials have stated that 13% or 13,000 sq.ft. of the buildings will be from 5 to 30 feet ABOVE the "ground level" of Upper Randolph. This appears to violate the "dedication restrictive covenants", that the Illinois Supreme Court upheld in their four Ward Decisions of 1897, 1902, 1909, and 1911.

After several additional building meetings, Alderman Reilly will hold a "general community meeting" at the Daley Fieldhouse, hosted by NEAR. The date will be announced through building notices, a NEAR mailing, and this email alert list."

One response spoke for many:

"A thought from Leila - While it may be worthwhile to argue on legalities of heights, that might merely result in them changing the plan, NOT changing location and therefore DOES NOT address the key issue of location and not wanting them there ....I see it as somewhat of a distraction from the key reason ....."

And the reply to that response should be shared:

"I agree, and understand that the LOCATION and the resultant traffic on Upper Randolph across the street from our growing residential community is unacceptable. I was focusing on an important legal factor that has protected the area east of Michigan Avenue between Randolph and Park Place (11th) since 1836 and 1839, and is a fall-back last resort IF reason does not prevail.

The museum as presented is beautiful, but the LOCATION is unacceptable, incompatible, and overburdening to our residential community. I am 99% confident that we will prevail." Richard Ward 7-27-2007

This is the ONLY picture of the proposed CCM Grant Park site that was on the CCM website on July 28, 2007. For those that could not attend one of the "building meetings" scheduled by Alderman Reilly, the other slides in the PowerPoint presentation are not available. Also the traffic study obtained by CCM has not been shared with the public or the New Eastside community.

The 2006 version was 1300 sq.ft. illegal. This 1st 2007 version is 13,000 sq.ft. illegal.

It was replaced in Sept.,2007 by a "more legal" underground version, but no graphics. --------------->

All the citizens of Chicago expect that the City of Chicago will follow the same precedent that was established in 1891, affirmed by the Illinois Supreme Court in 1897, and confirmed by the City of Chicago in 2000.

Therefore, in 2007 the Chicago Children's Museum must overcome:

PHASE 1 (Political Protections)

Approval of Plan Commission

Approval of Zoning Committee

Approval of Chicago City Council

PHASE 2 (Charter Protections)

PHASE 3 (Covenant Protections)

Only if necessary, more information on Phase 2 and Phase 3 will be made available nearer to the end of Phase 1.

This update note was added on October 28, 2007.

This 2nd version dated May, 2007 was replaced in September, 2007 by version #3 and the graphics are being withheld by CCM, especially any SIDE VIEW