Sox looking at building in South Loop

[Tnetennba]

12 minutes ago, ptatc said:

Right but someone earlier said the rock island goes right through the land. This would also be very easy from the south burbs. 

The red line is the Rock Island Metra tracks. They run adjacent to Clark before jutting west on the approach to LaSalle St station.

[Dick Allen]

1 minute ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Yep, I bet they would add a stop right there.

Maybe. They fixed up the 35th Metra station probably 12 or 13 years ago, and had a stop there. They also used to hold trains there for after the game, but that all stopped. It wasn't a big White Sox seller. 

[southsider2k5]

29 minutes ago, Tnetennba said:

I would call living in the neighborhood for 12 years a large enough sample size. I live here every single day, half a mile from the ballpark. How many games do you actually commute to?

You're dead fucking wrong, have been repeatedly proven wrong,  yet continue to dig a deeper hole. Good luck there champ, but with every single post you prove that you have less of a grasp of Chicago White Sox fan behavior than you've repeatedly stated in your many many inaccurate statements.

I worked in the South Loop for about 15 years during some of the biggest transitions the neighborhood as seen.  I know the area incredibly well as well, and I am fully convinced that this area would be just as well attended (if not better than) the Bridgeport area once adjusted for how good or bad a team is on any given year.  I honestly think anything we might lose due to less parking, will be made up for by having more easy accessibility to downtown employees and tourists, and probably more.

Look there is absolutely nothing about a finished product at this location, which Wrigley Field hasn't been successfully dealing with for 100 years now.  That is the bottom line.  If you are honestly telling me that Sox fans are somehow going to be less willing to deal with these same issues than Cub fans, well that might be a statement all on its own.

[Bob Sacamano]

5 minutes ago, Dick Allen said:

Maybe. They fixed up the 35th Metra station probably 12 or 13 years ago, and had a stop there. They also used to hold trains there for after the game, but that all stopped. It wasn't a big White Sox seller. 

From the south suburbs and used to work in the loop. I’m familiar with all that haha

[southsider2k5]

9 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

Yep, I bet they would add a stop right there.

Yeah, and that stop would offer an easy in and out to the entirety of the South and far South suburbs.

[Dick Allen]

18 minutes ago, Bob Sacamano said:

From the south suburbs and used to work in the loop. I’m familiar with all that haha

It sounded like a great idea, but maybe the team sucking had something to do with it. I acutally used to work in the building the train station is attached to and took it to opening day once. It was great.

[Tnetennba]

4 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

I worked in the South Loop for about 15 years during some of the biggest transitions the neighborhood as seen.  I know the area incredibly well as well, and I am fully convinced that this area would be just as well attended (if not better than) the Bridgeport area once adjusted for how good or bad a team is on any given year.  I honestly think anything we might lose due to less parking, will be made up for by having more easy accessibility to downtown employees and tourists, and probably more.

Look there is absolutely nothing about a finished product at this location, which Wrigley Field hasn't been successfully dealing with for 100 years now.  That is the bottom line.  If you are honestly telling me that Sox fans are somehow going to be less willing to deal with these same issues than Cub fans, well that might be a statement all on its own.

I'm sure some fans simply can't conceive of not driving to the game and will have qualms. But to say it will be a vast majority is choosing to be ignorant. I too have watched the South Loop change since living there 20 years ago. Foot traffic has increased by volumes, when most days in the early 2000s it was a virtual ghost town outside of rush hour and entertainment options were scarce. I have no doubt that a new ballpark surrounded by entertainment and dining options will be a huge draw compared to the current location. Not only will fans adjust, but more tourists and casual fans will visit simply due to the proximity to downtown and ease of access. 

[baseball_gal_aly]

I think the Roosevelt L might be closer to Clark than the Red Line is to Shields right now. 

[WBWSF]

1 hour ago, Tnetennba said:

One city block.

3 L lines stop at Roosevelt & State, there are multiple busses on Roosevelt, Clark, State, and Michigan that all stop near by. The 78 plans also call for a new Red Line stop to be constructed at the south end of the development near 15th & Clark, 3 blocks south of Roosevelt. Whether that actually happens is another story, but there already numerous transit options, with two major Metra hubs within a mile or so. 

Is it possible to build a parking garage west of Wells street?

[Nardiwashere]

2 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

Is it possible to build a parking garage west of Wells street?

That's the river.  Then across river, those are more train tracks. 

[Tnetennba]

6 minutes ago, WBWSF said:

Is it possible to build a parking garage west of Wells street?

West of Wells is the river. North of Roosevelt is unavailable. It's not as if there aren't parking garages nearby, and if this move happens, I'd imaging they would market to fans who insist on driving to the park. A lack of parking at the 78 will only be a roadblock for divers who make it one.

[Tnetennba]

34 minutes ago, baseball_gal_aly said:

I think the Roosevelt L might be closer to Clark than the Red Line is to Shields right now. 

Eh, I think the walk from the 35th Red Line to Gate 5 is shorter, probably Gate 3 too. But State to Clark isn't much farther a walk than  from the Red Line or 35th Metra stop to GRF.

Edited January 31 by Tnetennba

[southsider2k5]

3 minutes ago, Tnetennba said:

West of Wells is the river. North of Roosevelt is unavailable. It's not as if there aren't parking garages nearby, and if this move happens, I'd imaging they would market to fans who insist on driving to the park. A lack of parking at the 78 will only be a roadblock for divers who make it one.

There are quite a few parking garages between Congress and Roosevelt for sure, plus a decent amount of just open land parking lots.  Most of them aren't very dense (as in one floor or two floors, or just basic ground uncovered parking on the ground), and could easily be developed into higher density parking areas to add thousands of spots pretty easily within walking distance.

[Harry Chappas]

The issue with the current 35th Metra train stop is that there is nothing close by the stop.  This new area is a whole development so that if you are waiting for a train there are options.

Also the games ending earlier will help the schedule.  The 35th st stop is not as convenient for night games as you'd think. 

Metra will play ball if there are riders. 

There are a lot of random surface lots in that area but the congestion will be nuts. 

 

[Tnetennba]

6 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

There are quite a few parking garages between Congress and Roosevelt for sure, plus a decent amount of just open land parking lots.  Most of them aren't very dense (as in one floor or two floors, or just basic ground uncovered parking on the ground), and could easily be developed into higher density parking areas to add thousands of spots pretty easily within walking distance.

Roosevelt & Canal south to 14th PL is basically all shopping center parking lots just across the river. A creative solution could be found.

[bmags]

I'm sure those that had to make that decision whether to leave in the 7th inning for that 10 pm BNSF line to the western suburbs would rather be a 3 minute taxi away than  down 35th and shields. THis land giveth and taketh away. Some will benefit, some will lose. 

But it will be fun to go to. 

[hogan873]

41 minutes ago, Harry Chappas said:

The issue with the current 35th Metra train stop is that there is nothing close by the stop.  This new area is a whole development so that if you are waiting for a train there are options.

Also the games ending earlier will help the schedule.  The 35th st stop is not as convenient for night games as you'd think. 

Metra will play ball if there are riders. 

There are a lot of random surface lots in that area but the congestion will be nuts. 

 

They added the 35th Street stop, and it is heavily used on game days.  I believe they'd add a stop at or near the new stadium, and it would probably be timed to open around the same time the stadium does.

[The Mighty Mite]

On 1/31/2024 at 12:16 PM, ThirdGen said:

A major reason I have always preferred the Sox to the Cubs is the fact that Wrigley Field is a pain in the ass to get to.  Different people have different preferences.

All depends, there are of 10s of thousands of fans that are just a short walking distance to Wrigley, it’s truly a neighborhood ball park. I grew up in Rogers Park in the 50s and 60s and as kids we hopped on the L at Loyola and were at the park in 15 minutes, sometimes we took the Clark Street bus which took a tad longer.

PS I always rooted against the Cubs but it was all about going to MLB games and seeing future HOF stars like Mays, Aaron, Matthews, Musial, Snider, Spahn and many others.        

PSS Took in many Bears games too, Wrigley was great place to watch the Bears. There’s was a huge temporary bleacher that they put up in right field after the baseball season had ended and everybody was very close to the action, old Papa Bear was able to squeeze 46,000 in the friendly confines, he did this with the temporary bleacher but also by adding box seats, in those days they had actual box seats with 8 seats to a box but they weren’t bolted to the cement floor, well Papa Bear would take out those 8 box seats and put in 10 narrower seats.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 2 by The Mighty Mite

[South Side Hit Men]

2 hours ago, Dick Allen said:

It sounded like a great idea, but maybe the team sucking had something to do with it. I acutally used to work in the building the train station is attached to and took it to opening day once. It was great.

I wonder if the Sox subsidized the Metra stop and or service. I’m assuming there weren’t many riders, or far less than projected, if the service was cut / eliminated as was reported above.

Individual companies subsidize select bus routes and even a few Metra stops, in most cases to facilitate employee transportation to a large plant or facility. There are routes at one point for the Horizon and the Soldier Field express which I believe still runs likely subsidized at least in part by the teams.

Not everyone has accessible public transportation (primarily the further suburbs), but anyway to encourage it is a plus. Do wish they would clean up the CTA trains as is the case with Metra.

[Highland]

The White Sox will get their new stadium, and the ownership (whoever that is) will make money. Doesn't mean the team will get better.

[The Mighty Mite]

26 minutes ago, Highland said:

The White Sox will get their new stadium, and the ownership (whoever that is) will make money. Doesn't mean the team will get better.

I would bet that the Sox would be better with new owners.

[LittleHurtCG]

2 hours ago, Harry Chappas said:

The issue with the current 35th Metra train stop is that there is nothing close by the stop.  This new area is a whole development so that if you are waiting for a train there are options.

Also the games ending earlier will help the schedule.  The 35th st stop is not as convenient for night games as you'd think. 

Metra will play ball if there are riders. 

There are a lot of random surface lots in that area but the congestion will be nuts. 

 

Congestion is going to be insane down there during peak summer time when there is both a Sox game and something going on at Soldier Field/Northerly/Museum Campus. 

It will be very interesting to see how they pivot and market a ballpark that is currently very car friendly to one that is gonna be utilizied mainly via public transit. 

[baseball_gal_aly]

Honestly it's a shame that Jerry didn't take the Camden Yards design and put it at Roosevelt/Clark 35 years ago. 

Edited January 31 by baseball_gal_aly

[caulfield12]

53 minutes ago, baseball_gal_aly said:

Honestly it's a shame that Jerry didn't take the Camden Yards design and put it at Roosevelt/Clark 35 years ago. 

He didn’t need it to restore his tarnished legacy as badly as he does now.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, etc.

 

Without the selling point of tanking for Top 3-5 picks…what else did they have to attempt to retain fan interest for this upcoming “wandering in the desert” time period?

Edited January 31 by caulfield12

[caulfield12]

https://chicago.suntimes.com/white-sox/2024/1/31/24057341/new-white-sox-stadium-meeting-state-democratic-leaders-the-78-related-midwest

Developers did not ask for state money, but instead said they want the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority (ISFA) to be granted authority to “rearrange existing bonds.” They were also aware of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s disdain for using taxpayer funds for sports stadiums — which is viewed as politically unpopular despite its prevalence in other cities.

Pritzker had not been briefed by Related Midwest, or the White Sox, as of Wednesday, according to the governor’s office.

According to someone close to the talks, there have been no discussions about creating new revenue or tax increases to help fund the new stadium. The goal is to work creatively within the current system.

 

Sources familiar with the plan say the development would include residences, offices, a hotel and dozens of restaurants and bars.

Edited February 1 by caulfield12