Aldermen back East Loop hotel, retail plan but timeline is hazy

By Kara Krekeler

Posted Wednesday, December 21, 2005



Moving east, the owner of Original Cast Lighting and his son plan to build a retail and office building at 6105 Delmar, former home of a cab company. The 30,000-square-foot building, named Loop Center, would include street-level retail with office space on a second floor. The $7 million plan also calls for 63 public parking spaces.



Neal Shapiro said that he and his son, Josh, have been talking to potential tenants, although they have not yet done any extensive marketing. They wanted to wait until they felt confident that they would receive a $1.5 million TIF, he said.



Work on the project would begin in May 2006 with the demolition of an existing structure. During the meeting, the Shapiros estimated that construction of the new building would begin in June 2007, although in a follow-up interview, Neal Shapiro said that it would likely begin not long after the demolition of the old building is completed in August or September 2006.



Source

^So we're looking up to a year and a half before this project gets going.

man, that ugly building would make a sweeeeet taxi garage.

Front story in The Times of Skinker Debaliviere, April-May 2006, Vol. 36, No. 1

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Loop Center Is Coming!

By Lana Stein



[Here is an artist's rendering of Delmar with a two-story building, with sidewalk-retail filling the blank space where the old cab company would have been. The retail is right up to the sidewalk, with only regular street parking in front. The building in the drawing seems to be organized into three segments, each of a slightly differing style from the others, but together they completely fill the space between the Big Shark building and the Miss Saigon building.]



[And here is a photo portrait taken in front of the existing cab company.]



(The caption for both illustrations is "Josh and Neal Shapiro in front of the old Yellow Cab Co., soon to be removed for a new retail and office development.")



"Neal Shapiro has operated Orginal Cast Lighting in our neighborhood for 30 years, first on Skinker and now for 26 years on Delmar. Some time ago he purchased the Yellow Cab site on 61xx Delmar. Now he and his son Josh are working to see that a bold new development replaces an old eyesore. They have received a TIF to help finance this development, Loop Center. The old cab building will come down and in its stead will be a two story mixed use project with 30,000 feet of retail/restaurant and office space (about half for each use). In addition, there will be 63 parking spaces for the development. The Lawrence Group is the architect and mareting is beginning.



"Neal Shapiro [has] been active in the Delmar Commercial Comittee for many years time and has also served as an officer of the East Loop Special Business Districe. He is very excited about this new venture and is especially pleased that his son is his partner."



[Story re-typed for fair use and discussion.]

too bad they are tearing it down. oh well, at least something bold is going to take it's place. hey, you got a scanner chris?

Scan of Loop Center article for fair use and discussion,



http://www.chrismoritz.com/posts/pics/l ... er600w.jpg