CrapPier

I'm coming a bit late to this issue, but just today I saw images of the draft master plan for Navy Pier. According to Hello Beautiful! - who has a large chunk of its latest show (worth a listen) devoted to this plan - the city of Chicago,
asked a Canadian company specializing in theme and water parks to propose a new design to bring Navy Pier into the future. Their suggestions include a floating hotel, an indoor water park, and a monorail stretching the length of the pier.
Here's Forrec's imagery:

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Said monorail bisecting the existing mall/winter garden space.

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Forrec's proposal to bring Navy Pier into the future seems to resemble an old-fashioned postcard, planes and all.

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The inside water park to keep tourists off the streets of Chicago.

For further amusement, read Blair Kamin's biting critique of the plan.

Comments

  1. As someone who pays taxes in Chicago, all I have to say is that I want my money back.

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  2. I mostly hate it. Don't mind the concept of the Mid-Pier Park or even adding another theater, as the Skyline Stage has never really taken off, but the water park and the monorail have gots to go. What is this-- Disney World circa 1973?

    I also noticed on the floor plan that they have included an expanded Children's Museum. I thought the Children's Museum has proposed moving to Grant Park. I know something was presented to the city. Does anyone have a link or information on that proposed building?

    Just wondering...

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  3. Who made the decision to hire this firm? That person's vision for the pier must certainly be as myopic as the plan put forth. He or she should shoulder the blame for this embarrassment.

    I'm thankful to Kamin for his call for sanity. We can only hope it will do some good.

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  4. Holy CrapPier Batman! I've not seen the likes of this since, as another poster mentioned, circa 1973 or before. The fact that the plans got as far as they did in todays society is absolutely astounding. This reminds me of the Simpson's episode where the town is duked into building a monorail in order to progress.

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  5. stupid designers from canada

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