CCAC Hears From Executive Committee

CCAC would like to thank Juan Moreno, President, and Aaron Spiering, Project Architect, JGMA Architecture, for hosting CCAC’s monthly luncheon on Tuesday, May 8th. The members-only luncheon featured a presentation from the CCAC Executive Committee. Leading the discussion were Christopher Hall, Urban Strategy Leader, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and Greg Hummel, Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, and CCAC Chairman.

Hummel and Hall discussed the creation of a “Chicago Central City Investment Strategy: A Proposal for Quality of Place.” Setting the stage, Hummel stated, “It’s been a while since the CCAC embarked on a major effort. We’ve done things in the Illinois Medical District (IMD) and we’ve spent a lot of time and effort on the Connector Project and the 180-page white paper that it created. Our young leaders have led project efforts whether it was the Obama Presidential Center, other projects, and the planning for the river sprint. We thought it was time that the Central Area Committee membership at large could take on another major project.  Today, we are here to discuss how to best invest and take the vitality of the central area and spread it much deeper into the City,” Hummel stated.

During a powerpoint presentation, Hall remarked, "there is a need to build on previous plans to position the City for a new era of innovation, growth and discovery, while supporting Chicago’s advancement as a global city.” 

He continued, “We have this idea that there is tremendous energy, self-sustaining and independent developments around the perimeter of the traditional central area in neighborhoods, places that are transitioning from industrial to mixed use, anchored around major institutions such as the IMD, and areas where we’re seeing major projects being proposed by private developers or on public sector land, particularly to the south. There is a push from businesses, residents, individuals, families, as they seek out these types of environments. There is an expanded idea of what the central city should be.”

The major themes of the CCAC strategy could include growing the economy of jobs, enhancing quality of place, and linking public and private investment. As an organization, CCAC is well positioned with the talent of its members, to look at the critical trends that are changing work, retail, entertainment, living and we need to anticipate this over the next decade to prepare for success.

This opportunity would bring everything together to identify pipeline projects, scale of potential change, the context of the factors which are driving change, places with the potential to drive growth, targeted investments, what the investment approach is, understanding the roles of the different sectors and identifying the sources and uses.

A lively conversation followed around what such an initiative should achieve, the establish the case for the neighborhood benefits and timing.

For more information and to join this effort, please contact CCAC Executive Director, Kelly O’Brien, kobrien@ccac.org.

(L:R) Tyler Meyr, Principal, Forum Studio; Stephen Galler, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, The Habitat Company; Christine Carlyle, Principal and Director of Planning, Solomon Cordwell Buenz; Christopher Hall, Urban Strategy Leader, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP; Kelly O'Brien, Executive Director, CCAC; Greg Hummel, Partner, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner; and Aaron Spiering, Project Architect, JGMA Architecture

 CCAC audience at the May 8th Meeting

 Christopher Hall, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP and Greg Hummel, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner presenting to the May 8th audience.

Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at Jenner & Block LLP

Please join us at Jenner & Block LLP on Tuesday, June 12, 2018, for the next CCAC meeting, hosted by Donald Resnick, Partner, Jenner & Block LLP.

CCAC Thanks Metropolitan Planning Council for Inviting Membership on May 23rd River Boat Tour

(4th row from the top, L:R) Avi Lothan, lothan van hook destefano architecture; Kerrie Mistry, lothan van hook destefano architecture, Katie Martin, Forum Studio; Malek Abdulsamad, Related Realty; and Shalora Jasper, CCAC

 Canal Street Railroad Bridge located across the south branch of the Chicago River

 Josh Ellis, Vice President, Metropolitan Planning Council, speaking to the attendees on the May 23rd Boat Tour

Ping Tom Memorial Park located in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood on the South Side of the Chicago River

Special thank you to Josh Ellis, Vice President, Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC), and the entire MPC staff for inviting our membership to join the May 23rd boat tour of the Chicago River.

Our members participated in an evening river cruise, focusing on the South Branch and its adjacent neighborhoods.  CCAC strategic partner, Metropolitan Planning Council, organized the tour and enlisted a variety of guest speakers from organizations to discuss parts of the river including:

This tour was important to our Young Leader tier as they prepare for the Sprint focusing on equity and access of the river in September and October. This was the first time for many of our members to cruise as far south as Pulaski, and to learn about the various neighborhoods on the river. The tour provided insights into potential areas for CCAC teams to envision development and redevelopment during the fall Sprint. 

If you are interested in participating in the Sprint in the fall, please e-mail Kelly O'Brien at kobrien@ccac.org.

Please Support CCAC Member: The John Buck Company with its 30th Annual Spring Fling

The John Buck Company Spring Fling has become the Chicago Real Estate community’s benefit (party!) of the year.

Join The John Buck Company on Thursday, June 14, 2018  for the 30th Annual Spring Fling at the Merchandise Mart. The 2018 beneficiaries are The John Buck Company Foundation and Working on Womanhood (WOW) Youth Guidance.

WOW is a multifaceted school-based, group counseling program that works to improve the social-emotional and behavior competencies for grade 7-12 girls exposed to traumatic stress and/or with emotion regulation challenges. The program currently serves more than 1,750 girls in 31 Chicago area schools. To learn more, visit www.youth-guidance.org/WOW.

Tickets Available Here

Founded in 1981, The John Buck Company has established a track record and reputation as a premier, vertically-integrated real estate operating company focused on major U.S. urban markets. Since inception, The John Buck Company has successfully completed over $11 billion of real estate transactions and acquired, developed, or redeveloped over 24 million square feet of office, high-rise residential, hotel, retail, and mixeduse properties. 

Spring Fling is The John Buck Company’s charity event held annually to benefit a Chicago-area charitable organization that emphasizes support of children, families and education. Over the past 29 years, Spring Fling has helped raise $11.7 million in charitable contributions for Chicago non-profit organizations.

For more information, please visit: www.tjbc.com

CCAC Young Leader Quarter 2 Event 

New technology is disrupting every aspect of life around us. New technologies in the transit arena, however, will arguably have the most impact on the future of the City of Chicago, including its local economy, urban design, density and housing affordability. While this impact remains a concern, implementation remains the biggest challenge of all.

Join us on Thursday, June 21, 2018 beginning at 6:00 pm for a roundtable discussion to review these new technologies and the impact that major technology shifts will have on Chicago’s traffic and transportation systems, including its infrastructure, and to discuss the practicality of implementation. The event will be held in the newest property from The John Buck Company, the Rooftop Sky Garden (35th Floor) at 151 N. Franklin, Chicago, IL.

Confirmed speakers include:

For membership information and to RSVP, contact Shalora Jasper at sjasper@ccac.org.

Interested in Participating in the CCAC Young Leader River Sprint?

The CCAC Young Leaders 2018 Sprint will focus on creating a vision for the development of multiple sites along the Chicago River.  The teams will be directed to integrate ideas inspired by equity, resiliency, and connectivity. In addition, each team will address job creation, real estate investment, transit connectivity, land use and open space planning, housing, and environmental improvement. 

Participants will get the opportunity to network with one another, utilize their professional expertise, and create a meaningful planning and design solution to address the City’s most pressing problems.

The Sprint will kick off during the late afternoon on September 20.  Teams will reconvene on September 28 and October 5.  CCAC member, Perkins+Will, has agreed to host at its office in the Wrigley Building.  Please mark your calendars and watch for more details.

Interested in participating in the sprint? For more information and to register, please e-mail Kelly O'Brien, kobrien@ccac.org.

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