- Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:38 pm:
How about we use it as a training center for new members of the GA who will have offices in the Stratton. That way they are ready to work from tiny little offices that are hot in the summer, freezing in the winter and leak from time-to-time.
Partner with a developer, demolish the structure, build one or two high rise structures with much more usable space. Reserve a portion of the new space for use by the State. Let the developer profit from the remaining space. The goal is to build new State space, at no cost or at a lower cost, subsidized by the sale of the other space.
And if you do grow pot at the JRT, you have a food court right there and a metra station, so people can stop by on the way home, pick up a bit of herb and something for the munchies.
Sell to developer to partition into 2-3 buildings. One that brings in the maximum tax revenue possible and at least one state building. Maybe keep the south-east quarter of the lot for a public space. Keep all of the state resources right in the convenient part of the loop, but in a more secure and efficient office building while gaining revenue on at least half of the city block. The agencies will have to be temporarily relocated, but it’s well worth it to improve services from the state, save the state in maintenance, and bring in tax revenue going forward.
- Driving a car - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:51 pm:
Stress relief center for all residents of Illinois. It’s made of glass and is such an infuriating building it’s basically made to smash.
Having a long day? Grab a baseball bat, head on down to the Thompson center and take out some anger on those unexplainably ugly glass window.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:52 pm:
What A Jack said. Throw in some marijuana shops and exhibits as well.
I agree with the other commenters who propose a combined water park/marijuana grow facility. Perhaps with other themed entertainment. A museum of inaction on the 16th floor. Jam bands in the food court, cartoons shown on one of the floors. The world’s premier Ganjutainment park!
But it was a water park. It had that fountain where by the front doors, cascading down to the food court. And the humidity was awful, they had a real mold problem on the upper floors. Let’s not go back.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:56 pm:
They took out the waterfall at the food court years ago. Was way too noisy and had far too many visitors deciding to jump in or wade around.
I still feel that the building would make a wonderful casino / hotel venue.
You could also move the Chicago Children’s Museum to the JRT and have a giant slide down the middle. The St Louis City Museum has a giant slide like that. The St Louis City Museum was an old shoe factory that they turned into a huge learning playground for children.
As I replied to Scott the other day, I want my obituary to be that I was drunk and drowned in the JRT WaterPark.
I love the City Museum, but one of the challenges to running it is making it not too dangerous for kids and even more drunk adults doing dumb things. I figured, why not go out with a Darwin Award.
The Bruce Rauner Memorial Social Services Center; an almost-empty, dilapidated, and dysfunctional building symbolizing Bruce’s beliefs about those in need…complete with a huge portrait of ‘ol Brucie to remind the downtrodden who is responsible for all this.
It’s always looked like a spaceship, so maybe convert it into an observatory.
- Boone's is Back - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 3:21 pm:
Time to open up Boone’s in the new JRTC water park.
- FormerParatrooper - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 3:32 pm:
A lot of great ideas here. The National Guard could use it for training. Let them destroy it, haul the residue to the lake for a barrier wall and just leave space open and plant a few trees and some grass so people there have a park.
Prime location in a rare spot, a downtown that is booming and not dying! Tear it down, and build those useful office buildings spoke of above. Build one for a State Office Building in the heart of the city, and then try to forget a stupid mistake from years gone by.
- Token Conservative - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:37 pm:
Seems like the perfect place for that downtown casino.
- A Jack - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:38 pm:
Greenhouse: giant marijuana growing facility.
- Give Me A Break - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:38 pm:
How about we use it as a training center for new members of the GA who will have offices in the Stratton. That way they are ready to work from tiny little offices that are hot in the summer, freezing in the winter and leak from time-to-time.
- I11inois - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:39 pm:
Rauner Gubernatorial Library.
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:39 pm:
Greenhouse? Sounds perfect for MJ growing. Can be the start of a locavore trend…”Capone’s Best” brand.
- salonica's backroom - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:40 pm:
it will be named “Pipe Dream”
- Hippopotamus - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:40 pm:
Thunderdome! 177 legislators enter, one leaves.
- Cheryl44 - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:40 pm:
If they’d actually built it to Jahn’s specs it would have worked better. Except maybe for the noise level.
That said, pot farm? Water park? Why not both?
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:42 pm:
A hotel. Called the Helmit Jahn. Our gov might know a little something about hotels.
- Merica - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:43 pm:
Partner with a developer, demolish the structure, build one or two high rise structures with much more usable space. Reserve a portion of the new space for use by the State. Let the developer profit from the remaining space. The goal is to build new State space, at no cost or at a lower cost, subsidized by the sale of the other space.
- Anony - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:44 pm:
What if all three ideas are implemented and now we have a water park/casino/cannabis property? The Mall of America would cease to exist.
- A Jack - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:47 pm:
And if you do grow pot at the JRT, you have a food court right there and a metra station, so people can stop by on the way home, pick up a bit of herb and something for the munchies.
- @misterjayem - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:47 pm:
“Any other ideas for using the space?”
As my father said upon first entering the James R. Thompson Center: You could store a lot of bales in here…
– MrJM
- Practical Politics - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:48 pm:
Hey, Thompson Center, “That 70’s Show” just called. They wanted their badly dated furniture back.
- ike - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:49 pm:
A Jack - i approve.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:50 pm:
===water park/casino/cannabis property===
Add a federal correctional facility into the mix so our Aldermen won’t have to leave Illinois.
- MissingG - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:50 pm:
Sell to developer to partition into 2-3 buildings. One that brings in the maximum tax revenue possible and at least one state building. Maybe keep the south-east quarter of the lot for a public space. Keep all of the state resources right in the convenient part of the loop, but in a more secure and efficient office building while gaining revenue on at least half of the city block. The agencies will have to be temporarily relocated, but it’s well worth it to improve services from the state, save the state in maintenance, and bring in tax revenue going forward.
- Driving a car - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:51 pm:
Stress relief center for all residents of Illinois. It’s made of glass and is such an infuriating building it’s basically made to smash.
Having a long day? Grab a baseball bat, head on down to the Thompson center and take out some anger on those unexplainably ugly glass window.
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:52 pm:
What A Jack said. Throw in some marijuana shops and exhibits as well.
- Montrose - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:52 pm:
High Ropes Course. Zipline. Bungee jumping.
Simulate all the risk, ups & downs, and peril of working with Illinois government without any of the consequences.
- A guy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:53 pm:
Grow pot there for 1 year. Let everyone try some of the crop. Look at the building again…then raze it.
- Quizzical - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:54 pm:
I agree with the other commenters who propose a combined water park/marijuana grow facility. Perhaps with other themed entertainment. A museum of inaction on the 16th floor. Jam bands in the food court, cartoons shown on one of the floors. The world’s premier Ganjutainment park!
- Anonymous - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:54 pm:
But it was a water park. It had that fountain where by the front doors, cascading down to the food court. And the humidity was awful, they had a real mold problem on the upper floors. Let’s not go back.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:56 pm:
They took out the waterfall at the food court years ago. Was way too noisy and had far too many visitors deciding to jump in or wade around.
I still feel that the building would make a wonderful casino / hotel venue.
- ChrisB - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:58 pm:
High Rise Luxury Condos. Call it The ThomCen.
There aren’t enough of those in Chicago.
- Dome Gnome - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 12:59 pm:
Rauner Gubernatorial Library.
- Leatherneck - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:00 pm:
The Lucas Museum (satellite facility).
The “Running Scared” Museum
- Colin O'Scopy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:02 pm:
How about turning it into an “Island of Misfit Legislators”. I can think of a couple of legislators, in particular, who might fit the bill.
OK, one. I can think of one.
- PP - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:04 pm:
Working Urban Farm
- McGuppin - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:06 pm:
Kennedy still has the best idea….Scott, you should start a go fund me thingy. I’ve got $25 burning a hole in my pocket.
- Flapdoodle - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:15 pm:
Montrose — Add an indoor skydiving feature, and you’re on to something
- A Jack - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:17 pm:
You could also move the Chicago Children’s Museum to the JRT and have a giant slide down the middle. The St Louis City Museum has a giant slide like that. The St Louis City Museum was an old shoe factory that they turned into a huge learning playground for children.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:18 pm:
===The St Louis City Museum===
Such a cool place.
- utility - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:22 pm:
at least it’s being used….unlike a few other State properties
- Sir Reel - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:22 pm:
Biodome 2.
Now where’s Paulie Shore?
- Chicago Bars - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:26 pm:
It’s time to build Frank Lloyd Wright’s “The Illinos” on that JRTC lot.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Illinois
- RNUG - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:51 pm:
It made a pretty awesome film set for “Running Scared”. Maybe Hollywood could use it again … and blow it up for real this time.
- Hippopotamus - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:54 pm:
I hear the Obama Center is looking for a new site,
- RNUG - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 1:58 pm:
Indoor paratrooper training facility?
- RNUG - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:00 pm:
Parade balloon storage facility and museum.
- RNUG - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:01 pm:
Homeless facility?
- Downstate Dave - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:09 pm:
Best of Illinois- Bring different cultural, food, export, etc. into one building to give a glimpse of the rest of the state.
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:19 pm:
As I replied to Scott the other day, I want my obituary to be that I was drunk and drowned in the JRT WaterPark.
I love the City Museum, but one of the challenges to running it is making it not too dangerous for kids and even more drunk adults doing dumb things. I figured, why not go out with a Darwin Award.
- ArchPundit - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:31 pm:
—Homeless facility?
Why do you hate the homeless, RNUG? Are you that heartless?
- Colin O'Scopy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:40 pm:
Wait for Bill Daley to get sworn-on as Mayor. He’ll rip it down in the middle of the night.
- Colin O'Scopy - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:41 pm:
=sworn-on=
sworn-in
- Hippopotamus - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:41 pm:
Dante’s 9 levels of hell theme park.
- Smitty Irving - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:45 pm:
A “film studio” for original content programming from Netflix.
- revvedup - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:49 pm:
The Bruce Rauner Memorial Social Services Center; an almost-empty, dilapidated, and dysfunctional building symbolizing Bruce’s beliefs about those in need…complete with a huge portrait of ‘ol Brucie to remind the downtrodden who is responsible for all this.
- MG85 - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 2:50 pm:
It’s always looked like a spaceship, so maybe convert it into an observatory.
- Boone's is Back - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 3:21 pm:
Time to open up Boone’s in the new JRTC water park.
- FormerParatrooper - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 3:32 pm:
A lot of great ideas here. The National Guard could use it for training. Let them destroy it, haul the residue to the lake for a barrier wall and just leave space open and plant a few trees and some grass so people there have a park.
Partially snark.
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 3:35 pm:
I always thought it was a church for disfuntional politics.
- Uncle Ernie - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 3:51 pm:
Prime location in a rare spot, a downtown that is booming and not dying! Tear it down, and build those useful office buildings spoke of above. Build one for a State Office Building in the heart of the city, and then try to forget a stupid mistake from years gone by.
- Mama - Wednesday, Jan 23, 19 @ 5:02 pm:
James R. Thompson Center: Turn it into a huge Metro Greenhouse for Medical Marijuana plus other plants, flowers and herbs.
- VerySmallRocks - Thursday, Jan 24, 19 @ 11:20 am:
Shoot a remake of “Running Scared” there. Come to think of it, has “Chicago Fire” done anything at JRTC?