The Crowd Chanted "Eli! Eli! Eli!"

Ok, they didn't really chant.  But it was pretty much a lovefest for Eli Ungar at the standing room only community meeting concerning his Solstice on the Park project.  I don't remember a single hostile question, actually.

After a truly informational presentation by architect Jeanne Gang and others involved, Alan D. began the questioning by asking how tall the old Windermere West Hotel was.  You know, because it was actually still there when he arrived in Hyde Park.  And that was before urban renewal.  Maybe he was going to make the point that Solstice would be a much taller building.  Maybe he was just nostalgic.  But not only did Jeanne Gang know the answer to his question-- it was about five stories-- she also had a slide of it.  And the whole episode illustrated that these were people who have done their homework.  They understand the context of the neighborhood.

Interspersed with questions about the specifics of the changes to alleys and traffic flow and shadows, the project was showered with accolades.  The South East Chicago Commission, the Interfaith Organization and its affordable housing arm, residents up and down the affected blocks got up one after another to endorse this project.  MC Graham Grady was warm & humorous and, except for the parade of questions from the smart woman in the front row who lives across the alley, he kept things moving.

Near the end, I thought one commenter was tempting fate and he could have ruined everything.  Peter Rossi-- yes, that Peter Rossi-- made the statement that absolutely no one would be worse off from this project.  Well, there's always someone negatively affected by development and I fully expected to hear from a couple people with small gripes, which could have then started a stampede.  But even with Rossi's dare, all we got were more thoughtful questions and accolades for Gang & Ungar.

The message is clear for all developers who want to build in Hyde Park.  Go ahead.  Come on down.  All we ask is that you hire the hippest architect in the Midwest, make a generous agreement with the affordable housing folks, visit umpteen community organizations, be courteous & polite no matter how nasty people get and replace an ugly parking lot.  Is that so much to ask?