On November 14, 2007, a bar/restaurant in downtown Chicago’s River East neighborhood applied for a liquor license at a new location, Marina City. Their old neighborhood of 19 years, two blocks west of Navy Pier, was congested and owners wanted to be closer to hotels, convention facilities, and other sources of hungry, thirsty customers.

Dick’s Last Resort, “the joint yo’ mama warned you about,” was famous for its casual atmosphere and obnoxious servers. The Chicago location was part of a chain of restaurants based in Dallas that was created and managed by restaurateur Richard Chase – at least until July 1986, when he was sued twice by his two investors, Robert Schiff and his brother, Steven Schiff.

The Schiffs claimed Richard had siphoned off for personal use nearly $400,000 from the corporation setup to run Dick’s and two other Dallas restaurants. Less than a month later, they sued Chase again, this time for trade infringement, challenging his use of concepts he created for Dick’s Last Resort at a new bar he started in Fort Worth called Dick’s Retreat.

Chicago had been good to Dick’s Last Resort and the company behind it was ready for the next step, to spend $2.5 million to bring to life a visible but surprisingly vacant corner of Marina City and move in by April 2008.

But first they would have to battle Marina City’s condominium association.

Marina Towers Condominium Association would portray the new commercial tenant as a bad move for Marina City. Though the conflict, led by the condo board and residential property manager, would strain their relationship with Marina City’s commercial management, it would also play an early role in Marina City’s eventual designation as an official Chicago landmark. (Left) Southwest corner of lower concourse level, seen from Dearborn Street Bridge on December 7, 2008. (Click on image to view larger version.)

‘Architectural integrity’ among early concerns

On September 19, 2007, representatives of Dick’s Last Resort gave a presentation to residents of Marina City, describing their vision for transforming the southwest corner of the commercial building at the base of the two towers. Less than a month later, residential property manager David Gantt wrote to the owner of Marina City’s commercial property, outlining concerns he had about potential noise, pollution, security, and architectural integrity.

In his October 12 letter to LaSalle Hotel Properties, Gantt said noise from the restaurant would escape through overhead doors that Dick’s planned to install on its south wall facing the Chicago River. The noise, warned Gantt, would reverberate along the river and area residents would “storm the local alderman’s office,” demanding a clamp down of entertainment businesses in the neighborhood.

Gantt said the outdoor dining area on the other side of the overhead doors would not escape the stench of garbage compactors on the marina below. And he was concerned about a door at the back of the restaurant that would give guests of Dick’s “unfettered access” to the lower concourse near residents’ mailboxes.

His biggest concern appeared to be plans to include red brick on the main entrance to Dick’s from Dearborn Street, as well as the side facing the river, and to erect a tall, narrow sign.

“The architectural community in Chicago will be shocked and greatly disappointed,” predicted Gantt (right), “by the alterations to Bertrand Goldberg’s original design along Dearborn Street [and] the riverfront, and the tall phallic sign.”

According to Chief Operating Officer Michael Barnello, LaSalle discussed the concerns with Dick’s CEO Steven Schiff. In his October 25 letter back to Gantt, Barnello described in detail how the concerns would be addressed. He pointed out the proposed arrangement was like Dick’s River East location, which had “happily coexisted with neighbors directly across their front door for years.” Barnello assured Gannt the overhead doors would be weather-proofed to help buffer sound, the concourse doors would be for exit only, and the dining area would be “both inviting and clean.” Dick’s agreed the red brick was inconsistent with the building and would consider a more suitable surface. As for the sign on Dearborn Street, Dick’s reduced its size from 29 feet to 16 feet in length. “At the presentation [to residents on September 19] there was a lot of talk about the brick color and the entrance,” said Schiff in April 2008. “The brick is now stone that resembles the building color and should satisfy the [negative] comments. The entrance location must remain where it is, but we softened the look.” (Left) Dick’s Last Resort sign in front of a House of Blues sign on North Dearborn Street.

Residents spooked by gas valve By February 2008, the tenant space had been cleared in preparation for construction but there was no actual permit for interior alterations. Unfortunately for Dick’s, a City of Chicago Department of Buildings inspector, likely acting on a tip, happened by as a general contractor was doing demolition work and coring through concrete to put plumbing. This resulted in a Stop Work Order that was posted on February 22. (Right) Stop Work Order posted on west side of space being renovated by Dick’s Last Resort.

The next month, residential property manager Gannt noticed a brass valve installed on a natural gas line leading to the restaurant. It had been put there by workers for the commercial property manager but Peoples Gas said the valve, though “perfectly safe,” was unauthorized and removed it.

“It was kind of a scary situation and luckily the building did not have to be evacuated and it appears to have been done professionally,” said Gantt at the March 20 meeting of the condo board, “although it’s not professional to do this without notifying the gas company and having the gas turned off.”

Gantt accused Dick’s Last Resort of tapping into the natural gas line and doing renovation in their space despite the Stop Work Order, both claims of which were denied by Dick’s CEO.

Anticipating a conflict with commercial property management over Dick’s Last Resort, the condo association began working on a contingency plan to create a meeting room on the 20th floor of the west tower in case Transwestern Commercial Services cancelled its lease of their meeting room on the concourse level.

Alderman gets involved

During the week of April 21, 2008, officials of Dick’s Last Resort met with Jeff Riley, Policy Director for 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly. They discussed noise concerns and that led the discussion to the overhead doors that would separate the indoor dining area from the outdoor dining area. Although Dick’s would not budge on the design, they did agree to close the doors every day at 8:00 p.m.

Material would be sprayed beneath the concrete floor to reduce vibration coming from sound sources within the restaurant. Panels made of a material called Tectum were installed in the ceiling. And in the east wall separating the band area from the residential mailboxes, four layers of sheet rock were installed instead of two layers that were originally planned.

Still, Reilly described a frustrating lack of cooperation by Dick’s with neighborhood residents.

“I have been trying to get Dick’s Last Resort to behave as a good neighbor and address some of the residential concerns with them moving into the building,” said Reilly (left). “As alderman, I can’t dictate who landlords lease their properties to. However, I do have a responsibility to the residents of Marina City to make sure that this new neighbor is respectful as possible.”

Dick’s CEO Steven Schiff denied they were uncooperative, saying at the time, “We look forward to working with the residents on issues, events, and being good neighbors.”

On May 15, after waiting seven months, Dick’s passed its reviews, the Stop Work Order was lifted, and a construction permit was issued by the Department of Buildings. At the time, Dick’s was planning to be open in June.

(Above) Southwest corner of Dick’s Last Resort on March 22, 2008. (Right) Status on May 15 of Dick’s application for a construction permit.

Application Status 315 N DEARBORN ST Description: BUILDOUT OF EXISTING TENANT SPACE ON THE CONCOURSE LEVEL OF MARINA TOWER WEST FOR A NEW RESTAURANT. MODIFICATION OF CURTAIN WALL FOR OUTDOOR DINING AREAS, MODIFICATION OF ENTRY DOOR FACING DEARBORN AND HVAC DUCKWORK. Discipline ApprDate Status ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW 02/06/2008 APPROVED ELECTRICAL REVIEW 03/11/2008 APPROVED ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW 02/05/2008 APPROVED FINAL DATA REVIEW 04/11/2008 APPROVED FIRE PREVENTION REVIEW 04/03/2008 APPROVED MAYOR’S OFFICE/PEOPLE W/DISAB 03/21/2008 APPROVED PLANNING REVIEW 04/23/2008 APPROVED PLANNING REVIEW 05/15/2008 APPROVED PLUMBING REVIEW 04/03/2008 APPROVED REFRIGERATION REVIEW 04/03/2008 APPROVED STRUCTURAL REVIEW 04/08/2008 APPROVED VENTILATION REVIEW 04/03/2008 APPROVED ZONING REVIEW 01/22/2008 APPROVED

Dick’s spearheads landmarking, perhaps unintentionally

Following the failed attempt to block Dick’s from moving its restaurant and bar to Marina City, a renewed effort to seek official landmark status was led by officers of Marina Towers Condominium Association.

If Marina City was designated an official landmark, commercial tenants would have to submit for city review any proposed signs or changes to the facade of the structure or interiors – if the interior can be seen from the outside.

On June 16, 2008, at a panel discussion organized by members of the condo board, Lisa DiChiera, Advocacy Director of Landmarks Illinois, said, “It’s no secret that a lot of people have become interested in [landmarking Marina City] because of Dick’s Last Resort. If this building had already been a City of Chicago landmark, then all of that exterior work would have been more closely reviewed by the city from an aesthetic standpoint.”

A petition drive, organized by at least two condo board members, collected about 100 signatures, representing about seven percent of residents. The petition specifically objected to the development of commercial space by Dick’s Last Resort. As MTCA Secretary Ellen Chessick and board member Sandra Lapping solicited petition signatures, they spoke openly in support of landmark status and against Dick’s Last Resort.

In late July, a portion of the south wall of Dick’s space was moved back about eight feet to create an outdoor patio. Three eight-foot-wide retractable aluminum and glass panel doors were installed that led to an eight-foot-deep patio that would accommodate nine tables. On a typical day, roughly 30 local construction workers were busy transforming the space, and company officials in Dallas stepped up their visits to Marina City. (Left) A stretch of the south curtain wall recessed to create an outdoor dining area. (Click on image to view larger version.)

In late October, more than a year after announcing the project, Dick’s prepared to open its Marina City location. Half-page newspaper ads started appearing, saying Dick’s was “moving the mayhem to Marina City.” A sign on their concourse level door advised people to “bring money.”

The old Dick’s location in River East closed for the last time on Saturday night, October 25. Tables from the old location were set up at Marina City and a small staff, including Schiff and company CFO Christy Zirnheld, were busy with final preparations.

“Dick’s is about making a splash and being irreverent,” said Schiff in the days before the Marina City location opened, “but Dick’s is for ordinary people. We’re not as crazy as we claim to be, but don’t tell anyone that.”

Dick’s opens quietly

At 5:00 p.m. on October 30, 2008, Dick’s Last Resort opened at Marina City without fanfare.

“It was a soft opening. We did not publicize it,” said Schiff. “Normally, we’d have a grand opening, but we’ve been here 20 years, all we’re doing is moving six blocks.”

By the following June, in an average week, Dick’s would serve between 8,000 and 9,000 people, a mix of regular customers, tourists, and people “who just wander in the door because they’re looking for a place to eat.”

“Our sales are up from last year, and considerably,” said manager Richard Fulghum. “When the tourist season really kicks in – we really get the June, July, and August traffic here in Chicago – if what we’ve seen so far is an indication of where we’re going to go in the next three months, that’s going to be very good for us.”

In the last few days of 2008, Steven Schiff sold his company and all but one location, the one at Marina City. For now, he would own the Chicago restaurant but a group of investors, including Nashville restaurateur Edwin Moats, Jr., owner of a chain of casual restaurants, were five months into an 18-month option to buy. (Left) Elvis impersonator Pete Tidd selects a scarf from assistant Thomas Adamson while performing in a contest at Dick’s Last Resort on January 8, 2009. The 36-year-old Lyons native won the contest and $500. (Click on image to view larger version.)