DePaul Purchasing Riverfront Property

[Avenue Commons]

I heard from a strong source that DePaul is close to purchasing riverfront property from Morton Salt Co. The property is near Lincoln Park and the Clybourn Metra stop and the Kennedy. It is perfect for an on campus basketball facility. Near transportation hubs, river, Lincoln Park and Bucktown. A sleeping giant may be stirring from its slumber.

Those are the only details I have.

[GGGG]

This is good for them, but the "sleeping giant" talk reminds me of the "wait 'til next year" talk from the Cubs.  I'll believe it when I see it.

[jsglow]

If true, that would be fanastic.  I've said for many years that for DePaul to be successful, they need to provide for men's basketball via a near campus venue.  The Allstate is simply a pit and too far away.  Kudos.  I'd like them to be competitive.

[Avenue Commons]

This is good for them, but the "sleeping giant" talk reminds me of the "wait 'til next year" talk from the Cubs.  I'll believe it when I see it.

Very fair point.

[MUDPT]

This is the one on Elston right?  If so, it's further away from Marquette than the Bradley Center is.  It's a way better location than All State for sure.  That area isn't all that great to walk to from campus though.

[lab_warrior]

I heard from a strong source that DePaul is close to purchasing riverfront property from Morton Salt Co. The property is near Lincoln Park and the Clybourn Metra stop and the Kennedy. It is perfect for an on campus basketball facility. Near transportation hubs, river, Lincoln Park and Bucktown. A sleeping giant may be stirring from its slumber.

Those are the only details I have.

If anything else, it'll allow the students to at least show up for games.  The equivalent right now for them would be like MU students having to get out to Oconomowoc to watch games. 

This is good for them, but the "sleeping giant" talk reminds me of the "wait 'til next year" talk from the Cubs.  I'll believe it when I see it.

But with Theo as GM, this IS our year, Sultan! 

/looks at projected Cubs lineup
/sees Bryan LaHair will bat 3rd
/throws up

[mugrad2006]

If anything else, it'll allow the students to at least show up for games.  The equivalent right now for them would be like MU students having to get out to Oconomowoc to watch games. 

Although a great reference, I would guess most MU students don't even know where or what Oconomowoc is.  Maybe a better analogy would be driving to Racine to watch games.

[JoBo2756]

This is good for them, but the "sleeping giant" talk reminds me of the "wait 'til next year" talk from the Cubs.  I'll believe it when I see it.

First of all, unnatural carnal knowledge the Cubs.... White Sox fan here. Never has there been such a celebration of mediocrity. Wrigley Field is such a historic place to watch the game though...

Second of all, that's awesome for DePaul. It's a travesty that they are in Rosemont. Though agree that it's a weird place for students to walk. Very industrial, across the river and about 15 blocks from the Lincoln Park campus... maybe Morton Salt owns another spot of land that they bought.

[Blackhat]

Hit the bricks with this Depaul crap. 

[BallBoy]

This is the one on Elston right?  If so, it's further away from Marquette than the Bradley Center is.  It's a way better location than All State for sure.  That area isn't all that great to walk to from campus though.

If it is the Elston property then I am all for it. The area is between north and division and has been slowly improving. Putting a gym here would also improve the area more.  It is not a far walk from campus at all.  You could walk down from Fullerton and halsted (the most north and east corner of campus) and get to the stadium in a half hour. It is probably only 2 miles from there. Even closer if you are on the west side of campus.

There is plenty of room there to add parking and close enough to the Kennedy to not cause too many traffic issues.  this would vastly improve Depaul's facilities.

I have heard this in the past though because at one point they were going to purchase a steel mill on southport and Cortland when it announced it was closing. 

[jmayer1]

Hit the bricks with this Depaul crap. 

Yeah, nobody is interested in what MU's closest rival and conference affiliate is doing.

[MU82]

1. Judging by the comments so far, obviously a lot of people here are interested. So if those who aren't interested don't like this thread, then move along to threads where you can whine about the crowds at the BC or about who isn't slapping five with whom. Everything that happens in the Big East affects all member schools. As long as we're in the conference, I want all the teams to flourish. DePaul is our closest geographic rival and it helps us if they have a healthy, vibrant program -- something they haven't had for a long time.

2. Just google-mapped the Morton Salt property and it's 1.5 miles from the Fullerton-Sheffield intersection (the main part of campus). Not ideal, to be sure, but it's walkable for hardier types and the school certainly can run a series of shuttle buses, just as MU does to the BC (and did to the Mecca when I was going there). Right on campus would have been even better, so it's a shame DePaul can't make a run at the Children's Hospital property. But that's right in the heart of Lincoln Park -- very pricey.

3. Good for DePaul for acknowledging how awful the Allstate situation is. You build a nice, 8,000 to 10,000 seat facility that people will want to go to and that you can call your own. Then, if you get really good, you can play a marquee game or two at the United Center (or even Allstate). Best of both worlds.

4. DePaul is a sleeping giant. The program has had runs of excellence in the not-too-distant past, notably the Aguirre/Cummings years of the late 70s/early 80s and the Richardson/Simmons years of the late 90s/early 00s. So it obviously isn't impossible.

5. The Cubbie comparisons were meant to be funny, I'm sure, but they are apples and oranges. Much easier to recruit two or three prep hoops studs to play in Chicago, thereby getting a solid program going, than to build and maintain an entire big-league baseball organization. Even if Quentin Richardson did get paid more than many Cubs. (That's a joke, kids. No lawsuit please.)

[jsglow]

Thanks MU82.

As a supporter of outstanding Catholic education and our BEast brothers here in Chicago, I'll actually contribute a few dollars to their building fund at the appropriate time.  And for those that think this somehow makes me less than loyal, well, I'll refrain from sharing my thoughts or my ongoing financial commitments to Marquette.

[Coleman]

Thanks MU82.

As a supporter of outstanding Catholic education and our BEast brothers here in Chicago, I'll actually contribute a few dollars to their building fund at the appropriate time.  And for those that think this somehow makes me less than loyal, well, I'll refrain from sharing my thoughts or my ongoing financial commitments to Marquette.

+1

This is great to see. Nothing can be better for Marquette and the Big East than for DePaul to return to being a perennial tourney team like they were in the 1970s and 80s. This can't hurt.

[muwarrior69]

Not ideal, to be sure, but it's walkable for hardier types and the school certainly can run a series of shuttle buses, just as MU does to the BC (and did to the Mecca when I was going there).

Shuttle bus to the Mecca? Wow! When I was going we had to walk (15 minutes at most).
We did have reserve seats though, so no waiting to get the best seat.

[wadesworld]

+1

This is great to see. Nothing can be better for Marquette and the Big East than for DePaul to return to being a perennial tourney team like they were in the 1970s and 80s. This can't hurt.

It's not that I hate DePaul or wish to see them fail, but I don't get the case that it can only help Marquette and that it's the best thing for Marquette to have them competitive.  We'll be playing a lot of very good teams in the Big East regardless of whether DePaul is good or not.  It's not like this is a non-conference team who we have long-term commitments with and who we aren't recruiting the same players as (such as Wisconsin...hate them, but it's good for us when they're good, because for 95% of recruits we aren't recruiting directly against them...thankfully).  Personally, I want that Simeon pipeline their coach was talking about.  If DePaul all of a sudden becomes very relevant, do we have that?  Probably not.  This will only make it harder to recruit Chicago, where there is a lot of talent and we could really find some good players.

[dpucane]

anyone who's driven in 94 into the city knows that Morton Salt is in front of possibly the best skyline view of Chicago. That would be a good look

[LON]

anyone who's driven in 94 into the city knows that Morton Salt is in front of possibly the best skyline view of Chicago. That would be a good look

But have you ever driven into MKE across the Hoan Bridge?

Spectacular.

[JoBo2756]

It's not that I hate DePaul or wish to see them fail, but I don't get the case that it can only help Marquette and that it's the best thing for Marquette to have them competitive.  We'll be playing a lot of very good teams in the Big East regardless of whether DePaul is good or not.  It's not like this is a non-conference team who we have long-term commitments with and who we aren't recruiting the same players as (such as Wisconsin...hate them, but it's good for us when they're good, because for 95% of recruits we aren't recruiting directly against them...thankfully).  Personally, I want that Simeon pipeline their coach was talking about.  If DePaul all of a sudden becomes very relevant, do we have that?  Probably not.  This will only make it harder to recruit Chicago, where there is a lot of talent and we could really find some good players.

I semi-agree with you here. While it's sad that a once great team has been horrible for the last ten years, if they are really good and are grabbing Chicago recruits more than they have in the past, perhaps we aren't getting those recruits. It's definitely not a zero-sum game between MU and Depaul for Chicago folks (U of I, IU, UW et all want those Chicago guys too), but it could slightly affect our recruiting in the area. Plus Milwaukee is cold...

Also, I like beating DePaul for that additional (usually) easy win (except last year).  

[ringout]

But have you ever driven into MKE across the Hoan Bridge?

Spectacular.

The view of Appleton driving North on the Oneida St. Bridge is phenomonal.

[LloydMooresLegs]

A relevant DePaul would be good for the BE or a future all BBall conference, and, therefore, on balance (when considering the potential hit to recruiting), good for Marquette.  And living just west of the area, I'd love to see it and hope to never have to go to the cracking Horizon again.

[MU82]

It's not that I hate DePaul or wish to see them fail, but I don't get the case that it can only help Marquette and that it's the best thing for Marquette to have them competitive.  We'll be playing a lot of very good teams in the Big East regardless of whether DePaul is good or not.  It's not like this is a non-conference team who we have long-term commitments with and who we aren't recruiting the same players as (such as Wisconsin...hate them, but it's good for us when they're good, because for 95% of recruits we aren't recruiting directly against them...thankfully).  Personally, I want that Simeon pipeline their coach was talking about.  If DePaul all of a sudden becomes very relevant, do we have that?  Probably not.  This will only make it harder to recruit Chicago, where there is a lot of talent and we could really find some good players.

Buzz (or whoever is the coach) will just have to outwork 'em. I don't fear the competition, and I'd rather have a real rivalry with them.

[Avenue Commons]

As important as any factor is that all of the alumni that ride the North Shore line, the NW line, and anything else that stops at Cortland can take the Metra. That cannot be overstated. Alumni buy season tickets and boxes. Students do not.

I'm happy for DePaul. It'll be much more fun with them competitive.

[4everwarriors]

But have you ever driven into MKE across the Hoan Bridge?

Spectacular.

Really, Erie PA has it beat.

[warriorchick]

I'm happy for DePaul. It'll be much more fun with them competitive.

Having a legitimate, strong, 3-way rivalry between Marquette, DePaul, and Notre Dame benefits all three programs.  It creates more ticket sales, better television ratings, and more interest from prospective students.

And for the people who worry it might draw recruits away from Marquette, I will say what Buzz would be too modest to say: Bring it on.