I think this text message from my daughter pretty much sums it up:
“The Apple ads at North/Clybourn are intensely irritating. I think you can see them from space.”
As part of its $4 million dollar deal with the CTA to fix up the North/Clybourn station, Apple got exclusive advertising rights. So all you North/Clybourn commuters, you’ll be shielding your eyes from these light boxes for some time to come.
Filed under: CTA in the news
Tags: Apple, Chicago Transit Authority, CTA, North/Clybourn
A Trib article said that this deal was like your neighbor paying you to cut your grass. What was missing there, but captured by your daughter, is that you wouldn't let your neighbor do so, if he were cutting your grass to install 37 political signs there. That, in effect, was the reason for Apple "adopting" this station; not that it was moving next to a 70 year old one.
Of course, some light in the subway may not be a bad thing, since it doesn't appear that this station was renovated to the level of say, Chicago-State.
True Jack - a Chicago Red Line-style renovation would cost ~$70mm (based on the cost of the current Grand renovation) since they'd have to put in a lot more platform-level work and make the station ADA-compliant. For $4mm, I think this looks great - particularly at the station house level.
As to the ads, I wasn't bothered by them at all. Yes they're bright, but they look clean and crisp, unlike what you see at many other stations. And to Jack's point, they add some much-needed light at the platform level.
All in all, you've got to admit that the renovation really improved that station and the surrounding area. The station house looks fantastic, and it's much nicer for riders to walk out onto an open plaza than a 3ft sidewalk facing North Ave. with cars whizzing by. If I have to look at some Apple ads to get that, so be it.
I wonder how long until they replace these with big, bright LED backlit LCD panel displays...
Hey guys, can you picture everyone that gets off on this stop exiting the train with tanning booth goggles? Thinking about buying a pair for a gag response. LOL. My, the things people do for monetary gain!
@LeeS773 No shaft deal here sir, just someone or somebodies from CTA went home with nice pocket change.
i love the extra light. put an apple store by clark/division too. the platform there is embarrassing.
A radiologist could set up shop reviewing x-rays, or perhaps even taking them.
I think they're terrible. Too bright. And Apple sucks. Steve Jobs can suck it.
If it's going to be that bright down there all the time, I hope they cleaned the station.
I'm not feeling like there was $4 worth of improvement done to the station let alone $4million. There are stil puddles. The did change the tile on the first steps... but now they are light grey and show every speck of the dirt that is never cleaned up. But the court yard and new store are sparkly! Looks like we got shafted on this deal.
Lee -
"Shafted"??? How? What did "we" or CTA give up or lose in this deal?
What'd be there otherwise, the McDonald's ad that seems to suggest they put Alar in the coffee? Don't like the signs, stand at the other end of the platform.
What'd be there otherwise, the McDonald's ad that seems to suggest they put Alar in the coffee? Don't like the signs, stand at the other end of the platform.
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For what route? This wasn't even used anymore. How can you be against a fairly attractive pedestrian plaza? Do you just not like Apple?
And Lee, have you seen what the old station house looked like? I agree the platform changes we're fairly minor, but the station house has been totally transformed. You're either full of it or you never visited the station before.
It's a little bright for those of us on the train who forget to look away when the train pulls into the station. Getting that close to something that bright hurts.