17-Dec-15 – Plans to build 942 homes on riverfront land south of River City has a Chicago tour boat company looking for another spot for a “duck tour” ramp.

Chicago developer CMK Companies announced in September plans to build three residential towers on the east bank of the Chicago River, just south of River City. CMK says it will also build 2,700 homes north of River City.

Entertainment Cruises was going to build a 90-foot ramp on an unused stretch (above) of West Polk Street, for use by an amphibious vehicle with pilot and docent taking about 37 people on a 75-minute tour of Chicago. However, that area is now part of the CMK project.

The tour will start at Navy Pier, take city streets to Marina City, and drive down a 73-foot ramp into the main branch of the Chicago River. After turning onto the south branch, the vehicle needs to emerge and continue the tour on land, eventually winding back to Navy Pier.

On Wednesday, the vice president and general manager of Entertainment Cruises said they are evaluating other locations on the south branch but will continue with plans to build a ramp at Marina City.

“We want to go in one direction,” says Dan Russell. “We don’t want to forget that part of the city.”

Entertainment Cruises still needs permission from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to build the ramps. Once a new location is found, construction is expected to take six months. The company has said they would like to start the duck tours in spring 2016.

The boats are called “ducks” because they look like the “DUKW” vehicles General Motors Corporation made during World War II.