CHICAGO | General Developments - v2.0

[Jstange059]

The residential conversion seems to be underway

[Jstange059]

[Jstange059]

Similar to my post walking through Bronzeville a few weeks ago, I went for a ~1.75 mile walk through East Garfield Park taking pictures of what I saw under construction. This is not by any means a comprehensive list of everything being built in East Garfield Park but just what I happened to walk past. I know of several houses under construction in the neighborhood but they were not on my route today, perhaps I may come back in a future week to document them.


I saw a number of these identical 6 flat structures all under construction, and found this article from Chicago YIMBY mentioning them. https://chicagoyimby.com/2025/10/pair-of...or-residences-in-east-garfield-park.html

For some reason, the permits list varying numbers of parking spots for each building, despite each building otherwise looking identical:
129 S Whipple: 5 parking spots
209 S Whipple: 3 parking spots
3015 W Polk: 6 parking spots
3031 W Polk: 3 parking spots

129 S Whipple


209 S Whipple



3015 W Polk


3031 W Polk



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3018 W Polk
Will be 3 floors, 3 units, with 3 parking spots



Garfield Park Community Orchards





Would love to do more of these neighborhood walk development overviews, perhaps for Woodlawn next, but it would take like 2 hours for me to write the post considering how much is being built in Woodlawn

[cloudbod]

Biked by 2700 N Pine Grove today. This one's far exceeding my expectations lol

[twister244]

Wow - I had thought East Garfield Park would still be a couple years out from seeing that level of construction moving in..... I'm not surprised, but happy to see that happening.

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by sentinel

^^Looks nice, but I really do not understand this desire to look backwards than forward. That design is already dated

I agree. Whenever projects like these are made they always end up in an uncanny valley. They'd have to be a facsimile to be 'successful' for me (in which case I'd question the entire enterprise).

The formula for new-construction landmark-district infill should be the implementation of fundamental aesthetic values (proportion, motifs, decorative elements, material expression, etc.) using contemporary materials and methods. Or even limit it to just the building envelope itself (and where the envelope is positioned relative to neighboring buildings -- i.e., setback requirements); this would preclude the new development from having primacy in the dimension of visual mass, which (I posit) may be the most salient/immediate visual quality of a building (perception of other attributes being relevant, of course, but arising with increasingly sustained attention). I'd find less dissonance of a historic block with this paradigm than with something that creates a building like the rendering (the most conspicous missing components of which are the courses in the facade between floors).

I find it impossible to perceive any inherent aesthetic value in a building like the rendered one because it's impossible to appraise it in a historical or phenomenological vacuum -- I'll only experience the cognitive dissonance of something almost-but-not-quite evoking the experience of "historical standard lot three-story Chicago residential building". I.e., it's more semblance than resemblance.

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by cloudbod

Biked by 2700 N Pine Grove today. This one's far exceeding my expectations lol

Booth Hansen make it hard for an ugly building to be made.

[Jstange059]

There's an upcoming virtual community for the proposed development at 167 N Morgan coming up on August 27th at 6PM. I was some reason under the impression that they were renovating the existing building, but apparently they're building a new 5 story building with 20 units and no parking.

Register here to support the project, give feedback, or simply learn more about what's to come: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1717870833195/WN_PrAVCpJfQB63EERFhPPPAQ

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Jstange059

There's an upcoming virtual community for the proposed development at 167 N Morgan coming up on August 27th at 6PM. I was some reason under the impression that they were renovating the existing building, but apparently they're building a new 5 story building with 20 units and no parking.

Register here to support the project, give feedback, or simply learn more about what's to come: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1717870833195/WN_PrAVCpJfQB63EERFhPPPAQ

It's a protected building in the landmark district, so the new building will have the facade of the old one pasted onto it, with two additional stories that are set back.

https://chicago.urbanize.city/post/mixed-use-development-proposed-169-n-morgan

[left of center]

Oh wow, great to hear! We need to do more of that in this city. We are far too liberal with demo-ing our aged brick urban fabric.

[cloudbod]

Yesterday I walked by the demo of the old Barnes & Noble and Lou Malnati's on Elm / State:

[pip]

Originally Posted by cloudbod

Yesterday I walked by the demo of the old Barnes & Noble and Lou Malnati's on Elm / State:

Do you know what is going in it's place?

[mh777]

Originally Posted by pip

Do you know what is going in it's place?

[r18tdi]

^ "Sliced minimalism" is so 2014....

[Via Chicago]

that really does look incredibly dated and the podium is trash

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

that really does look incredibly dated and the podium is trash

Horrible podiums are a long-standing tradition at the 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 Triangle. It's defeatist, but given that there are at least a half-dozen immediate horrendous podiums that will never be destroyed, what is one more?

[left of center]

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

Horrible podiums are a long-standing tradition at the 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 Triangle. It's defeatist, but given that there are at least a half-dozen immediate horrendous podiums that will never be destroyed, what is one more?

We should always strive for better. Using that logic, we should only build beige, precast concrete slabs in River North because thats all we built there between 2000 and 2015.

[nomarandlee]

Originally Posted by left of center

We should always strive for better. Using that logic, we should only build beige, precast concrete slabs in River North because thats all we built there between 2000 and 2015.

I agree with that.

It is just frustrating because the whole area is just so far behind the curve in terms of blank walls and podiums that, if gone, would make the aesthetics warrant the dynamism and traffic the neighborhood attracts.

[left of center]

Originally Posted by nomarandlee

I agree with that.

It is just frustrating because the whole area is just so far behind the curve in terms of blank walls and podiums that, if gone, would make the aesthetics warrant the dynamism and traffic the neighborhood attracts.

Yeah the area along Rush could have been designed and built up much better. The city really needs to codify standards that make ugly parking podiums like this a non starter for developers.

[Jstange059]

Ok, here we go. Probably the longest post I will ever post on this forum

Washington Park
We are seeing decent amount of development starting in Washington Park, though the neighborhood is still overwhelmed by empty lots. Almost all development in this neighborhood seems to be 3 flats, though there are several large residential projects that I am aware of which are currently planned, though none have yet broken ground.

5622 S Prairie

Will be a 3 flat


5639-5643 S Prairie

Nice trio of 3 flats rising


5707 & 5709-5711 S Prairie


5707 (the foundation) will be a 3 flat with 5709-5711 (the mostly built building) being a 6 flat


6025 & 6029 S Prairie


Nice pair of 3 flats rising


West Woodlawn
West Woodlawn is seeing an immense amount of development, with 2 and 3 flats being built all across the neighborhood. Additionally, numerous older buildings are being rehabbed, though I only posted a select few of the rehabs

6518 & 6514 S Vernon

The foundation is 6514, which will become a 3 flat.

The mostly complete home is 6518, which technically a renovation of the home pictured below, which had the second floor/attic completely demolished and a new second floor built, with a new facade covering it all. You wouldn’t be able to tell it wasn’t simply a new-build if not for the brick walls on the first floor. It seems that 6518 will be a single family home when completed



6409 & 6413 S Eberhart

Both will become 2 flats


6326 S Eberhart

Will be a 2 flat


6423 S Rhodes

3 flat, 3 floors


6435 S Rhodes

3 flat with 2.5 floors


6501 S Rhodes

This 2 unit building is getting a rehab and a third basement unit. I can’t say I’m a fan of the new grey bricks covering the front facade, but it’s still nice seeing these old building getting the maintenance that they need


6553 S Rhodes


Will be 2 units


6700 S Rhodes

Renovation of an existing commercial building. It’s really nice seeing investment on commercial streets


6302 S Champlain



Speaking of investments on commercial streets, here’s a new construction commercial building on 63rd. Really love the glazed bricks covering the facade, and it seems like an insurance office has moved into the building. There are additionally 3 townhouse-style residential units facing Champlain Ave which appear to still be under construction


6312 S Champlain

I couldn’t find the permit for this one, but it should be a 3 flat


6411 S Champlain

Will be a 2 flat. There was a person on the porch of the neighboring building, but my social anxiety caught hold of me, so I hid behind a bush to take the photo, hence why the photo isn’t very good


6430 S Champlain

Will be a 2 flat


6440 S Champlain

The permit lists it as a 2 floor 2 flat, though it definitely appears like 3 floors? There’s also a permit for a 11.9 KW solar array on the roof of this building


6747 & 6749 S Langley

Each have 2 units, I think these are the greenline’s homes with an ADU on the back half of the first floor. Each also have permits for a 12.45 KW solar array


6511-6519 S Langley

It seems like 6511-6515 are already completed, with 6517 and 6519 still under construction. They will all be 2 flats


654 E 65th

This 2 unit building is getting a thorough rehab


6339 S Langley

Will be a 2 flat


6508 S Evans

Will be a 2 flat


6601 S Evans


7 units with 5 parking spots. This building has quite a massive presence on the street


6637 & 6641 S Evans


Pair of fancy 2 flats

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And now with all that said, I will give an added bonus.
From my personal experience, Woodlawn has the friendliest street cats in the city of Chicago. Not once elsewhere in the city of Chicago has a cat approached me to rub against me, but it has now happened 3 times in Woodlawn. So if you want to see dozens of homes under construction and become friends with a street cat, Woodlawn is the place to go!