CHICAGO | General Developments - Page 1522

Randomguy34 · #**30421** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 3:45 PM**

More TOD coming, this time around Western Blue Line. I've been waiting for that empty lot to get filled up

Developers Hope 50-Unit Complex Can 'Re-Establish' Blighted Bucktown Corner

Quote:

By Alisa Hauser | September 14, 2015 8:42am
BUCKTOWN — A plan to bring a 50-unit transit-oriented apartment building to a blighted patch of Bucktown next to the CTA Blue Line Western stop got a warm reception from members of a neighborhood group's development committee on Saturday.

"If there is any place for a tall building, it's right there," said Philip Edison, chairman of the Bucktown Community Organization's Zoning and Planning committee, which met with developers Kyle Glascott and Chris Ilekis at The Map Room on Saturday to discuss the triangular-shaped empty lot at 1920 N. Milwaukee Ave., on the southeast corner of Milwaukee and Western avenues.

Less than 150 feet from the CTA Blue Line Western Station, the proposed 6-story apartment building, designed by architect David Brininstool, would be anchored by 5,800 square-feet of retail on the ground floor, likely divided into two stores, Glascott said

Glascott said no retail tenants have signed on yet but the goal would be to bring in options that fit with the transit hub consisting of a bus and "L" stop and a ramp to the elevated Bloomingdale trail, just one block south.

"It's blighted. We want to re-establish that corner, offer something that fits," Glascott said.

The group is seeking an "up-zone" to allow for retail and residential use. Across from a recently remodeled McDonald's, the spot was most recently home to a title and loan company.

The complex would offer only 10 parking spots with two of those 10 spots reserved for car shares like Zipcar....

tintinex · #**30422** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 3:55 PM**

Finally that corner is getting some love! I used to walk by it every day to go to school back in the day. It looks like a good addition to the neighborhood and the neighbors are supporting it

Quote:

Developers Hope 50-Unit Complex Can 'Re-Establish' Blighted Bucktown Corner

A plan to bring a 50-unit transit-oriented apartment building to a blighted patch of Bucktown next to the CTA Blue Line Western stop got a warm reception from members of a neighborhood group's development committee on Saturday

The complex would offer only 10 parking spots with two of those 10 spots reserved for car shares like Zipcar.

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150914/...an-re-establish-blighted-bucktown-corner

ithakas · #**30423** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 4:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by migueltorres

Finally that corner is getting some love! I used to walk by it every day to go to school back in the day. It looks like a good addition to the neighborhood and the neighbors are supporting it

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150914/...an-re-establish-blighted-bucktown-corner

Excellent, almost exactly what I hoped this site would get. I love that developers are turning to Brininstool + Lynch for so much TOD in the neighborhoods outside the core.

marothisu · #**30424** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 4:12 PM**

Awesome. This stretch definitely needs it. What's been happening around California Ave has been sneaking its way down. Imagine if the stretch between Western and California isn't so blighted? It could be straight up good stuff between Division and say...Diversey. Good stuff. Between this, that 100+ unit building being built now, the 2 high rises that'll hopefully be built, a few new bars, a new Malaysian restaurant that nobody knows about yet, etc - it's looking up a little bit for this stretch.

LouisVanDerWright · #**30425** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 5:05 PM**

Don't forget about the Congress Theater renovation and the condo building planned for Prindville and Milwaukee Ave. Also, the lot to the North of the Congress Theater sold with the theater and is slated for a 60 unit TOD as well. I know the Congress needs to get a PD, so I wonder when they will be submitting that?

Ch.G, Ch.G · #**30426** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 6:19 PM**

A close friend just had a baby. She and her husband live in Wicker Park off Damen just past the Blue Line stop. Despite pressure from their friends and family, they're intent on staying in the city as long as possible. Both are professionals with a decent amount of disposal income that they use to patronize all different kinds of businesses there; he attends a martial arts studio, she recently signed her daughter up for daycare, and they like to eat out. In sum, they're the kind of people the city needs.

I was hanging out with her the other day and we took a jaunt along the Bloomingdale Trail together where she has started walking with her baby (six weeks old now). I saw a ton of families utilizing it, too, and not just bougie white people. Of course, there were just as many cyclists and joggers and the kind of people you'd expect. Anyway, it seems like it has really succeeded in its goals, and it's the kind of infrastructure that gives couples with young kids an extra incentive-- however small-- to continue living in the city.

Chi-Sky21 · #**30427** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 6:37 PM**

I am always surprised by all the open lots near Fullerton and Milwaukee.

LouisVanDerWright · #**30428** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 6:59 PM**

^^^ It used to be a rag tag light industrial district, that's why it's always been kinda a ghostland. It was the one section of Milwaukee Ave that wasn't really treated as a "mainstreet" like most of the rest of the street.

PKDickman · #**30429** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 7:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ch.G, Ch.G

A close friend just had a baby. She and her husband live in Wicker Park off Damen just past the Blue Line stop. Despite pressure from their friends and family, they're intent on staying in the city as long as possible. Both are professionals with a decent amount of disposal income that they use to patronize all different kinds of businesses there; he attends a martial arts studio, she recently signed her daughter up for daycare, and they like to eat out. In sum, they're the kind of people the city needs.

I was hanging out with her the other day and we took a jaunt along the Bloomingdale Trail together where she has started walking with her baby (six weeks old now). I saw a ton of families utilizing it, too, and not just bougie white people. Of course, there were just as many cyclists and joggers and the kind of people you'd expect. Anyway, it seems like it has really succeeded in its goals, and it's the kind of infrastructure that gives couples with young kids an extra incentive-- however small-- to continue living in the city.

Here in Wicker Park we work hard to retain our young people when they start spawning, that's why our Age retention graph looks different than the city's.

It's also part of the reason our population is up 25% since 1990.

The Bloomie should help. We have come to the conclusion that if you haven't seen a particular person for a while, take a seat on the Bloomie and they will walk past you.

wierdaaron · #**30430** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 7:12 PM**

Can't keep young families very long without good elementary & middle schools. I hear lots of griping here in the south loop that SLE is way overcrowded. Not sure what the situation is up in the north/northwest sides.

PKDickman · #**30431** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 7:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

Can't keep young families very long without good elementary & middle schools. I hear lots of griping here in the south loop that SLE is way overcrowded. Not sure what the situation is up in the north/northwest sides.

Ours are all pretty good, but we have a lot of them within spitting distance of each other and a couple parochial schools to boot.

Still, they have benefited from a decades of parental and community support.
Having A.N Pritzker graduate from one of then didn't hurt either.

Tom Servo · #**30432** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 9:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by migueltorres

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150914/...an-re-establish-blighted-bucktown-corner

WORD!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by wierdaaron

Can't keep young families very long without good elementary & middle schools. I hear lots of griping here in the south loop that SLE is way overcrowded. Not sure what the situation is up in the north/northwest sides.

Hey I went there... it was fine back in the 90s

emathias · #**30433** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 10:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by migueltorres

Finally that corner is getting some love! I used to walk by it every day to go to school back in the day. It looks like a good addition to the neighborhood and the neighbors are supporting it

http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20150914/...an-re-establish-blighted-bucktown-corner

This is excellent and should really be the default minimum for any similar triangle corner in the city, at least for any within 1/2 mile of a train station.

Arm&Kedzie · #**30434** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 10:58 PM**

I live right above the 606/Bloomingdale trail and I can tell you that it is already having dramatic effects (for the good) in our neighborhood. The trail is bustling at all hours of the day - even late into the evening when it is suppose to be 'closed'. We live right next to one of the on-ramps and the foot traffic utilizing the ramp has changed what once was a fairly unsafe corner into a mini marketplace where local vendors set up their carts selling ice cream to empanadas. The vibe has completely changed and you can already see the effects on developers with many new sales in the neighborhood - two units in my building selling within days of going on the market.
What has been the greatest outcome of the project from my point of view is meeting the neighbors you would have never met without the trail - I'm a young professional that moved into the neighborhood 2 years ago and would never have met our Puerto Rican neighbors who have lived in the same house for the last 30 years if not for the trail.

If you have not been up to the trail since the opening I would recommend checking it out again. The plantings were only about 30% complete when they opened it. The shrubs, trees, and most of the perennials have now been installed.

LouisVanDerWright · #**30435** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 11:02 PM**

I'm in the process of gut rehabbing a SFH two blocks from the trail, can't wait to cash in on the name when I put it on the market.

Randomguy34 · #**30436** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 11:56 PM**

You don't want to go with multi-unit or do you just not want more crap to deal with the permit committee.

the urban politician · #**30437** Posted **Sep 15, 2015, 12:52 AM**

^ If you are gut rehabbing you already need permits, or else better not get caught

Randomguy34 · #**30438** Posted **Sep 15, 2015, 2:11 AM**

Then again, LVDW did mention about some illegal gut rehabs in Logan Square so it's not like he "has" to get the permits right away

But to be more clear about what I meant, I meant getting permits for trying to upzone a building. Those were the ones that have been a pain in his ass.

ardecila · #**30439** Posted **Sep 15, 2015, 3:06 AM**

SFH is just the easiest thing to do. In a hot area, it might be the most profitable thing too.

You don't have all the legal BS of setting up a condo association and you don't have to manage apartments or find tenants.

I don't know the particulars of LVDW's building, but it might be an SFH already and too small to have multi-unit.

Chicago Shawn · #**30440** Posted **Sep 15, 2015, 3:19 AM**

Rumor alert:

Cozy Corner diner at Milwaukee and California is selling to a developer! Unconfirmed but from a pretty good source.

The next great development battle for the future downtown of Logan Square might be coming soon.