CHICAGO | General Developments

[the urban politician]

^ That was my concern

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

In other industrial development news, someone is building a huge 50' clear high cube building along Archer just West of Ashland in Pilsen.

It's off Blue Island, not Archer. But yeah, good to see construction there.

[tjp]

Originally Posted by PKDickman

Acadia is seeking this temporary zoning amendment at 613-629 West Diversey Parkway;
2739-2747 North Clark Street from a Bl-2 Neighborhood Shopping District to C2-2 Commercial
District to allow the existing building to be redeveloped and to preserve existing signage rights.
The site is currently improved with one- and two-story retail buildings, containing approximately
19,000 square feet and configured into 7 tenant spaces. The existing buildings have signs
totaling 1,392 square feet which includes an existing Apple billboard of 672 square feet.
The proposed new building will be a two-story retail development of 30,000 square feet with 6
tenant spaces. The existing 81-2 zoning allows only 600 square feet of signage. Our proposal
would still comply with a maximum of 600 square feet of signage on the building, but the
existing Apple billboard, increases the signage to a total of 1,272 square feet. The temporary
zoning amendment to C2-2, would allow for an area of signage up to 1,333 square feet. Again,
the proposed new development will have a total of 1,272 square feet of signage.
Additional amenities forthe proposed new building include:
• Increase of 453 square feet in ground floor setbacks incorporated into the sidewalk
surfaces at the Clark/Diversey corner and at the entrances to the individual tenants. At
the corner, the current building is set back 3 feet at the center of the curve; in the new
proposal, the building is set back 10 feet.
• An on-site loading space at the alley of 10 feet by 36 feet that will allow for 30 foot trucks
to park in the space, leaving the alley open for other traffic.
• A proposed Divvy station off the alley adjacent to the Diversey sidewalk.
• A concealed trash room, containing the compactor and dumpster.
• Building mounted lighting and security cameras along the alley so that the alley between
the project and the upcoming Hampton Inn is well-lit and monitored.
Alderman Michele Smith will require the property to be downzoned back to Bl-2 Neighborhood
Shopping District after all necessary permits for signage are approved.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Amy Degnan

Thanks! Where'd you find this? I poked around some of the city's websites but couldn't find anything.

Obviously nothing major, but I'm happy something's going on here. Sucks to have a bunch of vacant storefronts at such a prominent intersection.

[TimeAgain]

Originally Posted by tjp

Thanks! Where'd you find this? I poked around some of the city's websites but couldn't find anything.

Obviously nothing major, but I'm happy something's going on here. Sucks to have a bunch of vacant storefronts at such a prominent intersection.

I wonder if anything will be done with the former Walgreens? It's been empty for so long now.

[marothisu]

New 8 story mixed use building issued permits (foundation) at 3817-45 N Broadway (Broadway and ~Grace). 134 units, underground parking, and first floor mercantile use.

Article from April 2015 for a refresher:
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2015...oning-approval

[the urban politician]

Originally Posted by TimeAgain

I wonder if anything will be done with the former Walgreens? It's been empty for so long now.

A midrise was proposed there but I have no idea what ever happened with that

[PKDickman]

Originally Posted by tjp

Thanks! Where'd you find this? I poked around some of the city's websites but couldn't find anything.

Obviously nothing major, but I'm happy something's going on here. Sucks to have a bunch of vacant storefronts at such a prominent intersection.

The city clerks website. Did a legislation search for 2747 in the title and looked at the ordinance PDF.

It's not a sexy project, but I have give them kudos for their forthright explanation of why they wanted a rezone.

They said "We got this giant nonconforming billboard that brings in a very large percentage of the property's income. We don't want to lose it and this is what we are willing to do to keep it."

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

They are supposed to be building a massive 1,000,000 SF high cube industrial building there. It sucks we lost Brachs, but at the same time it's being replaced by a very productive use.

In other industrial development news, someone is building a huge 50' clear high cube building along Archer just West of Ashland in Pilsen. Also, there is big ass industrial development breaking ground on like 4 square blocks in North Lawndale. Interesting to see new industrial development in the central city.

I miss brachs. It was a good industrial building...aesthetically I mean. It's ultimate doom to demolition being location. Otherwise I'm sure there would be some creative reuses to the property.

[harryc]

Originally Posted by Hayward

I miss brachs. It was a good industrial building...aesthetically I mean. It's ultimate doom to demolition being location. Otherwise I'm sure there would be some creative reuses to the property.

Massing ? - it had such nice proportions.

2009

[Rizzo]

^ mostly massing yes. There's a few shots around the interwebs of some cool alleys also. I wanted to check out the place myself but before I knew it, it was gone.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by marothisu

In other news, the Carling Hotel SRO in Old Town at 1512 N LaSalle (https://www.google.com/maps/place/15...2380de!6m1!1e1) got its first permit to renovate and convert from 155 units to 80 units.

From July:
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/2016...ear-north-side

As someone who spent most of the spring working get a homeless friend housing all I have to say is that SROs are a joke. They come with all sorts of rules and are often not actually cheaper than unrenovated studios. If the City is trying to address a housing crisis, the way they're handling SROs is just going to make it worse, not better.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by emathias

As someone who spent most of the spring working get a homeless friend housing all I have to say is that SROs are a joke. They come with all sorts of rules and are often not actually cheaper than unrenovated studios. If the City is trying to address a housing crisis, the way they're handling SROs is just going to make it worse, not better.

I don't think this is a true solution to the hypothetical "housing crisis" at all, nor is it intended to be.

It's a way to pay lip service to housing advocates and "preserve" SROs while reducing their density and potentially opening the gates for more affluent tenants. Basically transitioning them to micro-apartments.

Note that the Carling is deconverting from 155 to 60 apartments, meaning that each apartment will be roughly twice the size it was before. I'm assuming some of that extra space will be used for en-suite bathrooms and kitchenettes, which means there's functionally no difference between the new Carling and a micro-apartment building. Plus, the Carling is in exactly the location where micro-apartments would be appealing to single people. Close to several bus lines and the Red Line, lots of essentials within walking distance, and plenty of entertainment options and "third spaces" nearby. I know plenty of single, middle-class people who live in Gold Coast studios; these would just be a slightly cheaper option for the same demographic.

[the urban politician]

Why not just allow property owners to split up their existing buildings into multiple dwellings without requiring them to go through hoops?

Right now you can easily deconvert from a 3 flat to a 2 flat, for example. But not the opposite. I just doesn't make sense--the city is losing population. Plus by creating more inventory you can create more affordable housing, without spending the taxpayer's dime. I'm baffled at how the city goes out of its way to undermine its own efforts here.

[LouisVanDerWright]

The city could also not be so harsh on non conforming attic and basement apartments. I've had to remove multiple apartments with two exits and decent general conditions simply because the ceiling heights are 1" too low or some other bullshit reason. You can't complain there's a lack of affordable housing while simultaneously outlawing thousands o the most affordable units around.

[IrishIllini]

I really don't understand how people can say Chicago has an affordable housing issue.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

I really don't understand how people can say Chicago has an affordable housing issue.

No? Have you tried to find housing for a disabled person receiving less than $1,000 per month in assistance? If so, how did that work out for you?

[BrandonJXN]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

I really don't understand how people can say Chicago has an affordable housing issue.

I live in a hotel in Portage Park because I can't afford Chicago's very high rents/bills. Sooo....

[IrishIllini]

Originally Posted by emathias

No? Have you tried to find housing for a disabled person receiving less than $1,000 per month in assistance? If so, how did that work out for you?

Less than $1,000 a month for a one bedroom anywhere in the U.S. that isn't a small metro is going to be a hard find in trendy neighborhoods. I'm sure there are more options outside of the Emerald City. I'd be willing to bet there are more options for someone in that situation in Chicago than NY, Boston, DC, Denver, Portland, Seattle, SF, or LA. When it costs upwards of $2,700 for a studio in Chicago, we can talk about an affordable housing issue. I know people paying $700 ($1400 total) for a two bed, two bath in Edgewater, Uptown, and Rogers Park. I know people paying not much more for the same deal in Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Bucktown...

[IrishIllini]

Originally Posted by BrandonJXN

I live in a hotel in Portage Park because I can't afford Chicago's very high rents/bills. Sooo....

I'm not saying it's cheap to live here, but it's definitely affordable.

[Kenmore]

Originally Posted by IrishIllini

I really don't understand how people can say Chicago has an affordable housing issue.

ugh^

just move to the ghetto, right?