CHICAGO | General Developments

[Steely Dan]

Population discussion moved to the general thread:

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...08431&page=190

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by marothisu

This?

https://chicagoyimby.com/2021/09/pla...-district.html

The surface lot here is not great. I appreciate that they pushed the building up against Loomis St by the CTA entrance and made sure to include an east entrance for CTA riders and walk-in patients, but it's still a garbage site plan.

Loomis is also the best walking/biking route between Little Italy and West Loop, since Racine and Ashland are both dangerous deathtraps with expressway ramps and drivers who want to floor it before they get to the ramp. So, I'm not excited about a destination development that puts more traffic on Loomis. This should really be residential here.

Also an FYI, on the other side of the Eisenhower is the police academy. I'm interested to see what happens to that site after the (controversial) new police academy opens in West Humboldt Park. It's a prime redevelopment site next to some of the best schools in the city. I'm watching the Fire Academy too, but that's in the Roosevelt shopping area so I assume just more suburban retail. The Fire Academy is directly on top of Mrs. O'Leary's cottage, so it would be ironic for the Fire Dept to leave that spot.

[Reinsdorf Sucks]

Crane going up a few blocks west of 900 W. Randolph. Does anybody know which project it would be?

[The Lurker]

^160 N. Morgan

Love your view!

[Randomguy34]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

The city is introducing a new TOD ordinance this month: https://news.wttw.com/2022/05/19/eff...-officials-say

I've heard from a certain someone that there should be some as-of-right density incentives if some of the units are affordable. This way, Lightfoot can say she's addressing aldermanic prerogative. Although, things could have changed...

From my sources, one of the big pieces is that SFH-only zoning will be banned near transit stops & bus lines

[Randomguy34]

Right on time:

Details here on what would be arguably be Chicagos’s most consequential new housing policy in decades:
- Doubling footprint of TOD zones
- Caps on new parking near transit
- Ban on single-fam zoning in tony transit-rich areas
- Required City Council votes on affordable proposals

https://twitter.com/AlexNitkin/statu...39393565081602

article: https://www.thedailyline.com/lightfo...ic-prerogative

[twister244]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Right on time:


https://twitter.com/AlexNitkin/statu...39393565081602

article: https://www.thedailyline.com/lightfo...ic-prerogative

While all of this sounds great - It needs to be paired with continued investment into transit infrastructure, ensuring our buses/trains are safe to ride on, and ensure people have the tools they need to get from point A to point B without a car if they live in a TOD area.

[Handro]

Woah that is very exciting. All it took was an upcoming election to get Lightfoot to be proactive on something.

[left of center]

I like the sound of that! I would love for much higher density/height allowed immediately near transit stations. It would be great to get something like Toronto-style development near L/Metra stops, with 30+ story buildings.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by left of center

I like the sound of that! I would love for much higher density/height allowed immediately near transit stations. It would be great to get something like Toronto-style development near L/Metra stops, with 30+ story buildings.

Agree. Hoping it passes (or did it already?). There's no reason there should be SFH right around city train stations especially. Hopefully it can work better and some more mixed use districts with denser housing and walkability to various business can ensue.

[pip]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Right on time:


https://twitter.com/AlexNitkin/statu...39393565081602

article: https://www.thedailyline.com/lightfo...ic-prerogative

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Details here on what would be arguably be Chicagos’s most consequential new housing policy in decades:
- Doubling footprint of TOD zones
- Caps on new parking near transit
- Ban on single-fam zoning in tony transit-rich areas
- Required City Council votes on affordable proposals

The quoting system here on SSP needs an update.

Anyway this is great!

Got a question that is not a judgement nor to push any type of opinion. Just curious.

Lets say I bought this pretend Greystone in Lakeview near the Belmont Redline station, can I turn it into a single family home under this new housing policy?

https://therealdeal.com/chicago/2018...square-report/

[untitledreality]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Right on time:


https://twitter.com/AlexNitkin/statu...39393565081602

article: https://www.thedailyline.com/lightfo...ic-prerogative

Interested to read the exact measures proposed, what sort of teeth it will have, and how they plan on getting it passed without having a million exemptions carved out. Fingers crossed for the best.

[untitledreality]

Originally Posted by pip

Got a question that is not a judgement nor to push any type of opinion. Just curious.

Lets say I bought this pretend Greystone in Lakeview near the Belmont Redline station, can I turn it into a single family home under this new housing policy?

I assume it will be similar to other zoning reforms, most notably Minneapolis. A ban on single family zoning does not mean that single family homes are banned, but that RS zoning (which prohibits the construction of anything BUT detached single family homes) is banned. No one would stop you from deconverting a two flat to a SFH, or building a ground up SFH, but there would be no zoning limiting you to only SFH.

[Rizzo]

Zoning codes restrict density going up not down, so single family isn’t really “banned”. It’s allowed in all residential districts, just like vacant undeveloped lots are allowed. The barriers to developing multi-unit are reduced or existing legally non-conforming structures are now legally conforming with less barriers to alterations and not requiring special use planning approval.

I don’t know how much things will change. Deconversions happen because the market exists.

[west-town-brad]

sorry it's behind a pay wall but I was able to read on my phone:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/5/...-hansen-hirsch

talks about two high end small unit count condo projects in East Lincoln Park which is something of a rarity

all units starting at $2 million with cash buyers expected (per the developers)

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by Rizzo

Zoning codes restrict density going up not down, so single family isn’t really “banned”. It’s allowed in all residential districts, just like vacant undeveloped lots are allowed. The barriers to developing multi-unit are reduced or existing legally non-conforming structures are now legally conforming with less barriers to alterations and not requiring special use planning approval.

I don’t know how much things will change. Deconversions happen because the market exists.

there is a pilot deconversion fee ordinance in the area around where I live next to the 606 trail. the aldermen say it's been successful because it has "reduced deconversions" but it's not clear how that is tracked or if its really being tracked.

for example, I have a friend that owns a 2flat and he and his family live in both units with the connecting door removed at the entry lobby. there is no record or notice to the city about that, but it has been converted to a SFH.

I think the deconversion fee is $15,000 but maybe it's $25,000

[Via Chicago]

fees are ineffective too. these arent your run of the mill homebuyers. if youre going to go through the expense of acquiring a 2-flat in a desireable area, dont actually need an extra unit to generate income, and can afford to fully gut it into a SFH, youre probably also the type who can afford to eat a 25k fee.

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

fees are ineffective too. these arent your run of the mill homebuyers. if youre going to go through the expense of acquiring a 2-flat in a desireable area, dont actually need an extra unit to generate income, and can afford to fully gut it into a SFH, youre probably also the type who can afford to eat a 25k fee.

if "they" can afford the fee, why is there no or very little fee revenue generated from the pilot deconversion ordinance?

fees are ineffective because they are targeting the wrong thing, which should be expected when city council does pretty much anything

you think they are targeting this:



in reality the people buying most two flats in the desirable areas are just families that need an economical option for more space - so they live in the 2 units as one unit. this triggers no fee. which is exactly what my example was in the previous post.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

fees are ineffective too. these arent your run of the mill homebuyers. if youre going to go through the expense of acquiring a 2-flat in a desireable area, dont actually need an extra unit to generate income, and can afford to fully gut it into a SFH, youre probably also the type who can afford to eat a 25k fee.

Exactly. It’s the price difference in upgraded quartz and cabinet facing. The homeowners may find that fee a minor annoyance, but not a deal breaker.

Chicago’s typical 2-flat pretty much future proofed itself over a 100 years ago because they can be so easily renovated into single family homes with open floor plans with high ceilings.

[Jibba]

Originally Posted by west-town-brad

sorry it's behind a pay wall but I was able to read on my phone:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2022/5/...-hansen-hirsch

talks about two high end small unit count condo projects in East Lincoln Park which is something of a rarity

all units starting at $2 million with cash buyers expected (per the developers)

One of them on Cleveland?