CHICAGO | General Developments

[SolarWind]

October 26, 2021

[SolarWind]

November 8, 2021



November 10, 2021

[Klippenstein]

This community engagement site for the Moody Church developments in Old Town launched on Thursday.

https://www.engagefernhill.com

[marothisu]

Pretty prime site on Fullerton not far from Clark St.
https://www.google.com/maps/@41.9248...7i16384!8i8192


Lincoln Park site of nuns’ retreat sold to be redeveloped as apartments and houses

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/resi...ity-associated

A religious order quietly sold the Lincoln Park building it has owned since the mid-1960s to a developer, who plans to build on one portion of the site and sell off the rest as eight house lots suited for new homes of as much as 15,000 square feet.

..

Blahnik also declined to provide the price that Buono’s entity paid for the property. Buono’s firm will retain a piece of the site that is about 20,000 square feet and build a multi-unit residential building there, most likely for rentals and not for-sale condos, Blahnik said.

The asking prices for the eight house lots, which will not be actively marketed until early 2022, are not yet being announced, Blahnik said.

..

The Cenacle site has frontage on Fullerton, Cambridge and Cleveland avenues. Blahnik said each of those streets will be the address of some of the new lots.

..

Preservationists argued for saving the building, but their case was hard to sell for a few reasons, as architecture critic Lynn Becker wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times. They include the provision that religious buildings cannot be landmarked without their owners’ assent, the only category of buildings in the city with that rule, and the fact that the Chicago Historic Resources Survey, which color-codes buildings by their historical significance, includes only structures built through the year 1939, almost three decades before the Cenacle Retreat Center.

[Handro]

^^Great to see a developer with this mindset:

“Buono, a principal of Henry Street Partners, opted to sell off the house lots rather than develop them. That’s partly because “what will be built under the eye of eight different owners and potentially eight different architects has the potential of being a lot more interesting and exciting than an eight-unit speculative development,” Blahnik told Crain’s.”

[rivernorthlurker]

Originally Posted by SolarWind

November 8, 2021

November 10, 2021

Still no movement on the core on Salesforce all week. I'm starting to get my hopes up...

- also you can spot at least 11 buildings in this photo finished or under construction within the last 6 or 7 years!

[Randomguy34]

Here's another short article confirming Vista has something big in mind for their site

“In Fulton Market, there are limited opportunities to assemble multiple acres of adjacent properties providing a unique opportunity for a large‐scale development plan.” said Greenstone CEO Danny Spitz, who represented Vista.

Vista principal Hymie Mishan said, “While there are other individual sites in Fulton Market that have proposed projects, we have more than three acres on three corners. It’s very rare in an urban setting to be able to design a set of complementary buildings at this scale.”

https://www.connectcre.com/stories/f...ic-assemblage/

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Handro

^^Great to see a developer with this mindset:

“Buono, a principal of Henry Street Partners, opted to sell off the house lots rather than develop them. That’s partly because “what will be built under the eye of eight different owners and potentially eight different architects has the potential of being a lot more interesting and exciting than an eight-unit speculative development,” Blahnik told Crain’s.”

Sorry, I can't get excited for 8 mega-mansions even if there is some "architectural variety".

This isn't totally new though, Lincoln Park 2550 included townhouse lots that were sold individually. (Joe Mansueto bought 8 of them for a super-wide mansion). https://www.chicagobusiness.com/arti...-site-sell-out

The fact that Buono is involved is probably good news for the multi-unit building though, he was the developer behind the TOD tower at Ashland/Division and the infamous Logan Square twin towers on Milwaukee - both designed by Wheeler Kearns. If Wheeler Kearns is involved on this project, the multi-unit building will probably be at least of equal quality to the Cenacle building that's getting torn down.

[dewbs]

Originally Posted by ardecila

The fact that Buono is involved is probably good news for the multi-unit building though, he was the developer behind the TOD tower at Ashland/Division and the infamous Logan Square twin towers on Milwaukee - both designed by Wheeler Kearns. If Wheeler Kearns is involved on this project, the multi-unit building will probably be at least of equal quality to the Cenacle building that's getting torn down.

And also modern and interesting.

[OrdoSeclorum]

Originally Posted by dewbs

And also modern and interesting.

The buildings at Chicago and Division and Milwaukee are fine. But because they look different and are easy to recognize and hard to ignore, they work as a rallying point for every species of NIMBY. The Chicago/Division building is loathed by just about everyone who doesn't know what TOD means. "See what you get with gentrification!"

If you're going to plop density next to the L stop in Logan Square I, of course, want good design. But people all over the Northwest side use the building on Milwaukee as a rallying cry for what they want to stop. "Do you want another building like they put on Milwaukee?" It is legitimately harder to build TOD all over Logan square now because of how that building looks and how it stands out from its neighbors.

If you're dramatically changing a block, it works a lot better politically if it doesn't look like you are dramatically changing a block.

[dewbs]

Originally Posted by OrdoSeclorum

The buildings at Chicago and Division and Milwaukee are fine. But because they look different and are easy to recognize and hard to ignore, they work as a rallying point for every species of NIMBY. The Chicago/Division building is loathed by just about everyone who doesn't know what TOD means. "See what you get with gentrification!"

If you're going to plop density next to the L stop in Logan Square I, of course, want good design. But people all over the Northwest side use the building on Milwaukee as a rallying cry for what they want to stop. "Do you want another building like they put on Milwaukee?" It is legitimately harder to build TOD all over Logan square now because of how that building looks and how it stands out from its neighbors.

If you're dramatically changing a block, it works a lot better politically if it doesn't look like you are dramatically changing a block.

Seems like the scale of the building in LP will be relevant. It's not nearly as visible a site as the other two.

And just because a set of people will complain about anything that isn't covered in brick doesn't mean that people need to pay attention to them.

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by dewbs

Seems like the scale of the building in LP will be relevant. It's not nearly as visible a site as the other two.

And just because a set of people will complain about anything that isn't covered in brick doesn't mean that people need to pay attention to them.

I went to the community meetings for 1611 W Division way back in 2010... I was one of maybe 3 total people in attendance. The project had full support from the community group (EVA) as well as the immediate vicinity homeowners of which I was one. Then again, this was before social media mob rule had taken root in our society... by the time the Logan Square development happened it was in full force...

[OrdoSeclorum]

Originally Posted by dewbs

And just because a set of people will complain about anything that isn't covered in brick doesn't mean that people need to pay attention to them.

True, but my point is simply if we want to maximize positive results, the best design possible that doesn't significantly harm the chance for future development is optimal. Even if you don't respect the bear or value its opinions, better to not poke it if you can still achieve good results without doing so.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by OrdoSeclorum

True, but my point is simply if we want to maximize positive results, the best design possible that doesn't significantly harm the chance for future development is optimal. Even if you don't respect the bear or value its opinions, better to not poke it if you can still achieve good results without doing so.

Not really relevant to the Cenacle site though. The site has an RM-5 zoning so Buono can build more than 150 units as-of-right. I don't think there will be a contentious approval process. Maybe no approval process at all, if the site doesn't exceed mandatory PD thresholds (>50 units). It's not in a TOD area so they will have to provide full parking as well.

It's also replacing the Cenacle which was itself a pretty dense use.

[mark0]

Originally Posted by OrdoSeclorum

The buildings at Chicago and Division and Milwaukee are fine. But because they look different and are easy to recognize and hard to ignore, they work as a rallying point for every species of NIMBY. The Chicago/Division building is loathed by just about everyone who doesn't know what TOD means. "See what you get with gentrification!"

If you're going to plop density next to the L stop in Logan Square I, of course, want good design. But people all over the Northwest side use the building on Milwaukee as a rallying cry for what they want to stop. "Do you want another building like they put on Milwaukee?" It is legitimately harder to build TOD all over Logan square now because of how that building looks and how it stands out from its neighbors.

If you're dramatically changing a block, it works a lot better politically if it doesn't look like you are dramatically changing a block.

I dont think it's the height, density, TOD or mass that people object to, it's the fact that building is butt ass ugly, gimmicky and that penalized facade was hopelessly out of date by the time it was completed. High design is littered with bad trends that were hot for a minuet only to remain a visual blight for generations. That monstrosity is Wicker Park's cross to bear now.

[marothisu]

More from the plan to build a bunch of new homes from North Lawndale

$5.3 million subsidy OK’d for affordable homes in North Lawndale neighborhood ravaged by King riots

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2021/11...-by-king-riots

Five months ago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and community groups pledged to build 250 homes in North Lawndale, a community still ravaged more than 50 years after the riots that followed the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The plan called for selling city-owned parcels for $1 each to groups that have stitched together $27.5 million in private and public funds for construction. On Monday, that ambitious plan to help rebuild Chicago’s West Side took a giant step forward.

The City Council’s Finance Committee agreed to provide $5.3 million from two West Side tax increment financing (TIF) districts to clean up and prepare sites.

..

“My effort has been to develop housing in that community,” he said. “A hundred new houses in our community. I’m just so proud of this project ... If this program works, hopefully, we will get to 1,000” homes.

The formidable city subsidy will keep the price of the homes affordable by removing “a lot of that cost, that burden that would [otherwise] go onto the homeowner,” Scott said.

The innovative approach to affordable housing is a partnership between the city and United Power for Action and Justice, a coalition of organizations. Also involved are Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives and the Lawndale Christian Development Corp.

The groups say there is $10 million in the new state budget to provide average subsidies of $30,000 to each homebuyer. And there is a $12.25 million revolving construction fund provided by JP Morgan Chase and several foundations.

With the TIF and homeowner subsidies, the goal is to offer homes for no more than $230,000, according to CNI president David Doig, a former city planning commissioner and Chicago Park District superintendent.

“They’re about $270,000 or $280,000 all in. And then, when you strip out the site work and the environmental cost, we can get these down to like $220,000 or $230,000,” Doig said.

..


Also on Monday, the Finance Committee agreed to earmark $3.5 million in money from the Chicago/Central Park TIF to help Interfaith Housing Development Corp. bankroll a 43-unit affordable apartment complex at 414 N. Central Park in Burnett’s ward.

^ The last one is on some vacant land just north of the Garfield Park Conservatory.

[r18tdi]

Originally Posted by marothisu

^ The last one is on some vacant land just north of the Garfield Park Conservatory.

I believe this is the same project:
https://urbanize.city/chicago/post/c...-garfield-park

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by mark0

I dont think it's the height, density, TOD or mass that people object to, it's the fact that building is butt ass ugly, gimmicky and that penalized facade was hopelessly out of date by the time it was completed. High design is littered with bad trends that were hot for a minuet only to remain a visual blight for generations. That monstrosity is Wicker Park's cross to bear now.

I personally liked the design then and I like it now. Not that it matters much what people think of the look, but most of the high density development at this intersection since has pretty much been in the same realm design wise.

I definitely liked it more than the abandoned and boarded up pizza hut that sat at the site for years. Back then (2010 ish) the windows of the ornate bank building across the street were still bricked over from the riots of the 1960s... it was an area that really needed some love.

[r18tdi]

Edgewater Car Lot Won’t Become A 5-Story Apartment Building After Neighbors Tell Alderman To Block It And He Agrees
https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/11...and-he-agrees/

Bummer. This was a pretty inoffensive project IMO.

[thegoatman]

Originally Posted by r18tdi

Edgewater Car Lot Won’t Become A 5-Story Apartment Building After Neighbors Tell Alderman To Block It And He Agrees
https://blockclubchicago.org/2021/11...and-he-agrees/

Bummer. This was a pretty inoffensive project IMO.

Thought Lightfoot said she was going to end aldermanic prerogative? This is awful, these folks rather have a surface parking lot then a unoffensive looking apartment building. It's literally only five stories! I bet New York doesn't deal with this.

I wish these NIMBY's would just fuck off to the suburbs or some other low density sunbelt city instead of blocking progress in our great city.