Development Update Regarding Parcel O (193 North Columbus Drive)
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https://files.constantcontact.com/5a...fb09d7f19d.pdf
The proposed Parcel O project at Lakeshore East, located at 193 N. Columbus Dr., originally received approval from the Chicago Plan Commission in 2018 after multiple community meetings and extensive negotiation with Alderman Reilly. Since that time, the Developer, Parcel O LLC, has revised the design and reduced the scope of the program to be contained in the building.
The Parcel O building has been revised to contain only one hotel with 269 keys rather than two hotels with 570 keys. The Developer has also reduced the number of apartment units from 640 to approximately 599 apartment units and 30 serviced apartment units. The redesign also includes three levels of co-working space. There are two retail spaces proposed in the building: approximately 5,500 square feet of retail adjacent to Upper Columbus Drive and approximately 3,500 square feet of retail adjacent to North Park Drive.
As a result of these revisions to the program of the building, there are also reductions in the building height and the overall square footage for the building.
The exterior design of the tower has been updated to reflect the reduction in height and square footage, based on the programmatic shift from two hotels to one. The massing of the building has been updated and the design is derived from a sawtooth plan. The sawtooth creates dynamic movement along the facade and strong vertical lines that pull the eye up to the building’s sawtooth crown. The sawtooth articulation reverses direction between the residential and hotel floors, highlighting the change in program. The tower is pulled to the west, creating variation and relief on the east facade and allowing for a base that is more in scale with the adjacent buildings on the park.
As a reminder, after Alderman Reilly’s thorough review and significant input into the project as a result of community feedback, the Developer has agreed to deliver multiple public benefit improvements at Developer’s private expense, including:
- A pedway connection that will connect through Village Market and Blue Cross / Blue Shield to the greater pedway network.
- The existing median on Upper Columbus will be extended south and a pedestrian refuge island will be installed. Crosswalk will be realigned.
- A new traffic signal at Upper Columbus & East South Water Street will be installed.
- At the intersection of Upper Columbus Drive and South Water Street, the crosswalk will be realigned on the south leg of the intersection. The east end of the crosswalk will move to the corner next to the Aqua building rather than the corner next to the fire station.
- At the intersection of Upper Columbus Drive and South Water Street, a curb bump-out on the southwest corner will be installed to narrow the roadway and pedestrian crossing distance on Columbus Drive.
- At the intersection of Upper Columbus Drive and South Water Street a new ADA ramp and crosswalk striping will be installed on the west leg of the intersection.
- New road pavement markings will be added to Upper Columbus in front of Aqua and Parcel O.
- New Left Turn traffic signal phase for intermediate Columbus (northbound) to intermediate East South Water Street (westbound).
- Timing of the traffic signal at Upper Columbus Drive & Randolph Street will be adjusted to increase the amount of green time allocated to the protected eastbound left-turn phase, while similarly decreasing the westbound green time.
- At the ramp from Lower Stetson Avenue to Upper Columbus Drive, signs will be posted on both sides of the eastbound approach of Upper South Water prohibiting U turns and left turns.
- In front of Parcel O, the curb will be extended 3 feet into Columbus Drive to narrow the parking lane between the driveway and the bus stop.
- Two planters in front of Aqua will be removed to improve pedestrian flow.
- Public elevators will connect the Upper Level of Columbus Drive to Intermediate, Lower, and Park Levels.
- Light fixtures will be installed along Parcel O and Aqua to improve lighting conditions at the east sidewalk of Intermediate Columbus level.
Please note that all other material terms and aspects of the Parcel O project remain unchanged from the Chicago Plan Commission approval in 2018. The developer is seeking final site plan approval from the Chicago Department of Planning and Development and no further hearings before the Chicago Plan Commission or additional Chicago City Council approvals are required for this proposal.
The developer proposes beginning construction no earlier than the October 2021 and hopes to complete construction by April 2024.