CHICAGO | General Developments

[ithakas]

Lining Western or Ashland with 5 stories+ buildings will help the feel of those wider streets a lot. I know it's already happening to some extent, but making it as-of-right is great news.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

The proposed upzoning map is out and it's massive! Pretty much everyone lot on Western from Granville to Leland, with a few lots between Lunt and Pratt, will become B-3. Including TOD bonus FAR, this allows for developments to get up to FAR 4 without needing to submit a rezoning application! They'll also release the planned upzoning for the 47th Ward next month.

40th Ward rezoning map: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/...g_proposed.pdf

Wow. This effectively kills the auto dealership zone around Western/Peterson. That would have been unthinkable a decade or two ago, since car dealerships throw off so much sales tax revenue. The existing dealerships can remain, but if they close then nobody else can move in. Northside Toyota an exception since they have a PD.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by ithakas

Lining Western or Ashland with 5 stories+ buildings will help the feel of those wider streets a lot. I know it's already happening to some extent, but making it as-of-right is great news.

As someone who lives near Western and Fullerton, I think what could really transform these corridors is true, dedicated BRT......

If you were to combine the upzoning with a central median BRT lane that's protected - Jesus that would be amazing...... One can dream.

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

This city is fucking pathetic.

Meanwhile it looks like the demolition of six square blocks of Alfred Alschuler designed lofts in Lawndale for a fucking Amazon distribution center 1/3 the size and two blocks from the Pink Line is a done deal:



And our brilliant Mayor is providing resources and cover for this Alderman instead of blocking this travesty.

Isn't the Alderman opposed? Maybe I am being too optimistic, but sounds like there may be some meaningful effort to stop this coming from a variety of angles that people can get behind

Commission members delayed at least until June a vote on whether to approve demolishing several century-old Southwest Side warehouses considered significant by historic preservationists. Developer IDI Logistics bought the buildings in the 4100 block of West Ogden Avenue in North Lawndale, including several by noted architect Alfred Alschuler, and wants to replace them with a single, $44 million modern distribution facility.

“We feel this proposal is an erasure of that history,” said Noah Jones, a Brighton Park resident and great-great grandson of the original owner. “It would carve up this neighborhood with a soulless warehouse.”

The buildings sit within the district of 24th Ward Ald. Michael Rodriguez, who Wednesday sent a letter to Chicago Plan Commission Chair Laura Flores, stating he opposes the project because community members do not want to see a facility for transportation, distribution or logistics on the site.

“Since IDI has not been able to come to an agreement for any community benefits, nor has IDI listened to the North Lawndale Economic Advisory Committee in developing their plan for the site, I must state my opposition to this planned development and urge the commission to reject this proposal,” he wrote.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/plan-comm...234800139.html

[Mr Downtown]

Originally Posted by ardecila

car dealerships throw off so much sales tax revenue

I believe Illinois charges and credits sales tax on new autos to the municipality where the purchaser lives, so we don't have the poaching and auto-mall frenzy seen in some other states.

In addition, nearly all the marques now insist on the dealer building an entirely new building with the latest branding and design every 15 years or so, so it would be hard for a dealer to stay on a Western Avenue site very long.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by VKChaz

Isn't the Alderman opposed? Maybe I am being too optimistic, but sounds like there may be some meaningful effort to stop this coming from a variety of angles that people can get behind

Commission members delayed at least until June a vote on whether to approve demolishing several century-old Southwest Side warehouses considered significant by historic preservationists. Developer IDI Logistics bought the buildings in the 4100 block of West Ogden Avenue in North Lawndale, including several by noted architect Alfred Alschuler, and wants to replace them with a single, $44 million modern distribution facility.

That article is misleading - the developer doesn't need city approval to tear down the buildings, they only need approval for the new warehouse (and to vacate a section of Kedvale Ave).

It sounds like they are willing to tear down the historic warehouses soon and leave a big vacant site. Once the site is a big empty eyesore, then they have some leverage to get the rest of it approved. Other large empty sites in Lawndale have turned into nasty battles with illegal dumping, etc so nobody wants a big empty lot.

The only way to stop the demolition would be to nominate them as landmarks or a landmark district.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Mr Downtown

I believe Illinois charges and credits sales tax on new autos to the municipality where the purchaser lives, so we don't have the poaching and auto-mall frenzy seen in some other states.

In addition, nearly all the marques now insist on the dealer building an entirely new building with the latest branding and design every 15 years or so, so it would be hard for a dealer to stay on a Western Avenue site very long.

Yeah it does seem like some industry changes have made this older format of car lot less feasible, at least for new car sales.

[gandalf612]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

Cabrini-Green redevelopment at Oak & Larabee, 78 units. I'm kinda in love with this design


https://twitter.com/ChicagoDPD/statu...61548785488190

This is across the street from my boyfriend's, will be exciting watching it go up

[mh777]

For those interested in the '24 Q1 commercial real estate report, here's a link.

Not very surprising reading of the outperformance of the Fulton Market, but what is surprising (to me at least), is the relative outperformance of River North. In my opinion, River North could use one or two more Class A office buildings. I don't believe there's any even proposed right now...

[DalronJ]

Is anyone aware of or able to speak on this ordinance that has passed I believe. An ordinance to allow extra-dense downtown housing.

Link: [https://www.chicagobusiness.com/poli...housing-moves]
Archive.ph Link: [https://archive.ph/MsrMN]

[dewbs]

Originally Posted by mh777

For those interested in the '24 Q1 commercial real estate report, here's a link.

Not very surprising reading of the outperformance of the Fulton Market, but what is surprising (to me at least), is the relative outperformance of River North. In my opinion, River North could use one or two more Class A office buildings. I don't believe there's any even proposed right now...

It's nice how much of 300 N Lasalle already got absorbed -- that building must have been half empty.

[Randomguy34]

Originally Posted by twister244

If you were to combine the upzoning with a central median BRT lane that's protected - Jesus that would be amazing...... One can dream.

We may not have to dream any longer. Ald. Vasquez and 16 other alders are calling for the CTA and CDOT to secure funds for Western BRT in their wards. There's finally political support for BRT, the only question is if the CTA and CDOT will actually prioritize it: https://x.com/Andrefor40th/status/1793314790451884065

[twister244]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

We may not have to dream any longer. Ald. Vasquez and 16 other alders are calling for the CTA and CDOT to secure funds for Western BRT in their wards. There's finally political support for BRT, the only question is if the CTA and CDOT will actually prioritize it: https://x.com/Andrefor40th/status/1793314790451884065

Amazing - I would strongly want East-West BRT routes as well..... There's no chance we will ever get a CTA connector anytime soon, so this will be the next best solution we can actually implement.

[Toasty Joe]

Great news, although Western really needs proper rail at this point. Great example from Twitter (@wrhollin) of what's possible with just a few parking spots removed:



An easy slam dunk from Johnson's admin would be to sunset Dorval Carter into a role where he is solely responsible for the securing funds for these projects and hire a competent ops person to run things from here

[pullmanman]

Haircut for 925 W Belmon (1 less floor, ten less units) and a redesign per Ald. Lawson in the 44th Ward newsletter

[r18tdi]

I think the redesign actually looks a bit better. Still not a stellar project.
It's like a discount Elevate Lincoln Park.

[dewbs]

Nice that this is happening: https://chicago.urbanize.city/post/p...33-n-kingsbury

The Chicago Plan Commission has approved Sterling Bay’s proposed mixed-use development at 2033 N. Kingsbury. ...25-story tower will hold 355 residential units. The project’s unit mix will include 49 studios, 40 convertibles, 186 one-beds, 70 two-beds, and 10 three-beds...203 car parking spaces

Makes you wonder, though, what the long-term plan is for the whole Armitage/Racine/Clybourn/Cortland mess, though. It's not just the cars -- it's also horrible for busses or bikes going west from Lincoln Park to Bucktown. Would be nice to straighten out Armitage with bike lanes all the way out west.

[Randomguy34]

Originally Posted by Randomguy34

The proposed upzoning map is out and it's massive! Pretty much everyone lot on Western from Granville to Leland, with a few lots between Lunt and Pratt, will become B-3. Including TOD bonus FAR, this allows for developments to get up to FAR 4 without needing to submit a rezoning application! They'll also release the planned upzoning for the 47th Ward next month.

The 47th Ward rezone of Western, from Lawrence to Addison, is also going to be B-3: https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/...g_proposed.pdf

[SolarWind]

May 6, 2024

[SolarWind]

May 23, 2024