McCaffery Interests and architect/site planner Antunovich Associates never left the helm of the Children's Memorial Site Redevelopment through 40 public meetings, but unfriendly reception due to density and building heights along with a reticent Ald. Michele Smith (43rd) scuttled the previous plan. After several months of silence, the developer is back with revised plans for the six-acre site at the heart of Lincoln Park. The mixed-use master plan now calls for a grand total of 702 residential units, down from 996, and 156 senior housing rooms. More than 600 of the new units will be rentals at three new apartment towers. The orientation of new construction is about the same as before and the architecture is only subtly changed, but several stories have been lopped off of the two tallest towers (from 27 to 19, and 24 to 19). A third building is scaled down from 14 to 11 stories. The significant older structures in the line of fire are being restored and adaptively reused, per McCaffery's plan, with the White Elephant and Annex buildings taking on new retail, the 7-story Wilson Jones building going condo (30-60 units), the Nellie Black building sporting 156 senior housing rooms, and Holabird & Roche's lovely Boiler House & Laundry Building entering the retail sphere along Lincoln Avenue.
Retail space has been reduced from 164,500 to 105,000 square feet, cut mainly from the second floors of the proposed rental towers. Also, the existing Lincoln Ave parking garage, with 850 spaces, will be kept and enlivened by street level retail. An additional 194 spaces will be built into the tallest residential structures. Finally, a central courtyard, part of the prior plan, has been bolstered by more plantings and activities.
McCaffery is poised to buy the acreage from Children's Memorial, which moved to new Streeterville facilities 18 months ago. A public presentation is scheduled for January 15, and now that revisions have gone public further postponement is unlikely.
·McCaffery shrinks plan for former Children's site in Lincoln Park [Crain's]
·Children's Memorial Hospital Site Redevelopment [official]
·A Look at What's in Store for Old Children's Memorial Site [Curbed Chicago]
·Children's Memorial Coverage [Curbed Chicago]
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