The scope of vacant urban acreage at the site of the former Cabrini-Green projects is startling. Parkside of Old Town's few bulky buildings has brought respectability to the south side of Division between Halsted and Orleans but the north side had absolutely nothing going (aside from a temporary farming operation) until a Target superstore was approved last year at Larrabee. The 150,000 square-foot klutz was originally slated for Clybourn & Larrabee, an awkward site a bit to the north. A swap with the CHA got Target a hotter parcel — and bigger too, at 3.6 acres.
Construction began in October and so we knew there'd be something worth looking at when we zipped by on Wednesday. Designed with an agreeable entryway at Division & Larrabee, the rest of the enormous structure is blank and repulsive, especially considering it's the only thing that meets the eye looking across the still-undeveloped acreage near Halsted (or from the Orleans side, for that matter). The store's frame is wholly in place but there's much interior work to be done, with completion slated for later this year. It will provide an estimated 200 permanent jobs but, naturally, many current, former, and prospective CHA residents would rather the authority build housing instead of trading away large development plots for monolithic uses. But what's done is done.
·Targeting Cabrini [Curbed Chicago]
·Target replaces Cabrini-Green projects [WBEZ]
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