Sixteen hundred housing units on the riverfront site of the CHA's Lathrop Homes was deemed too dense and too insensitive to historic preservation and the neighborhood by by local organizations and elected officials, and so Lathrop Community Partners—led by Related Midwest—has come back to the table with a scaled-down proposal. Heeding the criticism, at least to some degree, Related now plans 1,208 units spread in varying densities across the 32-acre site, reports Crain's. Present capacity allows for 925 households.
Instead of the potential loss of almost all original 1938 structures (most of which sit idle), those to the north of Diversey, bounded by Clybourn and the river, will be reused. The site's southern half will see some razing and rebuilding in an intensified manner with mixed-use low-rises hugging the six-corner intersection of Damen, Clybourn and Diversey (pictured at right) and a tower marking the southernmost point at Damen and the river. Park space will cling to the river and 780 parking spots will have to be accommodated.
This being CHA land first and foremost, 492 units will be preserved as public housing with another 212 retaining some measure of affordability. The revamped submission must win approval of the CHA and two local Aldermen. Paul Sajovec, chief of staff for Ald. Waguespack, offered this: "They've made some major adjustments and are headed in the right direction, but we shouldn't jump up and down because of part of what caused the problem in the first place is they went so far beyond" the maximum density specified by the CHA's guidelines in 2010. Aside from the long-running reset of Cabrini Green, the Lathrop project will be the CHA's biggest transformative undertaking.
·Developers scale back plans for Lathrop Homes project [Crain's]
·Lathrop Developer Offers Plans, Accommodations to Neighbors [Curbed Chicago]
·Complete Lathrop Homes Coverage [Curbed Chicago]
·Lathrop Community Partners [official]
Loading comments...