It’s been almost three months since John Buck Company publicly presented its plan to turn the vacant West Loop site formerly occupied by shampoo manufacturer H20 Plus into a massive 627-unit residential development. Originally set to contain a pair of 17- and 15-story towers, a two-story parking podium, and 15 townhomes, the project proposed for 845 W. Madison was predictably met with howls of protest from its neighbors.
The vocal opposition to the project was hardly surprising. This is, after all, the West Loop where nine story projects are routinely labeled “out of character” and 13-story developments get slapped with lawsuits from neighboring buildings. July’s meeting concluded with Alderman Walter Burnett, Jr. (27th) telling the development team to go to the drawing board.
Buck seems to have taken Burnett’s suggestion to heart and is now pursing a pared-down proposal for the property based on zoning documents filed last week with the city of Chicago. Under the revised plan, the total number of units in the GREC-designed project has been reduced from 627 to 586. The tallest tower now rises 16 instead of 17 floors. But will the latest changes be enough to satisfy height- and density-adverse the locals?
- Dense 627-Unit Proposal for West Loop Unveiled to Community [Curbed Chicago]
- Massive 550-Unit Residential and Retail Complex Planned for Chicago's West Loop [Curbed Chicago]
- Huge West Loop Complex May Sprout 500 Residential Units [Curbed Chicago]