Dueling TOD projects look to join Chicago’s booming Milwaukee Avenue

With Chicago’s revised 2015 Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Ordinance fueling a recent and unprecedented building boom along Milwaukee Avenue and the CTA’s Blue Line, it’s no surprise that more developments are on the way. One particular stretch of Milwaukee—the 1800 block between Western Avenue and the 606 trail—could see the addition of not one, but two more transit-oriented residential projects with low parking ratios.

1868-78 N. Milwaukee Avenue

Google Street View

32nd Ward

↑ Currently a vacant lot, 1868-78 N. Milwaukee is the site for a proposed six-story, forty-four unit building with ground floor commercial space. While the project’s zoning change from M1-1 to B3-3 has already been approved by the city of Chicago, developer Michael Cordaro is headed to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) next week for a variance to reduce a rear setback requirement. The design plan comes from Chicago-based Axios Architects and includes 19 on-site parking spaces.

1879-85 N. Milwaukee Avenue

32nd Ward

32nd Ward

↑ Located directly across the street at 1879-85 N. Milwaukee, LG Development hopes to replace a cluster of low-rise commercial buildings with a transit-oriented development of its own. Despite breaking cover in 2015, the plan went back to drawing board in order to reduce the number of units from 31 to 30 and its height along Milwaukee from 52 feet down to roughly 49 feet. The development comes from Perimeter Architects and would contain just eight parking stalls. According to 32nd Ward Chief of Staff, Paul Sajovec, the project is well-positioned to finally move forward—barring any sudden and unforeseen issues.

• Pending Zoning Requests [32nd Ward]
• Milwaukee Avenue's transformative development boom, mapped [Curbed Chicago]