First of four planned Atrium Village towers receives a modest height bump?

HPA

The first phase of an ambitious plan to redevelop the low-rise, mixed-income Atrium Village Apartments at the border of Chicago’s Near North and Old Town neighborhoods will be a little taller and more dense than previously understood. According to a $90 million construction permit recently issued for the planned tower already several levels above ground at 1140 N. Wells, the structure will rise 32 stories and contain 405 rental apartments. Despite being city-approved for identical numbers back in 2012, language in an earlier permit granted in 2016 indicated a reduction to 31 floors and a unit count of 400.

The multi-phase redevelopment of Atrium Village comes from Vancouver-based Onni Group with Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture (HPA) serving as lead designer on the project’s first of several high-rise buildings. The massive, multi-phase undertaking is expected to eventually contain 1,500 dwelling units and new retail spread across three additional towers ranging between 31 and 39 stories in height.

Along with new mixed-income developments in the works for the open land previously occupied by the former Cabrini Green housing project, Atrium Village will have a major transformative effect on the rapidly evolving near-downtown area. Hopes are high that the anticipated influx of new residents and businesses could eventually spur the reconstruction of the CTA Brown/Purple Line stop at Division that was razed in 1949.

Harry Carmichael

• New construction permit at 1140 N. Wells Street [Chicago Cityscape]
• First Phase of Atrium Village Mega-Project Lands Construction Permits [Curbed Chicago]