19-story apartment high-rise planned for Illinois Medical District

The first phase of a planned 500-unit expansion of the Medical District Apartments on Chicago’s Near West Side is preparing to move forward. According to paperwork recently filed with the City of Chicago, developers are seeking a zoning approval to construct a 19-story, 254-unit apartment tower that would replace a two-level parking deck at the northeast corner of Ashland and Taylor.

Designed by Chicago-based bKL Architecture, the new glass, metal, and brick building would also contain about 28,000 square feet of ground floor retail and 245 parking spaces. The structure it is the first of two new high-rises planned for the site. In addition to constructing the new towers on the 5.6-acre parcel, the property’s existing 410 rental units will also be renovated. The buildings would connect via covered walkways.

The multi-phase redevelopment of the Medical District Apartments site is a joint venture comprising of Guggenheim Partners, Atlantic Realty Partners, and Focus Development Inc. The trio acquired the Near West Side parcel last summer in a $111 million deal brokered by KIG.

• Big changes headed to Illinois Medical District as developers plan 500 apartments [Curbed Chicago]
• Developers propose 500 apartments next to Illinois Medical District [Crain’s]
• Previous University Village coverage [Curbed Chicago]