New mixed-use development replacing long-vacant Howard Street lot in Rogers Park

A long-vacant parcel at the intersection of Howard Street and Bosworth Avenue is ready to bite the dust for a new six-story, transit-oriented development in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood.

Known officially as the Howard Rogers Lofts, the project will feature 38 rental units, 2,900 square feet of retail space, a rooftop deck, and parking for 21 vehicles and 40 bikes. It comes from developers Cornerstone LLC and Watermark Equity Group with design by Chicago’s Laszlo Simovic Architects.

The upcoming frame and masonry structure will replace two vacant buildings and a surface lot at 1531 N. Howard Street. A previous developer proposed a five-story retail and condominium building at this location but those plans fell victim to the Great Recession. The current project is being pursued “as of right” with no requested changes to the site’s underlying zoning

While the new building may not necessarily seem like an earth-shattering design, it is significant given its location. “[This] is the first privately-financed, market rate development on Howard Street east of the CTA tracks in decades,” said 49th Ward Alderman Joe Moore in an email to residents.

A groundbreaking ceremony for the Howard Rogers Lofts is set for Thursday, May 24 at 10:00 a.m. The developers expect construction to take roughly 12 months and anticipate a summer 2019 completion.

49th Ward

• New construction permit at 1531 W. Howard Street [Chicago Cityscape]
• Chicago construction news [Curbed Chicago]
• Rogers Park archive [Curbed Chicago]