West Loop Salvation Army redevelopment, other projects pass key city vote

It was back to business as usual for the Chicago Plan Commission on Thursday as the group considered a number of mostly residential development projects following last month’s high-profile meeting to approve the Obama Presidential Center.

Topping the June agenda was the adaptive reuse of the Salvation Army and former YMCA facility at the corner of Ashland and Monroe in the West Loop. The $30 million, transit-oriented plan from developer Cedar Street Cos. includes ground floors retail, 260 residential units (down from an earlier count of 288), and nine parking spaces. The project will set aside 46 affordable units onsite and fund another six units in the surrounding area.

The Plan Commission approved a second transit-oriented development proposal for the vacant lot next to Steppenwolf Theatre’s landmarked Yondorf Hall in Lincoln Park. Located at 750 W. North Avenue, the new eight-story building from architect Antunovich Associates calls for 92 residential units, retail, and just ten parking spaces.

A few blocks to the northwest, a revised plan to rehab the 100-year-old warehouse at Southport and Kingsbury got the nod to change its programming from loft style office space to 56 dwelling units. Such a switch would not have been possible prior to the city’s passage of a sweeping zoning ordinance opening the North Branch Corridor to non-industrial uses. Situated just east of the massive Lincoln Yards project, the older building is especially well-positioned.

The Plan Commission also OK’d a 20-unit residential building at 8843 W. Agatite Avenue in Uptown and a 75-unit, mixed-income development at 1533 W. Warren Boulevard on Chicago’s Near West Side. Although not requiring a zoning change, the group signed off on a Lakefront Protection Ordinance application for 12-unit condominium development in Ravenswood.

As for commercial projects, Thursday’s meeting saw a new Peoples Gas facility in South Lawndale and a amendment to allow residential storage in a Chatham warehouse development both receive the official thumbs up.

And finally, the commissioners amended an older plan for a 373-unit apartment tower at Halsted and Union streets in the Fulton River District. Approved in March of 2016, the development was back to tweak its boundaries due to a “surveyor’s error,” according to the description on the meeting agenda.

• Chicago Plan Commission June draft agenda [City of Chicago]
• Chicago development news [Curbed Chicago]