Redevelopment plans for Galewood Sears, Lakeview parking garage clear key city vote

A proposal to turn the former Sears complex at the corner of North and Harlem avenues into new retail space topped by loft-style apartments reached a crucial milestone on Thursday as the project earned the approval of the Chicago Plan Commission.

The development, located near the border of Galewood and Elmwood Park, comes from Seritage Growth Properties—a spin-off of Sears’ former real estate arm—and Highland Park-based Tucker Development. The proposal, designed by Hirsch MPG Architecture, was filed as two separate zoning applications.

The portion of the plan at 7152 W. North Avenue calls for a five-story complex with 161 residential units, a grocery store, health club, and 462 parking spaces. At nearby 7141 W. Wabansia Avenue, a new four-story development with 152 units and 177 parking spaces is planned.

Chicago Department of Planning and Development

The North and Harlem proposal isn’t the only plan in the works to redevelop Chicago’s former Sears stores. Seritage and Tucker are teaming up to repurpose the shuttered Six Corners location at the border of Chicago’s Old Irving Park and Portage Park neighborhoods but the companies have yet to formally present the proposal to the public.

At Thursday’s meeting, the Chicago Plan Commission also approved a zoning change to convert an existing 1920s-era parking garage at 3115 N. Broadway in Lakeview into a mixed-use building with 72 apartment units.

Developer JSM Venture and architecture firm Hirsch MPG will construct a two-story addition atop the old structure and provide ground floor retail and 60 parking spaces. More information and images of the Broadway project can be found on the 44th Ward website.

Chicago Department of Planning and Development

The Planned Development applications approved by the Chicago Plan Commission will next head to the Chicago Zoning Committee for a second vote. The projects will then go before the full Chicago City Council for final approvals.