Developer plans two apartment towers and office building for hot West Loop

The West Loop boom is showing no signs of slowing down as developers unveiled plans for a pair of apartment towers and a new office building on both sides of Lake Street between May and Racine.

LG Development and NORR Architects presented the proposal Tuesday evening at a public meeting hosted by 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett Jr. and the West Loop Community Organization. Dubbed the “Amylu Collection,” the multi-building development gets its name from longtime property owner and sausage-maker Amylu Foods.

The residential portion of the project calls for a 22-story tower at 171 N. Racine Avenue and a 20-story tower at the opposite corner of the block at 168 N. May Street. Topping out at 238 and 217 feet, the glass, metal, and concrete buildings share a common base topped by a fifth-floor amenity deck with two pools.

Google Street View

Combined, the high-rises will offer 484 studio, one-, and two-bedroom rental units with 20 percent affordable housing located on-site. The transit-oriented complex also provides ground-floor retail space topped by 220 parking spaces which are hidden behind smaller residential “liner” units.

For the nearby vacant lot on the north side of Lake Street, the development team envisions a new 11-story commercial building containing office space, ground-floor retail, and underground parking for 75 vehicles. The 185-foot-tall structure has a precast concrete base and glassy exterior above.

The overall design of the new buildings is more modern and cool in color compared to the warmer brick facades of the many neo-warehouse developments in the area. The materials of the Amylu Collection were selected to provide some visual contrast, explained NORR architect George Sorrich.

The plan will need a zoning change from the city to move forward. LG’s Brian Goldberg said he expects the approval to happen near the beginning of next year. Total construction will take 20 months, starting with the apartments and the office building lagging about four months behind, according to the developer.

A handful of neighbors attending the meeting voiced concerns about the project’s height. The development team and alderman explained that taller, thinner buildings are supported by the West Loop Design Guidelines as well as the city’s Department of Planning and Development. The two taller towers roughly match the height of the approved 220-foot apartment building slated for nearby 166 N. Aberdeen.

With the addition of the Amylu Collection, LG Development will grow its already sizeable footprint in the West Loop neighborhood. The Chicago-based firm is behind the Illume condos at 111 S. Peoria and is currently building a 166-unit apartment project at 1220 W. Jackson. LG is also seeking approval for a 21-story office building at 210 N. Aberdeen and a 17-story hotel at 215 N. May Street, according to Crain’s.