New apartments coming to vintage Milwaukee Avenue building

More residences are coming to the busy stretch of Milwaukee Avenue in the heart of Wicker Park. According to a zoning amendment introduced today to the Chicago City Council, the vintage masonry building at 1431-1437 North Milwaukee Avenue is seeking a change from B3-2 zoning to B3-3 to allow for a total of 18 residences.

The building, which previously housed the Continental Furniture store on the ground level, was listed for sale with a couple of neighboring buildings in August 2016 with a price tag of $12.3 million. At the time of listing, the commercial listing agent representing the building owners told DNAinfo reporter Alisa Hauser that the properties were "tremendous assets in an irreplaceable location."

As a contributing property to the Milwaukee Avenue Chicago Landmark District, no major changes will be made to the exterior facade or height of the building. However, the property owners will utilize the city’s transit-oriented development to provide no on-site parking.

The new zoning amendment ordinance comes on the heels of a downzoning just steps away at 1572 N. Milwaukee Avenue, the former home of longtime Wicker Park venue Double Door. Just yesterday, the Chicago City Council voted to change the zoning on the building, a controversial move which has been seen as retribution against the property owner for evicting the Double Door from the location.