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Mapping Chicago's Growing Transit-Oriented Developments

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Ever since the concept of transit-oriented development was introduced and codified in Chicago in 2013, the idea of a new kind of urban housing adjacent to public transportation has been controversial. Mixed-use projects within a short distance of a CTA or Metra rail station (600 feet, or 1,200 on a designated pedestrian street) offer more walkable living in some of the city's densest neighborhoods without the added challenge of carving out new parking spaces, often a barrier to development. With added features such as bicycle parking and green roofs, these new proposals come off readymade with a certain green veneer. However, opponents of some of the current proposals being debated by aldermen and neighborhood groups take a more, shall we say, pessimistic view of these projects. Many feel that despite prognostications of car-free living, new apartments won't suddenly create a new paradigm for urban living but will inevitably bring more cars, saying that TODs will just introduce traffic logjams without responsible provisions for additional parking spots.

Inspired by Streetsblog Chicago's coverage of these new developments, we've put together a map of 15 current projects, which snake out across the north side of the city alongside the Red, Brown and Blue lines and in many cases, follow the contours of Milwaukee Avenue's own development boom.



·Previous Transit-Oriented Development coverage [Curbed Chicago]
·Mapping the Development Boom Along Milwaukee Avenue [Curbed Chicago]

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830 North Milwaukee

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Designed by Chicago's bKL Architecture, the new five-story building will replace an industrial facility with 47 residential units, 3,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and 24 parking spaces. Located at the busy intersection of Milwaukee and Elston, the building's design includes angled windows that filter out the light emitted from vehicles coming from both busy arteries. In addition to its angular exterior, the building will sport a brushed pewter and bronze front.
Previously >>

1210 North Clark Street (Tower of Jewel)

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The "Tower of Jewel" plan would stack a 35-story tower atop the grocer's new five-story flagship at the corner Clark and Division, yet only include three floors of parking for shoppers and residents of the 390-unit building. Neighborhood pushback has centered not on limited parking but the potential for increased traffic jams and commotion coming from new loading docks, which makes sense coming from a neighborhood that's already a parking challenge.
Previously >>

1515 West Haddon Street

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Part of a mini Polish Triangle renaissance, this angled 40-unit proposal tucked away on a side street will offer studios and one-bedroom units along with a green roof and ground floor retail, and will shoot for a LEED Silver rating.
Previously >>

1611 West Division Street

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A pilot project that pre-dated official TOD status, this towering Polish Triangle tower turned the former home of a Pizza Hut into a potential model for forward-thinking development. The building added zero parking spots to the neighborhood and gained favor as the home of the first Intellegentsia in the 'hood.
Previously >>

1237 North Milwaukee Avenue

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This glassy seven-story addition to the Polish Triangle might be the epitome of TOD, not necessarily due to any design or green credentials but because the development will utilize the ordinance to build without adding a single parking spot. The LG Development Group proposal would include 58 new apartments and nearly 13,000 square feet of commercial space.
Previously >>

1660 West Division Street

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Division Street (the neighborhood) is increasingly looking a lot different than Division Street (the book), and proposals like this seven-story glass-and-steel tower explain why. Centrum Partners is using the TOD ordinance to construct this 77-unit building with a minimum of parking (39 spots located in an underground garage).
Previously >>

1726 West Division Street

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A new spin on the standard TOD formula, this planned 13-unit build-out would preserve a classical, century-old building on Division by adding a rear addition and four-story residence in the vacant lot next door. In keeping with the original space's historical character, the developer plans to restore the facade.

1647 North Milwaukee Avenue

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Steps from Six Corners and the forthcoming Coyote Building redevelopment, this project will bring 36 apartments and 7,400 square feet of retail space to a hot neighborhood while repurposing the old Polish Alma Mater building for ground-level retail and office space.
Previously >>

2211 North Milwaukee Avenue

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This proposed LEED certified Logan Square TOD by Property Markets Group adds a greener option to the burgeoning Milwaukee corridor that's seen so much activity this past year. The current 120-unit concept near the California Blue Line, the result of a dramatic design reboot, now includes additional green space and a modular metallic facade designed by Brininstool + Lynch.
Previously >>

2293 North Milwaukee Avenue (Dual Tower)

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Controversial might be an understatement when talking about this hotly contested TOD, held up by opponents as a symbol of runaway change and gentrification in Logan Square. The next project from Rob Buono, the man behind the 1611 West Division TOD, the Dual Tower plan would replace an abandoned plumbing showroom with a 10- and 14-story tower connected by a 12,000-square-foot green roof and ground level retail.
Previously >>

3200 North Clark Street

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The evolution of this prime parcel near the Belmont Red Line stop has been a case study in how TOD can be applied to cut the parking requirements of qualifying developments. Community backlash caused BlitzLake Capital Partner to modify the proposed eight-story tower, which would rise next door to the infamous "Punkin Donuts," to include 50,000 square feet of retail, a dramatic reduction in parking spaces and fewer apartments (90) than originally proposed.
Previously >>

3401 North Southport Avenue

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This 33-unit Southport corridor proposal at the former site of Rise Sushi, which includes space for 30 bicycles and ground-level retail, shouldn't have trouble attracting commercial tenants, since the entrance sits across the street from a busy El stop. The development group, NKASS Company and Ultima Properties, is looking to trim to number of parking spots here to a bare minimum.
Previously >>

3400 North Lincoln Avenue

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One of the first proposals to utilize the TOD ordinance, this Centrum Partners rental building in an empty lot near the Paulina Brown Line stop would feature 31-48 apartments, a green roof, dedicated bicycle parking and 6,000 feet of retail space on the ground floor, but require only nine parking spots.
Previously >>

1819 West Montrose Avenue (Montrose Green)

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This long-expected Ravenswood project appears as though it is ready to move forward. Dubbed Montrose Green, the new mixed-user next to the Montrose Brown Line station is planned for a parcel that was formerly the site of an organic community garden of the same name. This play towards young urban renters on the corner of Montrose Avenue and Honore Street checks off nearly every point on a stereotypical twenty-something's housing wish list; common green roof access, close proximity to public transit, restaurant/retail space on the ground floor and a 3,000 square foot business incubator on the fifth floor.
Previously >>

932 West Dakin Street

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A TOD with a Modernist edge, this proposed eight-story structure of stacked glass boxes adds 18 units near the Sheridan Red Line and only nine parking spaces. Developer Andy Ahitow, a Chicago Apartment Finders co-founder, has said that under normal development rules, he'd have to completely reconfigure the first floor to accommodate additional parking.
Previously >>

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830 North Milwaukee

Designed by Chicago's bKL Architecture, the new five-story building will replace an industrial facility with 47 residential units, 3,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and 24 parking spaces. Located at the busy intersection of Milwaukee and Elston, the building's design includes angled windows that filter out the light emitted from vehicles coming from both busy arteries. In addition to its angular exterior, the building will sport a brushed pewter and bronze front.
Previously >>

1210 North Clark Street (Tower of Jewel)

The "Tower of Jewel" plan would stack a 35-story tower atop the grocer's new five-story flagship at the corner Clark and Division, yet only include three floors of parking for shoppers and residents of the 390-unit building. Neighborhood pushback has centered not on limited parking but the potential for increased traffic jams and commotion coming from new loading docks, which makes sense coming from a neighborhood that's already a parking challenge.
Previously >>

1515 West Haddon Street

Part of a mini Polish Triangle renaissance, this angled 40-unit proposal tucked away on a side street will offer studios and one-bedroom units along with a green roof and ground floor retail, and will shoot for a LEED Silver rating.
Previously >>

1611 West Division Street

A pilot project that pre-dated official TOD status, this towering Polish Triangle tower turned the former home of a Pizza Hut into a potential model for forward-thinking development. The building added zero parking spots to the neighborhood and gained favor as the home of the first Intellegentsia in the 'hood.
Previously >>

1237 North Milwaukee Avenue

This glassy seven-story addition to the Polish Triangle might be the epitome of TOD, not necessarily due to any design or green credentials but because the development will utilize the ordinance to build without adding a single parking spot. The LG Development Group proposal would include 58 new apartments and nearly 13,000 square feet of commercial space.
Previously >>

1660 West Division Street

Division Street (the neighborhood) is increasingly looking a lot different than Division Street (the book), and proposals like this seven-story glass-and-steel tower explain why. Centrum Partners is using the TOD ordinance to construct this 77-unit building with a minimum of parking (39 spots located in an underground garage).
Previously >>

1726 West Division Street

A new spin on the standard TOD formula, this planned 13-unit build-out would preserve a classical, century-old building on Division by adding a rear addition and four-story residence in the vacant lot next door. In keeping with the original space's historical character, the developer plans to restore the facade.

1647 North Milwaukee Avenue

Steps from Six Corners and the forthcoming Coyote Building redevelopment, this project will bring 36 apartments and 7,400 square feet of retail space to a hot neighborhood while repurposing the old Polish Alma Mater building for ground-level retail and office space.
Previously >>

2211 North Milwaukee Avenue

This proposed LEED certified Logan Square TOD by Property Markets Group adds a greener option to the burgeoning Milwaukee corridor that's seen so much activity this past year. The current 120-unit concept near the California Blue Line, the result of a dramatic design reboot, now includes additional green space and a modular metallic facade designed by Brininstool + Lynch.
Previously >>

2293 North Milwaukee Avenue (Dual Tower)

Controversial might be an understatement when talking about this hotly contested TOD, held up by opponents as a symbol of runaway change and gentrification in Logan Square. The next project from Rob Buono, the man behind the 1611 West Division TOD, the Dual Tower plan would replace an abandoned plumbing showroom with a 10- and 14-story tower connected by a 12,000-square-foot green roof and ground level retail.
Previously >>

3200 North Clark Street

The evolution of this prime parcel near the Belmont Red Line stop has been a case study in how TOD can be applied to cut the parking requirements of qualifying developments. Community backlash caused BlitzLake Capital Partner to modify the proposed eight-story tower, which would rise next door to the infamous "Punkin Donuts," to include 50,000 square feet of retail, a dramatic reduction in parking spaces and fewer apartments (90) than originally proposed.
Previously >>

3401 North Southport Avenue

This 33-unit Southport corridor proposal at the former site of Rise Sushi, which includes space for 30 bicycles and ground-level retail, shouldn't have trouble attracting commercial tenants, since the entrance sits across the street from a busy El stop. The development group, NKASS Company and Ultima Properties, is looking to trim to number of parking spots here to a bare minimum.
Previously >>

3400 North Lincoln Avenue

One of the first proposals to utilize the TOD ordinance, this Centrum Partners rental building in an empty lot near the Paulina Brown Line stop would feature 31-48 apartments, a green roof, dedicated bicycle parking and 6,000 feet of retail space on the ground floor, but require only nine parking spots.
Previously >>

1819 West Montrose Avenue (Montrose Green)

This long-expected Ravenswood project appears as though it is ready to move forward. Dubbed Montrose Green, the new mixed-user next to the Montrose Brown Line station is planned for a parcel that was formerly the site of an organic community garden of the same name. This play towards young urban renters on the corner of Montrose Avenue and Honore Street checks off nearly every point on a stereotypical twenty-something's housing wish list; common green roof access, close proximity to public transit, restaurant/retail space on the ground floor and a 3,000 square foot business incubator on the fifth floor.
Previously >>

932 West Dakin Street

A TOD with a Modernist edge, this proposed eight-story structure of stacked glass boxes adds 18 units near the Sheridan Red Line and only nine parking spaces. Developer Andy Ahitow, a Chicago Apartment Finders co-founder, has said that under normal development rules, he'd have to completely reconfigure the first floor to accommodate additional parking.
Previously >>