Development in River North

RNRA Perspective on Neighborhood Development

Neighborhood development obviously has both positive and negative implications. Most residents of River North recognize the value of expanding the tax base to pay for city services and of transforming vacant or underutilized properties into more attractive, safer, revenue-generating additions to the neighborhood. They know that business owners require certain levels of pedestrian and vehicular traffic before opening new stores and offices and they recognize that developers have the right to build on the properties they acquired for this purpose, subject to applicable rules. A busier skyline, increased congestion and disruption during construction are some of the unavoidable consequences of a desirable community.

The RNRA believes that developers should look beyond the economic viability of a particular project and endeavor to contribute to the quality of life in the community and the value of local real estate. The due diligence for each proposal should include an independent assessment of its potential impact on neighborhood and architectural character, security, green space, traffic, parking, sightlines, the pedestrian experience, pet resources, affordable housing and retail commerce.  Projects should be designed to improve, rather than degrade, these essential elements. Each development plan should also consider worker parking, truck staging, work hours, site lighting and other construction protocol matters in order to minimize noise, disruption and inconvenience to existing residents and businesses.

If development is conducted in this way, we believe that residents will generally be more supportive and that by working together to cultivate River North’s reputation as a vibrant, creative and desirable community, all parties will benefit in the long run.

Developers: access our new  Project Review Form

Check out our downloadable Development Matrix and map!

 
View Larger Map

Summer 2007 Development Survey Results   Thanks to those of you who participated in our brief, confidential online survey about three proposed River North Developments.  The results have been summarized and provided to Developers and City Officials. Click here for our letter to Alderman Reilly Click here to access summary survey results Click here to see all survey commentary

Fort Dearborn Station Post Office Redevelopment

Consideration is being given to a major redevelopment of the Fort Dearborn Station Post Office located on the block bordered by Dearborn, Grand, LaSalle and Ohio.  Alderman Reilly, the RNRA and many other interested parties favor development of a significant new public park on this site.

 

In light of the significant impact of this project on the River North community, we have created a special page of our site dedicated to the Fort Dearborn redevelopment initiative.

 

click here to access the page and check back often for updates.

Children's Memorial Hospital

Construction Alert
We will continue to update you on our construction progress. Construction updates and other information are posted on our website at www.childrensmemorial.org/newhospital/construction

 

You can also  watch the progress of construction via our new webcam!  Images of the building site are updated every four hours. Follow the link above and click on “webcam” in the first paragraph.

 

This and other construction information was presented at Children’s Memorial Hospital’s Community Pre-Construction Meeting on Thursday, April 24. To see the presentation, fact sheet and other information about the new hospital, go to www.childrensmemorial.org/newhospital/construction.

 

Background

In accordance with the requirements of the Illinois Health Facilities Planning Act, Children’s Memorial Hospital and Children’s Memorial Medical Center submitted a Certificate of Need (C.O.N.) application for permit for the proposed replacement of a 270 bed acute care hospital located at 2300 Children’s Plaza, Chicago, Illinois 60614 with a 288 bed acute care hospital to be located at 215 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611. The certificate has since been granted.

 

AP: On Feb 6, the Chicago City Council approved plans to approved plans by Children's Memorial Hospital to build a new 22-story facility downtown. The new facility would be called the Ann and Robert H-Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago in recognition of a $100 million gift from philanthropist Ann Lurie. Like the original Children's Memorial Hospital on the North Side, it will have a heliport on its roof. The site of the new building is on the campus of Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Children's Memorial President and CEO Patrick Magoon says the new hospital should open in 2012 pending further government approval.

 

This is a costly and complex multi-year project, that will have significant, long term implications for the hospital's clinical, educational and research programs, its prospective patients and the neighborhood in which the proposed facility will be located. Since the site is outside of River North, the RNRA has not taken a public position regarding on the matter, however, we encourage all interested parties to learn about the arguments in support of and in opposition to this important health care development.

 

Click here to access the related Children's Memorial pages

Click here to access the SOAR pages concerning this project

Click here to view testimony from the 12/20/07 C.O.N. hearing

 

After you've acquainted yourself with the details, we suggest that you consider making your feelings known by sending a letter to Alderman Reilly's office. The address is on our Resources page.

Lake Street and Canal

Hines Development will construct a 50-story office tower at 200 North Riverside, which is situated on the west bank of the river just north of lake Street.  The planned building will contain 1.1 million square feet of commercial space.  We have requested more information and will provide updates regarding this project when available.

Click here to access a spec sheet with a rendering of the proposed design.

Kinzie, Canal and North Jefferson

In November, the City Council considered a proposal to revise the site plan for Sub-area A of Residential-Business Planned Development No. 819, as amended, generally located at 555 West Kinzie Street. Sub-area A is bounded by W. Kinzie Street, N. Clinton Street, Metra Milwaukee District tracks, and North Jefferson Street. The Planned Development requires that any substantial revisions to the Site Plans, Landscape Plans and Elevations approved in the Planned Development be submitted to the Chicago Plan Commission for approval.

The revised Site Plan proposed by the applicant, Fifield Companies, includes 435 residential dwelling units in a 41-story building with enclosed parking for approximately 361 autos and land dedicated to a high-speed rail line and an underground busway.

We have requested more information and will provide updates regarding this project when available.

Clark, Grand and Illinois

Friedman Properties plans to construct a building housing three flag hotels (Starwood, Hyatt and Marriott) along Clark between Grand and Illinois.  The 16/22-story project will include a total of 729 rooms, 182 below-grade parking spaces and a 9,200 square foot restaurant at Clark and Grand.  The same developer also plans to construct a 700+ space public parking garage with 14,000 square feet of ground-level retail space 2 blocks north at Clark and Kinzie.  The structure will have rooftop amenities to serve an already-approved PD for a 35-floor residential rental building with 350 units and 265 parking spaces at Clark and Hubbard.

Click here to view the preliminary project plans.

Erie, Franklin and Huron

McCaffery Interests has amended the approved PD for the proposed Flair Tower to change the project from condominiums to rental units.  The new configuration will feature 201 units, 185 parking spaces and 9,200 square feet of retail space in a 26-story tower between the "L" tracks and the Flair Communications building. The tower will actually be 20' shorter than the original plan due to a reduction in the number of parking spaces.

Click here to view the preliminary project plans.

LaSalle, Illinois and Hubbard

JDL Development plans to construct a 26-story rental building along LaSalle between Hubbard and Illinois. It will include 200 residential units, 235 public parking spaces and 13,500 square feet of ground floor retail space. 

Click here to view the preliminary project plans.

Franklin and Illinois

JDL Development will construct a residential tower on the northeast corner of Franklin and Illinois.  The 26-story building would include 184 upscale rental living units, 178 off-street parking units and 3,000 sq. ft. of ground floor retail space.

Click here to view the preliminary project plan.

Note: revised plans reflecting community input were received on September 25 and are now available.  They include a taller, narrower tower that has been shifted westward to reduce impact on the sightlines of neighboring buildings, darker colored exterior concrete surfaces and a glass skin covering the lower garage structure.  The fire station building and 1,200 square foot "urban garden" remain part of the plan. 

Click here to view the latest design.

State and Illinois

The John Buck Company has proposed an amendment to the existing PD for the northeast corner of State and Illinois.  The building would house 259 hotel rooms, 121 condominium units, a ground floor restaurant and ancillary parking.

Click here to view the preliminary project plan.

Kingsbury and Huron: Changes Planned

May, 17 2007 update:  Cataldo/Marovitz Group has decided to reconfigure the Park Kingsbury, located at 501-517 West Huron, 658-678 North Kingsbury development planned for the southwest corner of Kingsbury and Huron, commonly known as the Ronsley site.  In the new plan, the initially conceived 26-story tower will be eliminated in favor of a rehab of the existing structure, creating approximately 50 loft condominiums with balconies and deeded parking. 

We commend the developer for this thoughtful and responsible choice, which gives new life to a classic turn-of-the-century masonry building while preserving light, sightlines, architectural diversity and a pleasant pedestrian experience in an increasingly congested community.  We encourage others to follow this example and find creative ways to execute economically viable projects without unduly diminishing the quality of life in Chicago's great neighborhoods.

Orleans and Chicago

Gammonly Group is constructing a 24-story condominium building at 757 North Orleans with 198 units, 14,000 square feet of retail space and 242 parking spaces (35-40 of which will be set aside for retail customers).  The project will also encompass a 6,000 square foot privately maintained, public access park.

Click here to view the project plan.

Wolf Point Development on Hold for Now

Crain's Chicago Business recently reported that "...a joint venture including the Kennedy family and a Texas developer aims to transform a long-vacant riverside property just west of the Merchandise Mart into a massive hotel, residential and office project anchored by an 89-story skyscraper..."

Click here for the Crain's article.

RNRA has been advised that this announcement was premature and that there are no imminent plans for development of the site.  We will continue to monitor the situation and post updates when available.

Planned "SBC Site" Development

Lennar Communities will construct a major mixed-use development of the property located at 469 West Huron in River North (the "SBC" site).  Click here for details, site plans and elevations of the Parc Huron. 

Note: see plan revision dated 4-21-06.

RNRA conducted a confidential survey in February 2006 to assess community perspectives about the proposed project.  Thanks to everyone who took the time to participate.  A letter summarizing the results has been delivered to Alderman Natarus and the developer.

Please click here to access a copy of the letter.

City Proposes New Transitway

A CDOT study was conducted to assess potential ridership on a proposed transitway that would link the West Loop to River North, Michigan Avenue, Streeterville and Navy Pier.  RNRA and RNA helped to conduct a survey of the River North Community regarding the proposed system.

Click here to access more information, survey results and a route map.

Construction Protocol

With the explosion of development both planned and underway, RNRA is concerned about ensuring that the disruptions to our neighborhood are kept to a minimum. Through a series of meetings with developers and city officials, a Code of Conduct for developers has been created.

Major Development Projects

Click here to view images of high-rise and mid-rise projects in downtown Chicago: http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/ci/bu/cs/?id=101030