Chicago Plan Commission to consider residential developments in Northalsted, Uptown
The Chicago Plan Commission this week will consider proposals for new large-scale residential buildings — one an apartment tower in the Northalsted District, the other a supportive housing development for women in Uptown.
Both of the development sites are located in the 46th Ward, and are supported by Ald. Angela Clay (46th).
One proposal calls for a 10-story, 188-unit building called The Phoenix at 3611 N. Halsted St. Clay's office said 38 of the units will be affordable.
The new housing units would be spread across nine residential floors rising above two stories of parking. The building will have a total of 77 parking spaces, Clay's office said.
The Phoenix would be all-electric and would feature sustainability elements such as geothermal heating and cooling, a green roof that enables 100% stormwater retention, and electric vehicle-ready parking, Clay's office said.
Construction of The Phoenix would also eliminate an east-west alley on the site, which would be replaced with a green space attached to a retail tenant on the property, Clay's office said. The plan is for a café patio as the tenant, according to Clay's office.
The Chicago Plan Commission notes that a traffic impact study has been conducted, along with a wind study.
The Phoenix would be erected on the former site of the Phoenix Electrical Manufacturing Company building — a one-story industrial building known locally for its soaring blue rooftop water tank.
Its site is located next to the 56-unit Dakota condo building at 3631 N. Halsted St., which was completed in 2001.
A little over a mile directly to the north, another development is planned for 4458 N. Clarendon Ave., at Sunnyside Avenue across the street from the Clarendon Community Center. A large parking lot that is no longer used currently occupies the site.
This seven-story, 54-unit building, called Sarah's on Sunnyside, would offer permanent supportive housing to women at risk of homelessness. Sarah's Circle, a nonprofit that has fought to end homelessness for women in Chicago for nearly half a century, is behind the development.
The building will be composed of efficiency units of about 480 square feet each, and will be targeted toward women who earn no more than 30% of the area medium income, Clay's office said. The building will offer a community room with a kitchenette, a therapeutic garden, a sensory room, and onsite security and property management, Clay's office said.
Sarah's Circle will provide support services and manage the property.
The Clarendon Park Neighborhood Association said in January that the Sarah's on Sunnyside building would take up only the northernmost third of the parking lot site, and would be the first of potentially three buildings to be constructed there.
Sarah's Circle already operates three other developments in Uptown — the 28-unit Sarah's on Lakeside building at 4737 N. Sheridan Rd.; the Sarah's on Leland building at 1005 W. Leland Ave., which has 38 units of supportive housing and 50 beds for interim housing; and the Sarah's on Sheridan building at 4838 N. Sheridan Rd., which houses a daytime support center and 10 units of supportive housing.
"These two developments paired exemplify my ward office's approach to development, which pairs market-rate developments that add to our tax base with affordable housing to ensure that every 46th Ward neighbor has the opportunity to live in high-quality housing they can afford," Ald. Clay wrote in her ward newsletter.
The Chicago Plan Commission is accepting written feedback by email on the developments until 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18. The Plan Commission hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in Room 1103 at City Hall.
Also up for discussion at the plan commission meeting this week are three residential and business developments in the West Loop/Near West Side — at 1338 W. Lake St., 215 N. Racine Ave., and 1061 W. Van Buren St.