Developer proposes hotel in Chicago’s North Lawndale

Proxima submits plans for new site after losing out on first

Rendering of 3536-3556 West Ogden Avenue (City of Chicago)
Rendering of 3536-3556 West Ogden Avenue (City of Chicago)

A new hotel may be on the way for Chicago’s North Lawndale.

Proxima Management plans to build a hotel on a long-vacant site on Ogden Avenue after missing out on a chance to redevelop another piece of land on the same street, Block Club Chicago reported. The developer is eyeing four vacant lots at 3536-3556 West Ogden Avenue, across the street from the Farm on Ogden and the CTA Pink Line’s Central Park station.

Proxima was among six teams competing for city approval to redevelop vacant land at 4300 West Ogden Avenue, about three blocks down the street from its new site. That proposal lost out to a developer with plans to build mixed-income housing and an arts and technology center.

City planners worked with Proxima to find another location for its hotel, as some officials say it’s got potential to bring tourism jobs and to jumpstart the struggling local economy.

The original plan called for an eight-story, 200-room hotel with ground-floor retail and a restaurant. The $48.8 million plan has been revised slightly to adjust for the different location.

Sign Up for the undefined Newsletter

Proxima says the hotel development would bring about $100 million to the local economy on top of any additional spending that will likely come from the hotel’s visitors.

Some residents have expressed concern that the jobs the hotel creates won’t be enough to benefit locals and have asked the city not to move forward until Proxima commits to creating hospitality jobs for the community. Alderman Michael Scott has said the city will work with residents as well as the developer to ensure good jobs and fair wages.

The project is in the preliminary stages while Proxima works to buy the four lots.

Read more

[BCC] — Victoria Pruitt