Blackhawks propose hotel, housing development near Fifth Third Arena

The Chicago Blackhawks are making a power play with a proposal to add to the NHL team’s planned $65 million expansion of Fifth Third Arena where it now practices.

A venture controlled by the Wirtz family, which owns the Blackhawks, is seeking city approval to build up to 1,200 residential units and 663 hotel rooms two blocks south of its game day venue, the United Center, Crain’s reported. 

The team submitted a zoning application to request permission to develop a mix of residential, hotel and retail projects in future phases, following the expansion of its practice facility. No renderings were included in the mixed-use proposal, and the team said that such projects would require site plan approval from the city. 

In a separate proposal for two blocks east of the United Center, a church wants to build a new location so it can move away from land it owns near the proposed Bally’s casino development site in River West. In a future phase for the spot near the arena, the church would build a 12-story structure with 76 residential units, the outlet reported.

Together, the proposals extend the surge of new development over the past 10 years in the area between downtown and the home arena for the Chicago Blackhawks and Bulls teams that sprouted large buildings in the new hotspot for commercial real estate, Fulton Market.

The Wirtz family, which co-owns the United Center along with Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, has been leading the charge to spur development in this area, starting with the Fifth Third Arena community ice rink, which opened in 2017. Earlier this year, the family bought a seven-acre site at 303 South Damen Avenue for nearly $24 million as part of its expansion plan, which calls for two additional ice rinks and 135,000 square feet of added space. 

Near Fifth Third Arena, City Church Chicago has proposed a new two-story building at 116-138 South Paulina Street that’s slated for a 1,500-seat auditorium. The building would comprise just over 40,000 square feet, with a planned second phase to include a more than 28,000-square-foot expansion, with the 76 units across 12 stories, the outlet reported

As for a timeline, the Blackhawks want to complete the new hockey facility by 2026, but haven’t committed to a pace for the potential adjacent residential and lodging components.

— Quinn Donoghue

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