Wave of Long-Delayed Projects Greenlit Across Chicago

The Chicago Plan Commission plowed through a backlog of long-awaited proposals Thursday, advancing a slate of projects that could reshape pockets of the city from Lincoln Park to the Far South Side.

The approvals don’t guarantee shovels in the ground, but they clear the first major hurdle for developers angling to move forward after years of community debate, shifting market conditions and pandemic delays, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

DePaul University’s $42 million basketball practice facility was among the headline items.

The school won initial approval to build the four-story training hub at 2300–2316 North Sheffield Avenue, replacing a row of historic three-flats in the Sheffield National Historic District.

The project, first floated in 2022, drew opposition from preservationists and neighborhood groups who argued the demolitions would chip away at a streetscape that’s stood since the 1890s. The Sheffield Neighborhood Association said the plan represented “a continuation of the deterioration of the historic street wall,” even as it emphasized its long-standing partnership with the university.

Preservation Chicago also lined up against the proposal, noting that two of the structures DePaul plans to raze are orange-rated — indicating potentially significant architectural features.

But university leaders pointed to support from other community organizations and stressed the need to upgrade facilities to stay competitive. Architect Joseph Antunovich told commissioners DePaul has “fallen behind” its peers. To soften the blow of demolitions, the school agreed to back landmark status for Cortelyou Commons and Byrne Hall, two of the oldest buildings on campus.

On the Far South Side, commissioners granted first approvals for Morgan Park Commons, a redevelopment of the long-vacant former Jewel grocery site and adjacent Halsted Indoor Mall.

The 12-acre corner at 115th and Halsted streets has sat empty for roughly 15 years, but Far South Community Development Corporation and its partners have been working since 2018 to revive it with housing, retail, open space and cultural programming. The city, which owns half the land after acquiring it from Albertsons, plans to transfer its stake to the nonprofit developer.

Phase one calls for a $65 million investment across two buildings totaling 70 apartments — including studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms — as well as live/work units.

Infrastructure work will remake local streets, creating South Peoria Street and West 114th Place. Preservation of Affordable Housing is slated to co-develop the first residential phase, with construction targeted for next year.

Planning commissioner Ciere Boatright called the effort “a long time coming” for a corridor that hasn’t seen a mixed-use residential project in more than half a century.

On the North Side in Edgewater, a five-story condo building at 6150 North Sheridan Road also secured approval. The 40-unit structure, slated to replace the former Kindred Hospital parking lot, will feature underground parking, a roof deck and private outdoor space for ground-floor units. Developer Vladimir Zeleni expects the $15 million project could be delivered by mid-2027, pending City Council sign-off.

The commission approved two more towers in the development hotspot Fulton Market.

Projects at 1200 West Carroll Avenue and 214 North Morgan Street will bring a combined 665 apartments to the booming district. The Carroll Avenue building will also carve out green space programmed for craft markets and outdoor movie nights — a rare amenity in one of the densest pockets of the Near West Side.

And in North Lawndale, commissioners advanced plans for the $38 million One Lawndale Recreation Center, replacing a vacant former CTA storage lot at Springfield Avenue and Cermak Road.

The proposed multisport complex would house two indoor turf fields, five basketball courts, boxing and wrestling rooms, a multipurpose space, concessions and a pro shop. The center is projected to host roughly 250,000 visits annually and could start construction next year, with completion slated for fall 2027.

— Eric Weilbacher