Plan Commission Backs Fulton Market Tower Density

A proposed apartment tower that could reset the height and density ceiling in Fulton Market is headed to the City Council — after surviving an unusual rebuke from the city’s own zoning gatekeepers.

The Chicago Plan Commission voted 11-2 to approve a 29-story, 347-unit residential project at 215 North Racine Avenue, despite a recommendation from Chicago’s zoning administrator to reject it, Crain’s reported. The $160 million development from Chicago-based Domus Real Estate Group now advances to the City Council’s Zoning Committee.

At issue is Domus’ request for DX-16 zoning, the city’s most dense base designation — typically reserved for downtown skyscrapers. The classification allows developers to multiply a site’s square footage by 16 to determine maximum buildable area, and crucially, imposes no cap on bonus density purchases through Chicago’s Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus program.

Fulton Market projects to date have topped out at DX-7 base zoning, with limits on how much additional density could be bought. Domus’ 13,251-square-foot mid-block site would include a bonus payment, pushing its effective multiplier to 24.7, according to its application.

Chicago Zoning Administrator Patrick Murphey urged commissioners to reject the plan, arguing it breaks from years of planning guidelines crafted to manage growth, infrastructure strain and historic preservation in the former meatpacking district. He warned it could spur other developers to chase similar upzoning, potentially eroding the framework that has governed one of the country’s hottest commercial corridors.

Still, Department of Planning & Development commissioner Ciere Boatright acknowledged the “slippery slope,” but backed the project, citing the citywide need for housing. The commission’s approval came with a twist: Domus must attach a so-called no-flip clause to its planned development, tying the DX-16 zoning exclusively to the current ownership entity. Any change to the project’s economic disclosure form could revert the site to its existing zoning, according to the clause.

The political calculus may matter more than the planning debate, as under Chicago’s long-standing aldermanic prerogative tradition, local support often dictates outcomes. Alderman Walter “Red” Burnett, who took over the 27th Ward seat from his father in September, endorsed the project, highlighting a planned small public park and a heavy mix of two-bedroom units.

Moments after the vote, commissioners quickly approved another Fulton Market apartment high-rise at 1338 West Lake Street, a 33-story proposal from Cedar Street seeking the district’s first DX-10 zoning.

— Eric Weilbacher