The Chicago Plan Commission has approved a mixed-use development at 3636 N Lake Shore Drive in Lakeview East. Poised to fill a plot of empty land along N Lake Shore Drive, the project site is located at the intersection of N Lake Shore Drive and W Waveland Avenue. City Club Apartments is the developer behind the proposal.
Aerial View of Site Outline in Red at 3636 N Lake Shore Drive. Image by BKV Group
Designed by BKV Group, the new construction will consist of two residential and mixed-use structures that will fill the site. The first tower will rise 19 floors and reach a pinnacle of 228 feet, while the second structure will be a shorter six-story building, rising 75 feet on the southern portion of the property. The two will hold a combined 333 residential units with a 5,000-square-foot restaurant space at the intersection of N Lake Shore Drive and W Waveland Avenue. The unit breakdown will include studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom residences. Parking for 145 cars will be located underground, with 50 bike parking spaces included.
View of 3636 N Lake Shore Drive. Rendering by BKV Group
The design consists of the two buildings that are connected at the base with a shared lobby and amenity space. Planned around a shared courtyard space, the 19-story tower is positioned on the northern side of the site in a way that has a minimal impact on the adjacent New York Private Residences tower. The shorter edifice is located on the southern end of the property to allow for sunlight to enter the courtyard and northern structure while also ensuring views from the building at 3600 N Lake Shore Drive.
Site Plan for 3636 N Lake Shore Drive. Drawing by BKV Group
The layout allows for the wide semi-private courtyard in the middle that is highly amenitized for residents. Along W Waveland Avenue, the tower base is articulated as a set of two-story townhomes that reference the shorter scale of the homes across the street. The remaining height of the tower is set back from the base and is clad in a glass curtain wall dotted with residential balconies.
Ground Floor Plan for 3636 N Lake Shore Drive. Drawing by BKV Group
The ground floor of the building holds the main residential entry, facing a reworked cul de sac that is between the existing New York Private Residences and the new construction. The restaurant will be accessible at the corner of W Waveland Avenue and N Lake Shore Drive. Parking will be accessible from a service drive that passes through the cul de sac south to the southwestern corner of the property where the garage entry is below grade. The private access drive turns the corner and continues east towards N Lake Shore Drive.
Typical Residential Floor Plan for 3636 N Lake Shore Drive. Drawing by BKV Group
Amenities for the project include an outdoor dog run adjacent to the residential entry. Additional amenities include an indoor pool, fitness center, yoga studio, and the aforementioned exterior courtyard. A sky club is included on the 15th floor of the tower.
East Elevation for 3636 N Lake Shore Drive. Drawing by BKV Group
The new development will meet sustainability goals by achieving a Green Globes 2-Globes certification, introducing green roofs on the structures, installing a CTA digital display, providing EV charging stations, and incorporating enhanced bird protection in the facade materials. The plan will provide 11 ARO units per the affordable housing requirement, only needing to meet 10 percent of the units added to the number allowed from the old Planned Development designation. The 11 units will be on site and marketed to incomes at 60 percent of the area median income.
North Elevation for 3636 N Lake Shore Drive. Drawing by BKV Group
There are multiple options near the site for CTA access. Routes 135, 146, 151, and 152 for the CTA bus are accessible at the Lake Shore and Waveland stop, located directly adjacent to the site. Route 36 CTA is accessed at Broadway and Waveland via a five-minute walk from the site. The Addison CTA L station, serviced by the Red Line, is a 13-minute walk away.
West Elevation for 3636 N Lake Shore Drive. Drawing by BKV Group
The approximately $100 million development will now require zoning and Chicago City Council approval before moving forward. The developer is aiming to begin construction in 2021 after all approvals have been granted. Construction is expected to then last for 21 months.
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Disappointing to see one of the last remaining lakefront lots be approved for such an unremarkable design. Also would have been one of the few places that additional height would make sense.
From the first presentation to this latest rendition….the architecture is sadly under cooked and mediocre – unworthy of the last lot of available land on Chicago’s magnificent lake shore….it’s too bad that the developer is settling for this instead of a more spectacular future landmark to take it’s place among remarkable Chicago buildings. Lake Shore Drive and Chicago deserves better work. (whats with the rounded flat top of the low building?!). Mies, Ed Bennett, Andrew Ribori, David Adler ….don’t look at this proposal. It’s too sad.
This parcel was suppose to hold a twin of the new york, very sad to see this stubby runt of a building.
How embarrassing for the city. Sad.
I never understood why this lot was left empty for so many years after the New York was originally built to be set back behind it (I believe this parcel was also the construction staging area for the New York if memory serves). Anyone have more details on that? I always assumed there would be a big fight about blocked views when something was eventually built there.
Agree with most the above comments—-more congestion is never good—-It would have been great as a dog park—with facitlties for dogs like a dog restaurant and a pay area for owners to ley=t dogs play with etc needs for dogs-
This lot has been a weedy knoll since 1987 when the New York went up. I agree, the architecture won’t be winning any prizes but I’m glad to see this massively underutilized space fill with tax-payers… to say nothing of the fact that this stretch of LSD is mostly mid-century blah towers anyway… the gorgeous prewar stuff is mostly closer to Belmont. I love the addition of a restaurant space. Inner Lake Shore is pretty quiet- that will liven the area substantially. The courtyard design looks lovely and thankfully parking is relegated to the back.
Is this going to be a rental or condo building ? If condo, has they listing firm been named?
Is this project even still on or did it get canceled
Word is that City Club lost the land – no money – going broke