Extended funding for the redevelopment of the remaining parcels of the former Cabrini-Green homes has been approved by the Community Development Commission in Near North Side. The first of the two separate vacant parcels just west of downtown, sits north on the corner of N Larrabee Street and N Clybourn Avenue, replacing the recently demolished Near North Career High School. The second parcel just south of the first sits on the northeast corner of W Division Street and N Halstead Street next to a Target that was developed on former housing property as well.
Site view of Cabrini Green redevelopment by Gensler
Developed by the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), the original Cabrini-Green homes were built over multiple years from 1942 to 1962 and at its peak housed nearly 15,000 people. However throughout the years the complex became known for crime, this is partially due to the extensive neglect of the facilities which was common across housing projects throughout the United States. By the end the complex held 3,607 home across row-houses, mid-rises, and high-rises deigned by multiple Chicago architects like A. Epstein & Sons and Pace Associates. Plans to demolish the buildings date back as far as 1995, and by 2010 the last residents moved out with demolition beginning soon after on the last remaining high-rise building.
Phase one site map of Cabrini Green redevelopment by Gensler
Since then various residential and mixed-use developments have filled up much of the land taken up by the project, but the two major plots remain open due to a federal mandate requiring nearly 700 new public housing units to be built in the area. Funding for this effort with the CHA would require extensive federal fund instead of the normal bank loans most developments use, thus the Community Development Commission approved extending the existing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for the area for another 12 years. This will contribute another $600 million over the coming years for projects in the area like the Cabrini-Green redevelopment, this is on top of the existing $250 million the area generated since the program began.
Phase one site view of Cabrini Green redevelopment by Gensler
The approved financing has also generated updated renderings of the project including the first phase of redevelopment on the old school site. Texas-based Hunt Development Group was chosen to lead the 482-residential unit project designed by Gensler. Split into high-rises, mid-rises, and townhomes, the first phase would include an anchoring 21-story tower on the southeast corner of the site with pedestrian greenways connecting the rest of the buildings. The townhomes would be arranged in a super-block style with parking at their center hidden from the streetscape.
Phase two site map of Cabrini Green redevelopment by Gensler
Including the second phase of the project which would be laid out similarly with an anchoring tower on the site bound by W Division Street, the project would bring 1,058 mixed-income units with 265 of those set aside for former Cabrini-Green residents. The complex would also boast over 100,000 square feet of commercial space and nine acres of open space, however a developer for the second phase has not been selected. While demolition of the existing school is set to finish by the end of this year, a construction timeline has not been revealed by Hunt yet.
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And meanwhile we got a new gas station at Division and Halsted …
Seriously, I cannot believe that gas station was built in such a prime location.
Indeed, that ensures that riding a bike on Halsted will remain a very dangerous thing to do.
There should be a moratorium on adding any new gas stations in the city. We don’t need to encourage more driving.
The one thing that makes the location less “prime” is the electrical substation directly behind it — that would probably severely restrict the ability to create desirable housing or office space on that corner. The NE corner of that intersection is truly the prime location…where Kingsbury becomes a dirt road (???) and the riverfront is completely neglected. If the new gas station forces the Gas Station / Subway combo on Halsted to sell out and close down, it’d be a net positive for that corner.
Sorry, I meant NW corner above
Considering that the new one is Exxon and old one Mobil, i believe this is a replacement as they are both from the same company. Add to it that the car wash behind the old Mobil is gone and has been a COVID facility, i would venture to guess that the Mobil property is soon to change hands and be torn down.
I would very much like to see that intersection fixed in all 4 directions with proper turn bays and lights, as well as a recessed bus stop on NE side. Hopefully we will see the new bridge go in soon as well.
As the last true N/S road this far East, the insanity of that traffic tends to overflow to Larabee/Kingsbury to get south to Grand and Kinzie.