The Chicago City Council has approved the residential development at 640 W Irving Park Road in Uptown. Located west of N DuSable Lake Shore Drive, the proposal originally introduced last year will renovate and convert the existing Immaculata High School while building a new tower on its surface parking lots. Developers KGiles LLC and CA Ventures are working with local firms Perkins Eastman and Level Architecture on the design for the project which has seen multiple revisions since the announcement due to community feedback.
Rendering For 640 W Irving Park Road by Perkins Eastman and Level Architecture
Delivering 445 residential units in total, around half of those will be within the new 22-story 250-foot-tall high-rise in the back of the lot. Predominantly aimed at senior housing, which is seeing a rise in demand across the city and in the neighborhood, the 200 apartments within the tower will be made up of 108 independent living, 60 assisted living, and 32 memory care units. The base of the building will also contain a 98-vehicle parking garage, small lobby, back of house spaces, and be clad in textures and painted metal panels with plenty of glass and decorative fins.
Rendering For 640 W Irving Park Road Courtesy of Perkins Eastman and Level Architecture
The existing school will be converted into 245 apartments made up of studios, one-, and two-bedrooms available for all. As a part of the renovation, the structure will have some windows replaced and the existing brick exterior will be repaired, with an improved vehicle drop-off area also added to the existing courtyard. Residents will also have access to a new rooftop deck, and 20 percent of all units, or 69 residences, will be considered affordable which meets the current city requirements.
640 W Irving Park Road Rendering Courtesy of Level Architecture and Perkins Eastman
Future residents will be able bus access to the site via CTA Routes 80, 135, 146, 148, and 151 all being within a three-minute walk, and the CTA Red Line at Sheridan stop via a nine-minute walk. The $150 million project has already received its approval from the Zoning Committee and Plan Commission earlier this year, with this latest one being its final one needed prior to building permits. At the moment no construction timeline has been approved nor a groundbreaking announced.
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Unique and thoughtful development. I will take this as a win!
I just want affordable housing not ugly glass buildings 🙁
I’m 61, look forward to trying to get in the building.