Initial funding has been announced for the mixed-use development at 6300 S Cottage Grove Avenue in Woodlawn. In the works for over two years, YIMBY first covered the plans to restore and redevelop the old Washington Park National Bank building mid-last year. Now plans for the structure located on the southwest corner of the intersection with E 63rd Street received new life thanks to city-approved funding. Developer DL3 Realty has been working on its plans for a few years now and is working with local firm bKL Architecture on this iteration.
Historical image of 6300 S Cottage Grove Avenue via Preservation Chicago
Currently rising four stories tall, the 1924-built building was designed by prominent bank-architect Albert A. Schwartz in the Neoclassical style. Adorned with multi-story faux columns, over the years much of the historical facade has been heavily damaged with many of its front doors also being closed off. When the city took over the property in 2019, it partnered with DL3 Realty in the hopes of razing it in exchange for new building, however after the pandemic and neighborhood feedback the current preservation plans prevailed.
Current view of 6300 S Cottage Grove Avenue via Preservation Chicago
Now it’ll become the first Class A office building on the South Side in 30 years according to the Sun Times, preserving the facade and building a whole new structure behind it. Within its five stories it will hold 70,000 square feet of mixed-use space including new ground-floor retail after being home to a Walgreens, a food hall, and a coworking space. Both the Cottage Grove and 63rd Street facades will be fixed up, replacing multiple missing stones, adding new storefronts, and punching in a new recessed corner entrance.
Corner rendering of 6300 S Cottage Grove Avenue by bKL Architecture
The new addition will be clad in glass with bronze-colored metal panel spandrels, with the added floor being slightly set in from the stone facade in order to have less of a visual impact from the street. The approved $5 million in funds comes in the form of Community Development Grants, although no construction timeline has been announced, the developer originally planned to break ground by the end of 2022 with a 2024 anticipated completion date.
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Missed opportunity for height and density. The Obama Center will be opening up soon in that neck of the woods. Do you know how many people will be taking the Green Line to get there over the next 50 years? Dozens. If not more. Sad day for Chicago.
Let’s hope the “New & Improved” facade lives up to bKL Architecture Firm’s VISION!