Plans are moving forward for a new residential development at 1035 South Boulevard in Oak Park. Located along the CTA Green Line tracks at the corner of South Marion Street, the new structure would replace a parking lot behind the historic arcade building at the front of the site. The project is being led by Sachem Building LLC, the owner of the arcade building.
Site map of 1035 South Boulevard via Google Maps
The existing arcade building, which dates back to 1906, is protected as a landmark. As a result, the new proposal has faced challenges in gaining approval from Oak Park’s Historic Preservation Commission, which has blocked the project four times. However, the Oak Park Village Board stepped in last month and overrode the commission’s decision, allowing the project to proceed.
Rendering of 1035 South Boulevard by John Schiess
The current proposal—described as a high-rise by local publications—will rise 10 stories and reach approximately 100 feet in height, following a minor reduction earlier in the approval process. It will feature a striking Art Deco façade with gold accents and a central decorative clock—a level of architectural detail rarely seen today, though some have called it too eye-catching.
View of 1035 South Boulevard via Google Maps
The building will include four floors of parking, offering over 30 spaces for residents and visitors to the arcade. The upper levels will house 24 high-end apartments, just one unit short of triggering the city’s affordable housing requirement. A project timeline has not yet been announced, but the development team will still need to obtain full approval from the Village Council and participate in additional community meetings.
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Pretty good! Oak Park is beyond beautiful and deserves more attention than it usually gets.
This will be interesting. If it gets done and it has an Art Deco look of old it will be cool. If it’s just a faux historical look that would be nasty.
It definitely carries a risk to turn out to be a faux historical look, and that will depend on the materials used for the facade, including glass and window frames…
Fingers crossed!
How many Affordable units will it have?
None. Per the article, 24 units is one below the threshold for affordable housing.
None. Per the article, 24 units is one below the minimum for affordable housing.
“some have called it too eye-catching”
People just need to find something to complain about…god forbid something looks good
Agree. The Lake Street Theater and the Medical Arts Building are eye-catching too…and awesome.
It’s Lake Theatre – no Street in the name.
Right? I wish “too nice” was one of the NIMBY complaints in my neighborhood!
I love this. Cool design!
I wish Chicago developers and architects would give attention to details as much as this development.
This is the problem y’all always have and want to build in our Land and don’t consider nor include Native. It won’t prosper.
Build it!!
I have visited Oak Park several times in the past few years and appreciated the architecture in that city. To read that a new building may be constructed there is good news. Keep up the great progress!
To see the real OP, you need to go back about 40 years to see it before the high rises were built in Downtown OP. That’s what it was like when I grew up there.
Downtown had Walgreens, Field’s, Wienboldt’s (actually in Rivér Forest) and Ward’s plus other stores Then they came in and built the high-rises, and it started looking more like Downtown Arlington Heights.