A demolition permit has been issued for the single-story commercial property at 2600 North Clark Street in Lincoln Park, signaling the beginning of a residential development on the same site. Quality Excavation is named as the demolition contractor in the permit, which came through on January 12 with a reported cost of $103,000. Demolition is expected to begin the week of January 19.
The five-story iteration of 2600 North Clark by SEEK Design + Architecture
Rendering of 2600 North Clark by SEEK Design + Architecture
Rendering of 2600 North Clark by SEEK Design + Architecture
Rendering of the south façade via SEEK Design + Architecture
Initium Development of River North has been working on plans to erect a five-story, 48-unit building on the lot, the former home of Dunlay’s On Clark, Dave’s Records, Affordable Portables, and other neighborhood fixtures over its history. A pending permit in the Chicago Data Portal as of September 24 names Pappageorge Haymes Partners as the architect of record and ENC Construction as the general contractor.
SEEK Design + Architecture is the design architect for the project, located on the northwest corner of Clark Street and Wrightwood Avenue. The Chicago City Council approved the development in July 2025 after the proposal was scaled back from its original seven-story, 66-unit concept. The first floor is slated to include retail space and parking, with the residential units occupying the upper floors of the unique 47,000-square-foot, grand-piano-shaped structure. There are to be 14 efficiency units and 34 standard apartments, according to the permit.
First floor plan, via SEEK Design + Architecture
Residential floor plan, via SEEK Design + Architecture
October 2024. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
There is no official word yet on when new construction will begin, nor is there an announced opening date for tenants to start moving into the new apartments.
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At least its only mostly ugly and bland
No mention in article of affordable units in the development.
Another Pappageorge Haymes Partners Architects boring design…..sold their soul to developer cheapness. The only feature that’s nice are the new trees along Clark.
The article states that “SEEK Design + Architecture” is the design architect of this project.
Where are you getting Pappageorge Haymes from?
Correct. SEEK is the design architect, PHP is the architect of record.
The ‘architect” named in a building permit is the architect of record. I try to do an accurate job of making that designation, but I sometimes slip into saying, or assuming, that one firm handled both tasks for a particular job and using “designed by.”
They are two very different functions, and I don’t understand them enough to try to explain the difference.
It looks similar to the new building at the corner of Fullerton and Halsted, the one that replaced the pocket park. I don’t like the overhang on the Clark side – especially the extra support that sits right on the corner. It’s heavy and somehow closes off the corner (having trouble articulating – happy for someone to chime in with better wording!) I get they are trying to create a balcony for the second floor, but …
I’m excited about this. As a former resident of this area I hated how dead this spot felt with the building being vacant so I am glad something is going here. This stretch of Clark St has so much potential for development!
Happy there is new development, but lord it is ugly and uninspired. The Victorian masterpiece next door is quite the contrast.
Sure it’s great to add 40+ $2800 a month apartments and probably 35 cars to the neighborhood but where will they get their futons?
Not sure why one commenter thinks this is a PGH design, though those are indeed typically boring. But completely agreed on the weak design on display here, and the crappy mix of units (how many frickin studio apartments does one city need? How about more 2 bedroom units and the occasional 3 bedroom units in case, you know, FAMILIES want to live here?). Look at the units – there isn’t a single square bedroom. It looks more like Tetris, more with no squares! And the facades are equally uninspired. Yawn.
Guess I’m in the minority here but I like it. It replaces a butt ugly one story building along one of the city’s key thoroughfares; it’s not an architectural masterpiece but why do we have to let perfection be the enemy of progress? BUILD IT!
Assuming the building being demolished is a vintage structure that was “modernized” over the years, I hope there are no original details hiding under that faux mansard roof.
I mostly like it, but I think it’s too bad about the setbacks. I would rather the entire building, including the upper floors, be flush with the street. I’m tired of this NIMBY whining about sunlight.
This corridor needs to be enclosed, bottom to top. It needs a lot more dense buildings
God, you people complain more than the NIMBYs lol