Renderings have been revealed for the upcoming first phase of Woodlawn Central, located at roughly 6320 South Dorchester Avenue. While the project was originally proposed four years ago, the development team unveiled the current plans for phase one earlier this month as they prepare to move forward. Said team is being led by the Apostolic Church of God, which owns the sites.
Overall Rendering of Woodlawn Central with Obama Presidential Center by Sherwood Design Engineers
The overall Woodlawn Central development will replace multiple surface parking lots and vacant parcels surrounding the aforementioned church, centered around the intersection with East 63rd Street and not too far from the future Obama Presidential Center. As a whole, the eight-acre project will bring housing, hotel rooms, retail space, office space, a theater, museum, greenhouse, digital center, and publicly accessible green space.
Site plans for phase one of Woodlawn Central by Sherwood Design Engineers
The first phase will rise on a wedge-shaped site bound by Metra tracks and the 63rd Street station to the east. Since our last coverage, additional details have emerged, including that architecture firm Gensler is leading the design. This phase will be anchored by a site-wide, three-story podium and two 14-story towers reaching 160 feet in height.
Plans for phase one of Woodlawn Central by Sherwood Design Engineers
The podium will include 26,000 square feet of retail space along all street frontages, two separate lobbies for each tower, back-of-house space, and approximately 300 parking spaces. Of those spaces, 60 will be reserved for residents, with the remainder designated for visitors, including church attendees. One of the towers will contain a hotel, reintroducing an element previously thought to be removed from the plans.
Rendering of Woodlawn Central phase one by Gensler
The other tower will hold 231 residential units, of which 20 percent will be designated as affordable. At this time, the unit mix has not been disclosed. The buildings will be clad in glass with white- and copper-colored accent panels. They will also share a large outdoor deck atop the podium, which will likely include a pool, dog run, and outdoor seating areas.
Elevation for phase one of Woodlawn Central by Sherwood Design Engineers
Phase one has applied for zoning approval and is expected to be reviewed by the city in the coming weeks, followed by consideration from the Plan Commission later this spring. If approved, the team plans to break ground on the first phase in August. A timeline for future phases has not yet been announced.
It is also worth noting that the previously announced new 63rd Street station connection within phase one has been scrapped; however, the team has stated they plan to collaborate on broader station improvements.
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Glad to see this project is moving quickly! Them scrapping the station needs to be reconsidered with a wider connection to the Greenline down 63rd. The massive boom in this area needs to be accommodated with more transit access.
Usually see better work from Gensler. Must be the requirements from the church– the project looks like it was designed by pastors. The >1 space to unit ratio is a bit lol, but we should take the development that we should get in the area. At least most of the spaces might be full on Sunday!
Great to see, but I’d like to know about financing. That’s really what determines if this will ever happen or if it will remain in the ‘planning’ phases in perpetuity
Someone in the previous article mentioned the 63rd St station had support from the church for its initial removal. Does that comment bear much weight?
If true, I’d assume the “idea” to readd was just trigger language to excite investment and get others on board, without ever intending to pursue it internally. Maybe not massively detrimental to the region, but that’s some bait-and-switch tactics for the community. I wonder how true the claim weighs.
My father detrained here as a young man in the early ’50s, escaping Jim Crow Mississippi. This was his first visit to Chicago and he was alternately wowed and scared. All ICRR passenger trains from the south made a stop at 63rd Street, then the busiest thoroughfare on the South Side. The L (now Green Line) tracks crossed above the railroad and the showering sparks rattled him. Would be great if Amtrak re-established a stop here. Could be demand connecting UofI with UofC, tourists with OPC, GMSI, etc.
More power to Apostolic Church of God if they can pull this off. Seems to me the church as the distinct advantage of its social network to promote the rental units, and to build a physical community from its church community. A win-win if they can get the buildings built on time and on budget. Wishing them the best – there’s potential for a really nice community here.
Wonder how much real estate taxe revenue will be generated from this project
THE Church will try and use their tax except status as much as possible
How much real estate tax revenue is being generated by the current parking lots vacant everyday but Sunday?
Let’s not limit a community center organization from using their own property for the good of the community
Try, or will? I recommend a citywide atheist tax to replace some of the lost revenue.
MCM vibes, I like it!