Brickwork is in the spotlight for a new residential project at 1300 West Newport Avenue in the Southport Corridor of the city’s Lake View Community Area. Front, back, and east façades are all covered in masonry now, while unfinished corners on the west facing indicate that portion still needs to be bricked in. And while scaffolding and tarps shroud some of the structure, it appears most of the building’s windows have been installed.
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Promised Land Development is erecting a three-story plus basement, two-unit building here, anticipated to consist of a duplex-down condo and a duplex-up condo. The construction permit, which was issued on October 8 of last year with a reported cost of $900,000, calls for a private roof deck with a pergola and rear balcony for the top unit. The bottom unit is to have a covered deck on the back of the first floor; that open space can be seen in the attached photos. There appears to be a terrace on the second level as well.
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
A detached three-car garage replaces a masonry garage in back, but construction on that won’t begin until crews no longer need ready access to the residential building. The previous garage was accessed from the east via a curb cut on Lakewood Avenue. It is not known if the new garage will be oriented the same way, or if it will open to the alley. The new garage is to have a rooftop deck of its own, which, though not specified, might be for the use of the lower inhabitants only, as the upper condo has the private deck atop the third floor. Iron and wood fences will surround the site. Michael Cox & Associates is behind the design of the new building.
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Foundation work, November 2025. Photo by Daniel Schell
1300 West Newport, you may recall, began with the sale and demolition of a 1910-built greystone on a block chock full of them. Using the entity of 1300 Newport LLC, the developer purchased the property in May for $1.15 million with plans to tear it down and build anew. Even the best efforts of neighbors along Newport Avenue, who went so far as to offer to pay an architect to draw up plans for renovation of the building, were unable to save it. Demo contractor Builder Luxury began tearing down the garage in July after receiving a permit to do so on the 21st, and wrapped up the razing of both structures by the end of August.
1300 West Newport Avenue, demolished in 2025. Photo by Daniel Schell
Demolition in progress, August 2025. Photo by Daniel Schell
Site context of 1300 West Newport Avenue, via Google Maps
So far, there appear to be no listings for the two condos in the building, nor has it been publicly announced as to when completion is expected.
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New construction is so much less interesting, less architectural, less well proportioned.
Totally agree, especially less architectural.
Beautiful greystone demolished and alderman lets developer put up horrible cheap off the shelf design. This destroys the neighborhood’s character and historical value.
It is completely ridiculous because the existing building could have easily been expanded into a three story, two unit building (happens ALL the time). But you can’t really blame “the alderman.” They only have a say if there is a zoning change required and this project didn’t require a zoning change. Hopefully, the neighborhood will organize and pursue some kind of historical designation to protect the remaining graystones.
I am definitely a pro-construction YIMBY. But, our graystones should be protected. This is a loss to the character of the neighborhood. Surely we can do better than demolish these.
To lose a beautiful graystone on such a block is like punching someone in the mouth and losing a tooth. Demolishing one of Chicago’s signature pieces of vernacular architecture in an extant block of like buildings is disgusting, especially when it is replaced by an ugly stupid boring box with no visual interest. The alderman of this ward should be ashamed.
The Alderman did not have a say as this project was built by-right. Please correct me if I am wrong.