An Uptown property we looked at earlier this month when it was permitted for demolition has now also received the go-ahead to begin new construction. On April 15, a permit was issued to start work at 4650 North Magnolia Avenue, calling for a three-story, four-unit building. Design work was performed by Stoneberg + Gross Architects and N.L.I.E. Construction will be the general contractor.
Photo by Daniel Schell
Just a few more steps to go before all signs of 4652 North Magnolia Avenue are gone. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
There are no changes to the construction permit since the pending details we addressed previously. There is to be a private rooftop deck and stair penthouse, but no porches or balconies are mentioned. A frame garage on the alley was demolished along with the residential building, but only four slab parking spaces are included in the new project, though it wouldn’t be surprising to see a garage or coach house added at a later date.
A private developer using the entity of Chf Prop LLC purchased the property (as 4652 North Magnolia) in December for $740,000, according to real estate records. OG Construction Services of West Grand Avenue did the demolition work at a reported cost of $17,000, getting started immediately after getting permission to tear the 1890-built home down. The new construction permit comes with a reported cost of $810,000.
From the alley. Photo by Daniel Schell
There’s still some foundation concrete to dig up. Photo by Daniel Schell
A site visit on the 7th, the day after razing was permitted, showed no signs of imminent demise, no demo fencing, just an orange traffic cone at the front of the house. But as one of you pointed out, by mid-week the structure was little more than rubble. A follow-up look on April 10 showed only about half of the first floor still standing, with a crew loading debris into a truck on the alley. As of April 20, the front stoop and some foundation concrete are all that remain. It is presumed excavation and new construction will get underway as soon as those few elements are gone.
Half the first floor remaining, April 10, 2026. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Site context of 4652 North Magnolia Avenue, via Google Maps
Local transit options, via Google Maps
4650 North Magnolia lies within a three-block walk of both the Lawrence and the Wilson Red Line elevated platforms. Several CTA bus routes, including the #22 west at North Clark Street, Route 78 south at West Montrose Avenue, #36 east at North Broadway, and #81 north at West Lawrence Avenue are within convenient walking distance. The Lawrence bus can be used to connect to the Ravenswood Metra UP-N station about three-quarters of a mile west.
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Any update on that stalled project on Wilson, is it dead?
The ward office says it’s not dead. Developer says they’re lining up the right crew, and there’s a pending permit to assign a new general contractor. But they were targeting the end of this month to get back to work.
They also have a pending permit to build three stories/four units next to this one.
Thank you
Seems like a very deep lot for only four units? Looks like the buildings to either side have at least 12 units each. Judging by the number of mailboxes on the building they tore down, it had three units. Why not build more density given that’s the apparent norm in this block?
I believe the RT-4 zoning would’ve only allowed 5 units, and I assume other restrictions reduced them to 4. The modern zoning in this city is criminal– and this is one of the better blocks!
I am guessing the developer’s constraints are what limited it to 4, as there are no other restrictions that would’ve prevented a 5th unit. These are likely for sale condos, & a 5 unit building with the smallest unit not being deeded a parking space isn’t unheard of, but the developer thought they could make more profit with 4 larger units.
One reason I would love to have FAR & height bonuses if the number of units allowed under zoning are maximized, since it would encourage more housing without just giving larger square footages to less dense developments.
Any idea what’s with those empty lots on the west side of 4600 N Malden? Looks like it’s owned by a “Malden Development LLC” and there’s a 4/2/21 article about a development on one of the lots that must’ve fallen thru.
I’ve asked the 46th about that. Let’s see what we find out.
I’ve wondered about those for years. I wish the city could trigger large property tax payments for undeveloped properties like this so it could force developers to either build or sell. does something like that exist?
If you have not heard of Georgism or the “single tax movement” you may have a lot of reading ahead of you if you’re interested 🙂
Short answer, yes, it is possible. Other cities in the US have even implemented similar policies to discourage speculative land banking.
Nuthin’ doin’ over there.