Demolition work has begun as part of the redevelopment of the retail complex at 1800 North Clybourn Avenue in Lincoln Park. Sitting on the corner with North Sheffield Avenue, the project has been in the works for a few years and has been significantly downsized from its original iteration in 2024. Now, the team is moving forward with the revised plans.
Site context map of 11800 N Clybourn Ave via Google Maps
The two-lot property was originally home to the Turtle Wax plant built in 1908 and currently holds three commercial structures that have been mostly vacated. The previous plans called for the preservation of two original factory towers along with the reconstruction of a third, surrounded by new retail structures and a residential high-rise in the rear.
PREVIOUS rendering of Elevations of 1800 N Clybourn Ave by Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Now, developer CRM Properties Group has switched architecture firms to Stantec and downgraded the proposal. On the northern site, the team switched from two large multi-story commercial structures with an integrated parking garage and pedestrian walkways to four smaller single-story buildings surrounding a 101-space parking lot.
Site map of 1800 N Clybourn Ave by Stantec
To the south, the smaller wedge-shaped lot will hold an additional retail building with a recreation of one of the factory’s original towers. This will be joined by a 99-space parking lot in the rear. The overall project will include 44,000 square feet of commercial space along with 22 parking spaces to be built as of right, with no zoning changes required.
Elevations of 1800 N Clybourn Ave by Stantec
Elevations of 1800 N Clybourn Ave by Stantec
However, the developer has mentioned that the potential 500-foot-tall residential tower is not fully dead, with the space earmarked for it remaining open as a parking lot. A timeline for the commercial redevelopment is unknown, but crews are already working on demolishing the existing buildings. No further information on the potential residential portion is known.
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Suburban garbage
WTF is this even? We need some NIMBY proof housing laws in IL.
Well, that’s a step backwards. At least the retail is up to the lot line.
However, I’m sure all of the shops will say, at their street entrances, “Please enter through the rear”
Big Fail! Residences are needed not more retail and commercial space with a parking lot. Give me a brake! Developers and Aldermen have their heads up each other a$$.
this is embarassing
Looks like they are banking the land until interest rates come down enough to build. Hopefully they build that tower.
Agree. Drive-up retail is still very lucrative in this area. Pay the taxes and hold on until interest rates become favorable. They’ll be able to demo these in a week when the time is right.
May also be waiting for a new alderman who will allow them to build tall apartment buildings.
What a waste of a perfectly well-suited high-density residential development. This is a terrible mistake.
Another glorified parking lot, creating more induced demand in an already overly car-smothered place.
It is not clear to me why the residential is not being built.
Does anyone know the actual reason? Not just speculation and blaming ‘NIMBY’
This looks great in Huntley. It looks ridiculous near downtown Chicago.
My god……….
Prime real estate in LP and this is the best they can do??? Wow what went so wrong here?
Yecch.
For everyone who is outraged at this development, remember this entire part of Lincoln Park has been a semi-suburban-ish retail hub for decades and they are replacing older retail and parking with new retail and parking. Lost opportunity for something better: Absolutely! Huge step backward for Chicago architecture and housing? More like a stalemate.