The Chicago Plan Commission has approved the redevelopment of the historic Up Top Building within historic Altgeld Gardens. Located at 13100 South Ellis Avenue, the curved one-story building long served as the commercial hub of the surrounding community prior to falling into disrepair after years of disinvestment in the area.
Rendering of By The Hand Club For Kids by Present Future Architects
Rendering of By The Hand Club For Kids by Present Future Architects
Now, local nonprofit By The Hand Club For Kids is set to take over the structure, bringing new life to the last vacant building within the larger Altgeld Gardens property. The building itself is made up of two separate structures connected by a single swooping, overhanging roof, creating a small passthrough that has become a memorial for victims of gun violence.
Rendering of By The Hand Club For Kids by Present Future Architects
Floor plans of By The Hand Club For Kids by Present Future Architects
Working with Present Future Architects, the plans call for the restoration of both structures, the reopening of its famed storefront windows, enclosing the passthrough as a new lobby with the memorial preserved, and the construction of a new double-height addition for a full-size gym. The after-school center will serve kids in grades K–12.
Rendering of By The Hand Club For Kids by Present Future Architects
Rendering of By The Hand Club For Kids by Present Future Architects
The 9,800-square-foot center will include nine classrooms, two computer labs, a multi-purpose room, a reading room, a high-school kids’ lounge, a kitchen, offices, and more. The gym addition will be clad in brick set to complement the existing building, accented with translucent panels. Users will also have access to a renovated 70-space parking lot in the rear.
Elevations of By The Hand Club For Kids by Present Future Architects
Since our last coverage just over a week ago, we now know the development will cost $24.3 million to complete. Once funding is secured, the team hopes to break ground later this year and begin opening in the fall of 2027.
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Imagine if the city was this quick with residential towers NEXT TO towers just as tall.
*Cough cough* North Side pricks…
Chicago has some really cool stuff still from our retro past. I hope more gets some life back in the cheeks.
One has nothing to do with the other but that doesn’t stop the whiners.
Planning Commission Approval? Very much does have to do with the same set of rules governing Chicago’s land use. Very different project types, but the process efficiency is 1-1.
Public vs. private doesn’t have to follow the same rules, but seeing this project make headway and move on to the next step makes sense, whereas the Old Town tower took YEARS just for the massing… Yes, it’s f’ed.
Looked it up just to know the facts.
Took 3.5 years for the Planning Commission to grant approval for the Old Town tower.
This project… less than a month if all presented info is accurate in timeline of introduction.
So what? It was the neighborhood that objected to many aspects of that project. This is (still) a democracy and the neighbors – YIMBY or NIMBY – have a say in what gets built.
The Planning Commission has the first say.
It should be unbiased and simply interpret the zoning and building codes with reasonable applications of change to the initial code.
A year’s + fight is not showing the baseline as being partial. This project being approved in less than a month is how the city SHOULD function. That’s the base issue.
The fact that the Old Town tower got hijacked by NIMBYs sets a terrible precedent for all. And it’s happening again with the Emanuel Congregation redevelopment.
Such issues then push that demand into areas that weren’t of initial interest. Which… isn’t a terrible problem to have, but creates contentious energy for those getting priced out of their original neighborhoods. Chicago isn’t quite there yet, but sweeps happen fast. We saw it with 606 Trail, West Loop went up like a match, and the conditions are ripe for East Garfield Park, Bronzeville, Pilsen, and Humboldt Park.
The main idea: The Planning Commission shouldn’t be used to influence an agenda when the projects make sense from an urban planning perspective. All parts of the city should shoulder responsibility for the city’s finances, but poorer areas must not be sacrificed because richer areas have more resources to pursue their agendas.
Gorgeous
We are so excited about this site development and it’s potential to improve academic performance, repurposed facilities, introduction of clean drinking water, normalizing social interaction, elimination of blighted conditions, innovation in energy efficiency (possible use of solar panel farm), improved Green Infrastructure, recreational attraction, expanded nutritional offerings, year round teen employment and apprenticeship opportunities and local permanent jobs and social enterprises options. Looking forward to a reasonable public benefit agreement to strengthen its range of enterprising and school improvement planning.