The upcoming Woodlawn Central development has taken another step forward as it has now secured City Council approval. The multi-building proposal has been in the works for a few years and has seen refinement since it was initially introduced over four years ago. Efforts for the project have been led by the Apostolic Church of God, which owns the multiple parcels.
Site massing of Woodlawn Central phase one by Gensler
The first phase is being designed by global architecture firm Gensler and will replace a wedge-shaped parking lot located at 6309 South Dorchester Avenue. The new structure will be anchored by a three-story podium spanning nearly the entire length of the block from East 63rd Street to the north and East 64th Street to the south.
Rendering of Woodlawn Central phase one by Gensler
The podium will leave a small pedestrian plaza on the southern tip and contain 26,500 square feet of commercial space split between a food market and dining outpost for the hotel tower. The rest of the floors will hold 300 parking spaces shared between guests, residents, and the congregation, all of which will be capped by a large rooftop deck.
Floor plans of Woodlawn Central phase one by Gensler
Rising above will be two towers, each capping out at 14 stories tall. The southern residential tower will hold 104 residential units made up of eight studios, 48 one-bedroom, 40 two-bedroom, and eight three-bedroom layouts, of which 22 will be affordable. The northern hotel structure will contain 160 rooms aimed at accommodating added traffic from the nearby Obama Presidential Center.
Rendering of Woodlawn Central phase one by Gensler
Future phases of Woodlawn Central call for a 13-building mixed-use campus with roughly 1,000 residential units, senior housing, an urban farm, retail, green space, and a small theater. This first phase will come with a price tag of $134 million and is expected to break ground in early 2027, with an estimated completion date of mid-2028.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
good to see Apostolic finally doing something good for the neighborhood.
They should extend the Greenline back to Stony Island Ave and have it connect to the 63rd Street Metra station. Would go a long way in facilitating traffic (And Business) to the new Library.
Can Woodlawn accommodate the types of rents required to make a development like this feasible? If so great, just wondering out loud.
Yeah this is close enough to the University of Chicago to attract students and early-career professors. They’ll be fine
Yes. The east side of Woodlawn has 2 bedroom apartments that are renting for over $2,000 a month in existing buildings, which is in line with areas where high rise new construction is garnering just over $3k a month.
Presidential libraries are most active in their initial years with attendance generally falling substantially after the first three or four years. The hotel doesn’t sound like it will be finished within the first four years of existence of the Obama Library. Ultimately a dorm for U of C?
Orrrrr
They are trying to capitalize on the energy of the new hospital and the Quantum Microelectronics site going up three miles away.
With the expansions of UC’s hospital presence, the campus in general, and other investments like Obama’s library, the energy of Woodlawn is ripe, as Hyde Park’s influence is starting to expand outward. Washington Park has been benefiting from some of that ripple effect. Think big picture ideas. There’s a lot at play for the South side.
So excited about this project and its residential growth potential. With both the new NITA Board and fresh new Metra Board members, its my hope that the super station concept at 63rd and Dorchester will grow in popularity this fall. Recently, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle spoke with excitement about possibly connecting the Redline Extension 115th station with the Metra Blue Island line. 63rd Street is will be centerstaged for Greenline Modernization Planning!