The Chicago Plan Commission has approved a mixed-use rehabilitation at 4712 W Irving Park Road in Portage Park. Bound by N Cicero Avenue to the west and across the street from the upcoming 4747 W Irving Park Road, the project will rehabilitate and add on to an existing Sears department store which has occupied the site since 1938. The $90 million dollar rehabilitation of the historic store is being led by Six Corners Real Estate Development LLC and is part of a greater economic development effort to attract more businesses and diversify the area.
The development will consist of 50,000 square feet of commercial retail space facing the main intersection, capped by the two residential lobbies on each end. The north end of the old store will be reconstructed as a part of the new parking garage with 275 parking spots serving both the retail component and the 207 residential units that will occupy the upper floors of the building. The plan also includes new window openings, facade rehabilitation work, an outdoor rooftop amenity space, and 207 bicycle parking spaces.
7412 W Irving Park Road Second Floor Plan
The 207 units are split between studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments and 2.5 percent of those, or 6 units, will meet the Affordability Requirement Ordinance. These residences, along with a nearly $2 million dollar payment to the city’s Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund, make up the project’s affordable housing requirements.
Rendering of Cuyler Avenue Redevelopment
A key aspect at road level of the project is the redevelopment of Cuyler Avenue into a more pedestrian-friendly throughway for local residents. The main element of this will be the widening of existing sidewalks and addition of new sidewalks on the north side of Cuyler Avenue. This coupled with landscaping, lighting, crosswalks, and a new residential entrance aim to bring new life to this underutilized stretch.
Cuyler Avenue Redevelopment Diagram
When completed, the 97-foot-tall building will be located near CTA buses 54, 54A, 56, and 80 on the intersection of W Irving Park Road, N Cicero Avenue, and N Milwaukee Avenue. Nearby the CTA Blue Line at Montrose station is a 15-minute walk and the Grayland Metra station is a nine-minute walk. The project is expected to begin work next year and welcome its first residents in 2023.
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We really have to stop allowing developers to pay the in-lieu fee for affordable units.