The residential development at 707 West Briar Place in the city’s Lake View neighborhood has reached its full height, as exterior masonry work nears completion. Windows now cover the front façade, while the building’s front door and second-floor terrace doors are awaiting installation.
707-709 West Briar Place in Lake View. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Ronan Construction is the developer and general contractor. for the new project. Michael Cox & Associates designed the four-story, six-unit project, which will include a rooftop deck and an access stairway on the back of the building. No garage was included when the City of Chicago issued the new construction permit back in January of last year. Instead, there will be one surface parking space for each dwelling unit, located at the back of the property and accessed from a curb cut off a dead-end portion of Orchard Street to the east.
Foundation work in July 2024, which began immediately after demolition wrapped up. Photo by Daniel Schell
Foundation progress in July. Photo by Daniel Schell
The new building replaces an 1890s-era graystone that was permitted for demolition on June 6 of this year, with demo work starting immediately after permission was granted. Once Bridges Excavating had finished razing that structure, Ronan was able to begin digging out the foundation for the new building.
Demolition progress in June. Photo by Daniel Schell
Demolition of 707 West Briar Place, July 12, 2024. Photo by Daniel Schell
Residents of 707 West Briar Place will have only a one-block walk to catch a show by Blue Man Group at the Briar Street Theatre. CTA Routes 8 and 22 buses stop just a bit farther away, at Halsted and Clark. One block north is access to Routes 77, 151, and 156 on Belmont Avenue. The nearest elevated trains are accessible at the Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line platform a little less than half a mile west.
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This is nice but not worth the tear down. It replaced a building of similar scale. Plus, that building was gorgeous and historic. This is the housing affordability crises at a small scale. Housing units added but at a net-zero increase and double the price.
Well said. Thank you!
You can’t tell me there is no way that they couldn’t have at least incorporated some portion of that historic facade into this boring box of condos?? GRRR…
Right? I hate the developers in this city. Absolutely always doing the least. Not only are we totally behind Miami and NYC (not to mention Asia and the Middle East) in contemporary architecture now but we’re also erasing our past legacy for mediocre crap. It’s two steps backwards and I wish I knew what to do about it.