Request for Proposals

Chicago is known for its diverse neighborhoods, but it is also a city of 50 wards, each led by an alderperson with their own agenda. As 2025 begins, the city is grappling with budget issues, population growth, and rising crime perception, while aldermanic prerogative—where each alderman has veto power over development in their ward—adds another layer of hurdles to solving these challenges. We’ll examine this issue today through the lens of two major residential projects currently stuck in bureaucratic red tape, including Old Town Canvas, which was blocked by Alderman Brian Hopkins just yesterday.

A permit was approved earlier this week for a new three-story residential building at 4750 S Martin Luther King Drive in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood. Walton Street Builders Inc is listed as the owner and plans indicate this project will yield three total units, each with rear steal porches and an egress staircase. The development will be accompanied by a concrete patio and a four-car private masonry garage. The development will replace a vacant lot.