Following up on last month’s demolition permit article, partial site clearing has begun for a 21-story mixed-use tower at 741 N Wells Street in River North. Planned by Vista Property Group, the development will integrate with a historic three-story brick building at its northwest corner bordering the intersection of W Chicago Avenue and N Wells Street.
The Permit Review Committee has approved plans to convert the former Immaculata High School at 640 W Irving Park Road in Uptown for residential use. As previously reported, the redevelopment efforts are led by KGiles LLC and CA Ventures. Local firms Perkins Eastman and Level Architecture are assisting with the design of the mid-rise.
The project will yield a 22-story senior living high-rise with 192 units to be built on the American Islamic College’s existing parking lot. The existing school building was designated a city landmark in 1983 and will be converted into an additional 245 apartments. The landmark designation encompasses all parts of the school and additions but did not specify the scope of protection. It has been determined that exterior elevations, as well as the central lobby’s cast iron stair and two-story auditorium, are the significant features to be protected from demolition or alteration.
A permit was issued Thursday for a one-and-a-half-story commercial building to be located at 4620 W Armitage Avenue in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood. The permit owner is listed as Keane Management LLC and the permit indicated this will be for commercial use including office and storage. The property site is currently vacant.
More detailed plans for Shapack‘s West Town megadevelpmont have now been reviewed by the Committee on Design. Now called “NOMA,” the 3.25-acre assemblage in the River West area of West Town would yield 1,500 new residential units, a hotel, and a multitude of new commercial options. The assemblage revolves around the former Salvation Army Building, which Shapack will convert to a new 141-key hotel and restaurant venue designed by Eckenhoff Saunders Architects. The existing multi-tone masonry facade will be refurbished and have its windows replaced. There will also be a new masonry penthouse enclosure added atop a portion of the roof.
The Commission on Chicago Landmarks has issued preliminary landmark recommendations for Epworth United Methodist Church at 5253 N Kenmore Avenue in Edgewater.
