Chicago Department of Planning and Development

Morning Star Baptist Church of Chicago in Bronzeville and the former Harris Trust & Savings Bank complex in the Loop received final landmark recommendations at today's Commission on Chicago Landmarks meeting. Morning Star Baptist Church was built in 1912, serving as a religious and community gathering place for thousands of arrivals to the area during the Great Migration. With renovations in 1937 and 1968, the building showcases the evolution of church architecture throughout the 20th century. Harris Trust & Savings Bank includes a 1911 Classical Revival building and a modern east tower designed by Walter Netsch added in 1960. The buildings reflect the Loop's growth as a financial center in the 20th century. The designation is part of the building's $179 million office-to-residential conversion that will add 345 mixed-income units to the Loop.

The City of Chicago is seeking proposals for the redevelopment of .95 acres of vacant, City-owned property in the Pilsen Industrial Corridor. Located along 200 feet of riverfront property at 466 W. Cermak Road, the site presents a unique opportunity to create an equitable, transit-oriented development in Armour Square that's in close proximity to Chinatown, the Cermak-Chinatown CTA station, and the Cermak Road Bridge Historic District. The site is valued at approximately $1.16 million. A pre-submission webinar for developers and the general public will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, April 15. Register to attend at Chicago.gov/RFPs. #BuildBetterTogether

Commissioner Boatright joined Mayor Johnson and local dignitaries today to formally open Auburn Gresham Apartments, a $47 million affordable housing complex in the heart of Auburn Gresham. A joint venture of minority-owned developer Imagine Group and Evergreen Real Estate Group, the project includes two buildings constructed on former City-owned land: ✅ A five-story building at 757 W. 79th St. with 30 one- to three-bedroom apartments, 14 parking spaces and 3,300 square feet of commercial space to be occupied by KLEO Community Center and The Park Supper Club. ✅ A three-story building at 838 W. 79th St. with 28 one- to three-bedroom apartments, 28 parking spots and 5,200 square feet of commercial space to be occupied by West African food purveyor AYO Foods. The project is the result of a 2020 DPD Request for Proposals to revitalize City land along the 79th Street commercial corridor with a vibrant mix of new uses. All the apartments in both buildings are priced at affordable levels for households earning 60% of Area Median Income, with monthly rental rates ranging from $995 to $1,600 per month. Construction crews included nearly 60/10 percent minority- and women-owned business participation.  "I like to say 'retail follows rooftops,'" Commissioner Boatright said during a damp but festive ribbon-cutting ceremony. "And that’s what we have with these incredible additions to 79th Street."

The City of Chicago is seeking development team qualifications for the redevelopment of 8.2 acres of vacant City land within New City. Located at 1924 W. 46th St., the site presents a unique opportunity to create a transition zone between several adjacent uses, including a shopping center, industrial property and residential neighborhoods. The site is valued at $3.3 million. A pre-submission webinar for developers and the general public will be held at 3 p.m. Monday, April 14. Questions submitted after the webinar will be compiled in an online FAQ to be updated at regular intervals until June 1, 2025. Learn more at Chicago.gov/RFQ.

🚨 Jobs alert! DPD is hiring a Director of Land Acquisition/Disposition in its Citywide Planning bureau. Learn more and apply today at Chicago.gov/careers.

"Last month, the city picked two developer finalists who’ll vie to build a $40 million to $50 million market rate residential rental and retail complex on a 6-acre vacant lot on the southwest corner of 115th Street and Michigan Avenue." https://lnkd.in/g9eHhSfX

Development proposals for the 54 Missing Middle lots in Chatham, South Chicago and Morgan Park are being accepted until May 16, 2025. Register to attend a pre-submission webinar on either April 9 or 11 at Chicago.gov/MissingMiddle to learn more.

Welcome to Chicago Printmakers Collaborative (CPC), a one-stop shop for all things printmaking! With the help of a $250,000 Community Development Grant, CPC created more opportunities for its community through classes, events, and residencies. In addition to strengthening CPC's offerings, this expansion provides the studio with a storefront in the newly established arts district in Lincoln Square. Interested in applying for a Community Development Grant (Small)? Register to attend an informational webinar on Thurs. April 3 from 3-4:30 p.m at Chicago.gov/CDG.

🏗️ More than $380 million in development proposals were approved at this week's Chicago Plan Commission meeting, continuing a fast-paced start to 2025. The approvals include: ✅ A $294 million, 39-story mixed-income building at 350 N. Morgan St. on the Near West Side with 573 homes and 11,000 square feet of retail. ✅ A $71.1 million, 90-unit affordable residential building at 5853 N. Broadway in Edgewater. ✅ A $14.5 million, 49-unit office-to-residential conversion at 1006 S. Michigan Ave. in the Loop. ✅ A $1.5 million Starbucks store at 9429 S. Stony Island Ave. in Calumet Heights. The commission also heard updates on a trio of DPD business corridor planning initiatives to support local investment: the 79th Street Corridor Plan in Auburn Gresham, the Armitage Industrial Corridor Framework Plan on the Northwest Side, and Moving Archer Forward on the Southwest Side. Plan adoptions could occur starting this spring. In 2025, Plan Commission has approved more than $7.9 billion in new projects and 10,800 new residential units through March.

Free tickets are now available for the 2025 Chicago Preservation Expo on Monday, May 19 at the Chicago Cultural Center! Reserve now at https://lnkd.in/gGeZQ9Jx. In celebration of National Historic Preservation Month, join the Chicago Department of Planning and Development (DPD) for the 2025 Chicago Preservation Expo! Through this free event, attendees can connect with City staff, community and nonprofit organizations, professional service providers and trades experts at the forefront of historic preservation in Chicago. DPD will also present the 25th edition of the Preservation Excellence Awards on behalf of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks from 6-7 p.m. Selected by the commission’s Permit Review Committee, the awardees include a variety of individual landmarks and landmark district projects showcasing the best in preservation work across the city.