Chicago's two-, three- and four-flats are disappearing: "As Chicago looks to combat a shortage of affordable housing, its communities face a key challenge: the loss of the city's iconic two-, three- and four-flats. Lincoln Park lost 16% of these small residential buildings between 2013 and 2019. In North Center, the losses totaled 14%. The Oakland community area lost about 11% of two- to four-flats and in West Englewood nearly 7% disappeared in the same time frame. In high-cost communities, the buildings often were replaced with single-family homes. In lower-cost neighborhoods they were often demolished, leaving behind empty lots." (Chicago Tribune)
West Loop developer planning 1.1 million-square-foot 'Fulton Square' development at 1200 W. Fulton Market: "Developer Fulton Street Cos. plans to redevelop the 2-acre eastern half of the block along with two apartment buildings totaling close to 600 units and a 500,000-square-foot office building. The vision, dubbed Fulton Square, would add to a series of proposals for new residential buildings in Fulton Market north of Lake Street after the city lifted a ban on such projects earlier this year." (Crain's Chicago Business)
Plus, more life sciences development is coming to Fulton Market: "Veteran Chicago developer Mark Goodman wants to build a massive life sciences lab building along the western edge of the Fulton Market District, a project that could boost an emerging cluster of properties for pharmaceutical and biotechnology research in the trendy former meatpacking corridor. Goodman this week presented plans to a West Loop neighborhood group committee for a 19-story, 500,000-square-foot lab and office building at 400 N. Elizabeth Street." (Crain's Chicago Business)
A rendering of the 19-story life sciences building in the works for 400 N. Elizabeth in Fulton Market.Solomon Cordwell Buenz
CTA and Metra riders are slowly returning. Here's what they're finding on trains and buses: "With ridership on CTA and Metra still at a fraction of pre-pandemic levels, the agencies are planning for the possibility that ridership won't return to normal anytime soon. To woo back riders, CTA kicked off a marketing effort Friday that includes advertising, special events, and new customer incentives. The "When you're ready, we're ready" campaign aims to provide information about mask requirements, cleaning efforts, and investments in service and technology, such as an updated Ventra app." (Chicago Tribune)
In the first week after the city lifted its ban on Accessory Dwelling Units, more than 100 property owners have applied to build ADUs: "Chicago's ADU ordinance went into effect on May 1, 2021, and the Chicago Department of Housing launched an online intake form and website the following Monday... In the first week, 110 applications have been submitted representing at least 123 units. Here's the breakdown of how many additional dwelling units owners are proposing, and where." (Chicago Cityscape)
Auburn Gresham residents push back on city-backed affordable housing development: "With growing pushback on one of her signature programs, Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined a recent South Side community meeting to help promote an Auburn Gresham affordable housing project many residents oppose. Auburn Gardens, a $20 million retail and residential space with 62 affordable apartments, is slated to be built on vacant land at 838-58 W. 79th St. The complex is part of the INVEST South/West plan, an initiative created by Lightfoot to bring new development to Chicago's West and South Side neighborhoods." (Block Club Chicago)
A rendering of the Auburn Gardens proposal submitted by developers as part of Mayor Lightfoot's INVEST South/West program.City of Chicago
Racial inequality in how Chicago homes are valued is on the rise: "The disparity in home values between white neighborhoods and Black and Latinx communities has increased more than six-fold over the past four decades. In 1980, there was a $50,000 gap between Black/Latinx neighborhood home values and white ones. In 2015, that gap was $324,000." (WBEZ Chicago)
Downtown Synagogue hopes worshippers return soon to save the building and its famed stained glass window: "Leaders of Chicago Loop Synagogue say the 92-year-old institution might not last another 18 months unless regular worshippers return... If the temple is forced to relocate, it'll call into question the future of the synagogue's 30-by-40-foot stained glass window, which attracts tourists from all over the world." (Block Club Chicago)
'Ridiculous' environmental checks holding up sale of city-owned lots: "Aldermen called on Tuesday for city planning and real estate officials to chart out their progress on reviewing applications for city-owned land, blaming legally required environmental checks for a backlog of vacant lots in their wards." (The Daily Line)
