DPD selects winner of West Garfield Park RFP

The Chicago Department of Planning and Development has announced the winner of its West Garfield Park RFQ. Originally launched in 2022, two competing proposals were announced in August 2023. 

Located at 3835 W. Madison, the 1.8-acre site at the southwest corner of W. Madison St and S. Hamlin Blvd was formerly home to a grocery store that closed and a parking lot. The City of Chicago decided to purchase the property as well as privately owned commercial buildings on the adjacent lots and pursue redevelopment through this RFQ process.

Planned by Westgate Partners, the project will feature a five-story building with 55 affordable apartments, a ground-floor restaurant and a 10,400-square-foot grocery store. A public plaza and 72 exterior parking spaces for tenants and visitors will be located at ground level.

Designed by Valerio Dewalt Train and Latent Design, the winning proposal has been revised from the competition proposal scope. In 2023, the proposal would have built a 72-unit, nine-story building, which has now been scaled back to the five-story winning scheme that will have 55 units. The project’s design language has remained consistent.

Expected to cost $45.3 million, public assistance for the development may include up to $20 million in Tax Increment Financing (TIF), $690,000 in Neighborhood Opportunity Fund proceeds, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and New Markets Tax Credits. 

According to DPD, Westgate was selected as the winning proposal due to its design, financial viability, and development team experience and composition. The proposal will advance to the Community Development Commission for review in coming months, followed by an introduction to City Council.