City Council approves 3831 W. Chicago

The Chicago City Council has approved plans for a mixed-use development at 3831 W. Chicago. Planned by 548 Capital, the project will occupy a block-long site between N. Avers Ave and N. Springfield Ave. The center portion of the property is currently under the ownership of the developer, while the lots at each intersection are currently city-owned. Two city-owned lots along N. Springfield Ave are also part of the project.

Designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative, the mixed-use project will rise four floors, holding 60 apartments, with approximately 7,700 square feet of retail space planned for a grocery store and cafe on the ground floor. Located on the top three floors, the units will be split into 19 studios, 21 one-beds, 15 two-beds, and 5 three-beds. With the building planned as a mixed-income project, 6 apartments will be priced at 30% AMI, 42 at 60% AMI, and 12 rented at market-rate.

With community programming on the western end of the ground floor, the space will look out into a covered plaza that sits underneath the building’s overhang. The U-shaped building allows for a parking lot along the alley for 48 cars with access to the grocery store and both residential lobbies. The facade has been designed with a framed grid of window units distinguished with varying patterns of angled frames. Varying modules protrude and are expressed with colored metal accents.  

The $40.8 million development will be financed through multiple funding streams. The capital stack includes a private mortgage of $4 million, a deferred developer fee worth $625,000, $385,000 from a ComEd grant, $1.5 million in LIHTC equity, $4.7 million from an ARO contribution, $2.3 million in Donation Tax Credit equity, and the $18.7 million in requested TIF funding. 

With City Council approval of the project’s rezoning and Planned Development application, the site is now ready to be developed. The development team is still awaiting City Council approval for the anticipated TIF funding and land sale which was approved by the Community Development Commission in October. While no official timeline has been shared, construction will likely start soon after the final City Council approval is secured.