Five-story TOD breaks ground at former Heartland Cafe site

In Rogers Park, work is underway on a new five-story, mixed-use building at the former site of the Heartland Cafe restaurant. The transit-oriented development will bring 2,500 square feet of retail, 30 residential units, and parking for 15 cars and 30 bicycles to the northwest corner of Lunt and Glenwood avenues.

Developer AGE Properties received a permit to break ground on the North Side project back in June 2020 but experienced "significant delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain shortages, and an electricity grid issue they had to resolve with ComEd," according to a recent email notice from Ald. Maria Hadden (49th).

The developer initially pitched a six-story structure with 60 units for the site. That plan needed a zoning change and would have required the project to include 10 percent (six units) of affordable housing. Hadden ultimately opposed the zoning change after pushback from the community, so the current proposal is being built "as of right" (ie without a zoning change) and will include no affordable units.

Designed by SPACE Architects, the upcoming building at 7000 N. Glenwood Avenue will also contain a 467-square foot party room with a 568-square foot exterior deck on the fifth floor. The building permit lists Kelly Construction & Design as the development's general contractor.