Permits are in the works for 27-story tower at 170 N. May

A caisson permit has been filed for the first building in a two-tower mixed-use development at 170 N. May. Planned by LG Group, the former Amylu Foods project site is an L-shaped parcel bound by W. Lake St, N. May St, W. Randolph St, and N. Racine Ave, with two buildings at the corner of W. Randolph St and N. Racine Ave not included in this parcel. 

Designed by bKL Architecture, the first phase tower at 170 N. May would be the shorter of the two, standing 27 stories tall according to the permit filing. The permit filing lists the unit count at a higher 322 dwelling units, up from 287 dwelling units at its approval. While the permit does not state, the building was planned to include 252 parking spaces and 287 bike parking spaces. 

On the ground floor, the residential entry for Phase 1 would be midblock on N. May St with some retail space at the corner of W. Lake St and N. May St. A large retail space would occupy all the ground floor south of the midblock alley towards the corner of W. Randolph St and N. May St. 

The design sculpts the buildings with staggered setbacks that step back from W. Randolph St to push the density up toward W. Lake St while still keeping setbacks from the noise of the L tracks. The very long podium facade along N. May St is broken down with a brick design for the grocer and portion down to W. Randolph St, with the tower facade coming down to the ground midblock to the residential entry. The northern portion uses a metal facade on the podium instead of brick to reference the industrial qualities seen in the metal L track structures.

With the caisson permit filed, the $300 million development looks to be moving forward. While no official announcements have been made, the developer indicated at the time of City Council approval that they had a grocer interested in the ground floor retail space and intended to begin construction of the Phase 1 tower as soon as Spring 2025. An updated timeline has not been announced.