On Thursday evening, Onni Group will take the wraps off its long-rumored plan to turn the southern tip of Goose Island into a massive, multiphase development with 2,650 residential units.
The Vancouver-based developer will present its plans for the property located at 901 N. Halsted Street at a public webinar hosted by Neighbors of River West and Near North Unity Program.
The proposed development, which also includes "commercial uses," will replace a Greyhound bus maintenance facility. Greyhound put its 8-acre property up for sale in 2017, and Onni closed a deal to pay $38 million for the site in early 2019. Onni's Goose Island plans will require city zoning approval to move forward.
The 8-acre site at 901 N. Halsted offers water frontage along both the Chicago River and Ogden Canal as well as skyline views of downtown.Original image via Google Maps
The development team hasn't shared any site plans or renderings of the upcoming project, but it's a safe bet that it involves multiple high-rise apartment towers and waterfront open space, as outlined in the city's 2017 North Branch Framework Plan and design guidelines.
Chicago architecture firm Lamar Johnson Collaborative posted a Greyhound Masterplan for a "confidential client" on its website, which provides some sense of the development's potential scale. It's unclear if LJC is actively involved in Onni's plans. It's possible the architect created the renderings as a conceptual design study or for a different developer eying the site.
If approved, Onni's proposal would represent a major shift for Goose Island, which has long been home to industries, not people. A sweeping rezone of the North Branch Corridor opened the island and surrounding industrial land to mixed-use developments like Lincoln Yards, the River District, Triangle Square, and others.
Thursday's online presentation for 901 N. Halsted is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. and all are encouraged to tune in. Zoom log-in information can be found on this meeting notice shared by the River North Residents Association.
