Plan Commission approves development at 3265 N. California

The Chicago Plan Commission has approved a mutli-building residential development at 3265 N. California. Planned by Macon Construction Group, the project site is a large vacant site at the intersection of W. Melrose St and N. California. 

Designed by Hirsch MPG, the revised scheme cuts out the second multi-unit building planned for the northern end of the site and replaces it with more townhomes in response to community feedback. The new plan proposes a 65-unit multifamily building at the south end of the site with 40 new townhomes occupying the rest of the site. The developer will provide 21 affordable units on-site to meet the 20% affordable housing requirement per the ARO. 

Overlooking the corner of W. Melrose St and N. California Ave, the plan calls for a five-story apartment building with 65 residential units The ground floor will have nine residential units and the residential lobby along N. California Ave while the back portion of the building will have an interior garage with 21 car parking spaces and 65 bike parking spaces. The parking will be accessed from a private drive that runs along the north side of the building.

In the middle of the site, there will be 24 townhomes lined up in two rows-oriented east to west facing an internal courtyard. Each townhome will be a three-story, four-bedroom home with a two-car garage accessed via a private drive running along the townhomes. An additional 14 surface parking spots will be included at the east end of the townhomes, and 40 bike parking spaces will be included. 

At the north end of the site, a row of 16 townhomes will replace the originally planned multi-unit building. These 16 townhomes will include 15 three-bedroom homes and one four-bedroom home. All of them will have private two-car garages accessed from the site’s private drive. 

To allow for the scope of the project, the developer is seeking a rezoning from M1-1 and M2-2 to a unified B2-3 with a Planned Development designation. With approval from the Chicago Plan Commission secured, the $65 million development can seek final approvals from the Committee on Zoning and City Council. The developer plans to break ground in Q3 2025 with completion set for Q1 2027.