Plan Commission approves two-tower development at 170 N. May and 175 N. Racine

The Chicago Plan Commission has approved LG Group’s revised plans for a two-tower mixed-use development at 170 N. May and 175 N. Racine. 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. 

Originally approved back in 2021, the previous design by Gensler, called for one 29-story tower that would have risen 330 feet tall. Holding 486 apartments, the building would have held retail space on the ground floor and 261 parking spaces. 

With bKL Architecture on board for the new version, the site will become home to two residential towers. Rising along N. May St, the first phase tower at 170 N. May would be the shorter of the two, standing 25 stories tall reaching 315 feet in height. The smaller building would have 287 dwelling units, 252 parking spaces, and 287 bike parking spaces. 

The second phase of the project would see the construction of a 38-story tower reaching 450 feet in height at 175 N. Racine. Rising at the corner of W. Lake St and N. Racine Ave, the building would have 380 residential units, 257 parking spaces, and 380 bike parking spaces. The overall development will satisfy the ARO requirements by providing 133 affordable units across the two buildings.

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. Phase 2 would have its residential lobby along N. Racine Ave, with retail space at the corner of W. Lake St and N. Racine Ave. The bike room would be located along W. Lake St, with loading and parking access for both buildings from the midblock alley connection. 

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 Confluence serving as the landscape architect, the design will reclaim some of the angled parking along W. Randolph St for more space for plantings as well as an opportunity for outdoor seating. Curb bump outs will be added along W. Randolph St and W. Lake St. Seating elements with planters will be included along the L tracks. 

With approval from the Chicago Plan Commission secured, the $300 million development can now go before the Committee on Zoning and the full City Council to get final approvals. With a grocer interested in the space, LG Group intends to start Phase 1 as soon as Spring 2025 and will build the second phase after the first building is completed.