Retail development at 1800 N. Clybourn proceeds without residential tower

Developer CRM Properties is moving forward with its retail redevelopment of Clybourn Place at 1800 N. Clybourn, opting to proceed under the site’s existing zoning instead of waiting to seek zoning approval for a proposed residential tower within the site. Located in Lincoln Park, the property runs along N. Clybourn Ave and N. Sheffield Ave bisected by W. Willow St and bound by N. Marcey St to the west. 

Dubbed the Willow Street District, the plan calls for five new retail buildings, totaling 43,900 square feet of retail space. According to the site plan shared by Alderman Hopkins’ office via their weekly newsletter, four buildings will be located in the portion of the site on the north side of W. Willow St with a center parking lot with 101 spaces. The property south of W. Willow St will have one 8,300-square foot retail structure with 99 parking spaces. 

The update is a departure from the original plan for the site, announced back in May 2024. The developer had planned a denser assemblage of retail buildings with less parking and a 500-unit residential tower that could have risen 520 feet tall. While the residential tower is reportedly not entirely scrapped, the developer has decided to move forward under the site’s existing zoning to allow for the retail scope of the project to move forward. 

Demolition work to clear the site is expected to begin in the coming months with new construction set to follow that. A specific timeline for construction and delivery has not been announced.