by Mina Bloom, one of the many reporters laid off when Joe Ricketts shut down DNAinfo and Chicagoist two weeks ago. Chicago Cityscape has invited DNAinfo Chicago reporters to continue reporting on some of the zoning, housing, and neighborhood development stories they covered while working for DNAinfo.
A pair of modern residential projects, each offering six condos, could soon rise in Avondale (see map).
In one of the projects, Chicago-based developer NOAH Properties wants to redevelop a site at 3046–48 N. California Ave., which is currently home to a two-story building and an adjoining lot. Plans include constructing a six-unit condo building with six garage parking spaces. The two-story building used to house Clyde’s bar.
NOAH Properties is aiming to sell the condos for anywhere between $450,00 — $550,000, according to Sara Barnes, zoning attorney for the developer.
Farther north, Jim Coakley of Bloomhill Homes is looking to build a residential project in place of the Grace Pentecostal Church building, 3301 N. Albany Ave., with the same specifications — six condos and six garage parking spaces.
The three-story church building, which zoning attorney Paul Kolpak called an “eyesore,” has sat vacant for years. Coakley wants to sell the condos for $499,000.
Seeking zoning changes because the California lot doesn’t allow even a 2-flat, and the Albany lot only allows single-family houses, both developers pitched neighbors and Ald. Deb Mell (view map of the 33rd Ward) at a community meeting Wednesday evening hosted by Avondale Neighborhood Association.
Several neighbors who spoke during public comment took issue with the design of the projects.
Though the two projects are not related, they share the same aesthetic: modern with red brick and big windows.
“These are like twin sisters, and I think the community has a strong voice. We’re tired of this repeated cookie cutter architecture,” said Mark Thomas, an Avondale resident and member of Avondale Neighborhood Association’s zoning committee.
Benjamin West of Axios Architects & Consultants, the firm hired to design the project at 3046–48 N. California Ave., rejected Thomas’ assertion.
“They may be twins, but the previous project is located on a quiet residential street. This is located on California. This is built into the context of the block. There’s already multi-story buildings throughout the block,” West said.
Other issues centered around affordability, parking and congestion were brought up, but none commanded as much attention as design.
Addressing some of those concerns, Kolpak said a residential project on the church site would generate tax dollars — something the church never did.
“Right now, the city of Chicago gets absolutely zero because it’s a church. Could [the project] affect your tax bill? The answer is yes,” Kolpak said.
Some neighbors like Joel Zawko, 45, applauded the developers for bringing new life to a neighborhood they say is plagued with crime and empty storefronts.
“This provides value,” Zawko said of NOAH Properties’ project. “You can sit here and talk about aesthetics. I know my street has none. I love my neighborhood, but I want it [to be] a little nicer and I want less crime.”
Mell didn’t explicitly say if she supports the projects, but suggested that Coakley’s project on Albany would be preferable to a vacant building.
“Ultimately, we want you folks to be OK with this design. A lot of our city streets, you do see these bookends with three-flats [at the end] and single-families in the middle. Thats where I’m at. I also don’t want to see a vacant property,” the alderman said.
Mell said she intends to go back to the developers to make sure they incorporate community feedback.