The Chicago Community Development Commission today approved several proposals that would save the façade of the landmark St. Boniface Church, bring affordable housing to North Lawndale and new life to a shuttered Beverly branch with a popular restaurant.

“The Commission’s actions this month move many important projects forward,” said Chris Raguso, Acting Commissioner of the Department of Community Development. “We are able to provide the land necessary to construct more affordable housing in the City, take the first step to support local schools and preserve a much-loved church façade and bring a popular restaurant to the South Side to benefit residents and businesses alike.”

Midwest TIF Redevelopment Project Area: Sale of Vacant Parcels Approved to Create Affordable Rental Housing

The Chicago Community Development Commission (CDC) approved the sale of 27 parcels of vacant land in North Lawndale, two blocks east of Douglas Park, located at the northeast corner of Ogden and California Avenues, to help support the creation of the first phase of Park Douglas, a mixed-income rental development.

The CDC approved the sale of the 27 parcels for a total of $1 each; the land is valued at $774,669.  

Phase I of the project will consist of 137 units of rental housing. Forty nine of the units will be affordable, 60 units are to be set aside for former public housing residents and 28 will be market rate units.

Park Douglas is part of a larger mixed-income residential development that will ultimately include 300 units of housing, most of it situated on land that once housed the CHA’s former Lawndale Complex and Ogden Courts public housing developments. The City conveyed the parcels to accommodate the mixed income development which is part of the CHA’s Plan for Transformation. The land will ultimately be transferred to Ogden North LLC, an entity owned by Brinshore Development Company and the Michaels Development Company.  Brinshore is one of the largest affordable housing developers in Illinois. 

Multilayered Transaction Brings New Catholic School, Preserves St. Boniface Façade and Provides Funds for Jones High School

The CDC also recommended that City Council grant the City the authority to acquire Byrd School at 319 and 363 W. Hill Street in the Near North TIF District and to advertise DCD’s intention to sublease property at that location to the Archdiocese of Chicago. These two approvals pave the way for a set of transactions that will ultimately:

• Provide a new parochial school for expanding St. Joseph parish on the Byrd School site;
• Preserve the façade of St. Boniface church and redevelop the former church site into a new senior housing development; and
• Provide additional funding for the expansion of Jones College Prep High School and allow for a new parochial school.

Popular Restaurant to Open In Former Beverly Library Site

The CDC also designated Wishbone Holdings, LLC, as the successful respondent to the RFP to purchase and redevelop the former Beverly branch library at 2105-25 W. 95th Street in the 95th/Western Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area. The property consists of two buildings and parking for 25 cars.  The City will convey the former library to Wishbone Holdings for $1 with an $869,999 land write-down. The estimated costs to rehabilitate the buildings are more than $1.1 million or $105 per square foot. Annual property taxes are estimated to total $35,000 and annual sales taxes are expected to reach $250,000.  The project will generate 50 permanent jobs and 50 temporary construction jobs.  The property had served as the Beverly library since the 1980s; a new library opened in the community last summer.  The restaurant will be a full-service 170-seat, sit-down restaurant with private dining rooms. 

Approval of RFP to Redevelop Property on 5200 Block of West Lawrence in Portage Park

In other action, the CDC gave authority to issue a request for proposals for the purchase and redevelopment of the property located at 5201 – 09 W. Lawrence Avenue in the Jefferson Park Tax Increment Financing Redevelopment Project Area in the Portage Park community. The City acquired the land four years ago to be developed as a mixed-use development.

The land has been appraised at $562,500. Through the RFP process the City will seek a development entity that can redevelop the site to enhance the Jefferson Park Business District and promote transit use. 

Approval of Redevelopment Plan for the Stony Island Commercial- Burnside Industrial Corridor TIF Redevelopment Project Amendment---

The CDC also approved the extension of the Stony Island Commercial- Burnside Industrial Corridor TIF Redevelopment Project for an additional 12 years, extending its term length from 23 to 35 years, running from 1998 to 2033.   This extension will retain jobs in the area and ensure there is enough increment to allow for other potential projects.