CHICAGO – More than 400 parcels of vacant land are being made available April 1 by the City of Chicago for purchase and redevelopment, including 54 lots being offered for Missing Middle housing on the Far South Side, a CTA site to be used for mixed-income housing in Lake View, and more than nine acres of industrial land for mixed-uses in Armour Square and New City, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced today.   

“Being marketed on the ChiBlockBuilder.com website, the properties are collectively valued at $26 million and represent some of the best private investment opportunities in the entire city,” Mayor Johnson said. 

“Supporting the redevelopment of these sites is how we all Build Better Together. Particularly during Fair Housing Month, we need to continue to leverage all of our tools to spur development and build affordable housing across our city,” Johnson continued, referencing ongoing efforts to reduce bureaucratic red tape and leverage public resources and private-sector coordination through City agencies. 

• The Missing Middle lots are part of a Department of Planning and Development (DPD) infill housing initiative launched last year in North Lawndale. Intended for one- to six-unit, market-rate residential buildings, the 54 City-owned properties are being sold as 11 separate clusters in Morgan Park, Chatham and South Chicago. Potential development incentives include up to $150,000 in financial assistance per unit and the sale of each lot for $1. Applications are due May 15, 2025. 

• The .46-acre CTA parcel at 3214-54 N. Wilton Ave. is adjacent to the Belmont Avenue transit station, where it has been used for construction-related staging since 2006, including the soon-to-be completed Red-Purple Modernization Phase One project. Federal transit guidelines require at least 40% of future units to be affordable for tenants earning 30% to 60% of the area median income. Valued at $4.3 million, the site’s recommended zoning is B2-3. Potential development incentives include a discounted purchase price and donation tax credits for applications submitted through ChiBlockBuilder by June 30. Proposals alternatively seeking Low-Income Housing Tax Credits through the Department of Housing’s 2025 Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) can review deadline instructions when the QAP is published. 

• A .95-acre, City-owned parcel at 466 W. Cermak Road includes more than 200 feet of river frontage within the Pilsen Industrial Corridor. Current PMD (Subarea B) zoning permits redevelopment for commercial, industrial, restaurant, grocery, office, artist workspaces and other uses. The site is valued at approximately $1.16 million. Submissions are due June 30. 

• An 8.2-acre, City-owned parcel at 1924 W. 46th St. is located within the Stockyards Industrial Corridor. Current C3-2 zoning permits business support services, urban farms, construction sales and service, restaurants, retail, grocery, offices, sports and recreation facilities, clean manufacturing and other uses. The site is valued at $3.3 million. Submissions are due June 30. 

Nearly 350 additional lots are available through ChiBlockBuilder for private purchase, either for new commercial, residential, mixed-use construction, as well as side yards, open space and urban agriculture. Applications for vacant lots are due May 16 or June 30 unless otherwise indicated.  

“These neighborhood investment opportunities are part of the City’s holistic approach to neighborhood needs, starting with the land where people work, live and raise families,” DPD Commissioner Ciere Boatright said. “It’s exciting to return them to productive uses by the private sector, where they belong.” 

For site details and application information, visit ChiBlockBuilder.com. 

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