Wednesday, November 3, 2010

A Decent Proposal

A reader sends in the following pic and suggestion:
"Now that Target is open and bringing people from outside the ward INTO our ward for a change, I would love to see the property developed directly across the street from Target at Broadway and Sunnyside. I know this is the location of Helen's fish and worm farm dream, but I think what Uptown is seriously lacking is market-rate RENTALS! I would love to see the awful cement blocks that fill the street level windows be removed. The building is really amazing if you stop to look at it. A nice restaurant in the ground-level and market-rate rentals above would be a great addition to that stretch of Broadway and who wouldn't want to live across the street from Target? Maybe the folks who renovated the Uptown Broadway Building (@properties) could put this on their radar. The address on the building is 1025 W. Sunnyside and the realtor phone numbers are listed as 312-297-7635 or 312-297-7633. If any of your readers have real estate developer friends or know of anyone, please pass this along."

23 comments:

  1. Didn't helen (I refuse to capitalize her name out of principal any more) start an emminent domain on this block using the Wilson Yard TIF money?

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  2. And please none of the following:

    1) Wig shop
    2) Beauty salon
    3) Hip hop clothing store
    4) Liquor store
    5) Currency exchange
    6) Payday loan facility
    7) Fried chicken (or any fast food) establishment
    8) Internet chat room
    9) Methadone clinic

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  3. TOTALLY AGREE with Will who said None of #1-#9! That Building Deserves a Great Business in there.

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  4. The building at the SW corner of Leland and Broadway is going to have market rate apartments.

    http://chicago.craigslist.org/chc/apa/2039902625.html

    They have been working on it a lot lately.

    It would definitely be nice if they could do the same for Sunnyside/Broadway building.

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  5. Will... your list is priceless. Thanks. You absolutely read my mind (with the exception of the methadone clinic inclusion. Nice touch!)

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  6. Will, that block (Broadway, Montrose to Sunnyside) already has almost all those covered, on only one side of the street!

    1) Beauty Island Beauty Supply
    2) Paulina African Hair Braiding, Beyond the Fringe
    3) --Available!--
    4) Azusa Liquors
    5-6) Checks Cashed/Auto License
    7) Chinese Connection, Grace African
    8) --Available!--
    9) Chicago Treatment & Counseling

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  7. The market rate for a rental at that location in this economy wouldn’t be anywhere near high enough to make this a good investment for any private developer not lucky enough to have a magic influx of TIF money, it's just not a good investment.

    Getting the kind of ground level retail we all want in that location ie a real restaurant, high end grocery/boutique is pipe dream when the commercial real estate market is reeling the way it is and there are plenty of vacant spaces in and around the neighborhood.

    The likely future of this building is to remain vacant until the next upswing, when it will be purchased, demolished and replaced with a low cost replacement, most likely strip mall, containing a mix of items 1-9 above.

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  8. The developers of the Uptown Broadway probably want to see their building completely leased before they take on another project in our hood! They did a beautiful job...the new LED floods at night are a cool touch! The former Salvation Army would be the next logical building to be rehabbed. It would be a great addition!!!

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  9. Please do not mock the businesses you mentioned. There are real people running them and they have invested a lot of time and money regardless of what they sell. I bet most of you havent taken a chance and opened a business yourself. If you are so concerned with the type of tenants that uptown gets why dont you open one yourself. This building is a terrible deal. The layout doesnt make sense for the price they are asking and tenants arent paying up for new spaces especially in uptown

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  10. - Artist studios, workshops, and classrooms occupy the top floors above?

    - Exhibition, gallery, and community space ground level? (With ugly block-glass windows removed of course...)

    It would lively-up the corner perhaps.

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  11. WILL .... YOU READ MY MIND!

    UPTOWNREZ .... It's not mocking. We are just don't need MORE of them.

    MY VOTE: TRADER JOE'S ON ALL FLOORS!

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  12. Personally i think that the place should be a nonprofit artist foundation place.

    Or if some benevolent agency took it over? Because as landlord you are a dictator. I hope to god this building ends up in the hands of a benevolent dictator.

    If I had the money I would buy it in the morning.

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  13. Thanks Will for the list.....I couldn't agree more.

    I honestly cringe at the mention of any 'Helen oriented' projects or suggestions.

    SuzyQ, a Trader Joe's would be perfect.

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  14. A nice big pet store is all that is missing in that area.

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  15. Cash-4-Gold!!
    They could even put the smelters in there!!
    Yup that's we need.
    Cash-4-Gold!!

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  16. Is $1,195 for a one bedroom market price in Uptown? Just seems high to me for the area.

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  17. I would like to see more condos rather than rentals. Owners take better care of their units than do renters.

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  18. a trader joes? condos? you guys are obviously not business oriented. neither a developer nor trader joes would touch this space as it doesnt meet predetermined property qualifications. Give me a break. Why dont you uptowners take a chance and try and put a business in there yourself? you sure have a lot of ideas for other people

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  19. 'Uptownrez'says:

    "Give me a break. Why dont you uptowners take a chance and try and put a business in there yourself? you sure have a lot of ideas for other people"

    Frankly, living in Uptown for all these years, I feel I do need a 'break'.

    Is it that odd to hope for a business like Trader Joe's? I'm so used to meth clinics and fish farms, why can't I aim for better?

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  20. I say let it stay vacant until the market turns. There is no rush with all the vacant retail across the street.

    It's time for a master plan for Broadway from Montrose to Leland.
    It's honestly disgusting, drug and gang infested, and unsafe.

    I want to try some of the legitimate businesses there (esp. Iyanze), but between the drug dealers, homeless peeing on the street, and little gang bangers with no regard for anyone around them...why bother? That stretch of Uptown is not cool or edgy or urban or gritty (or any of the terms that make the ideal Uptown Unique) - It's just disgusting.

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  21. There are constant calls for more market rate apartments in Uptown. Yet, there are affordable apartment buildings along Sheridan Rd. alone practically begging for tenants. Could it be that Uptown is already saturated with enough condos and apartments? What we don't have are enough stores and restaurants to serve the current population.

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  22. $1200 for a rental on Skid Row? Seriously? Would you like a side of Methadone with that?

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  23. has there been an update on this? I read that James Cappleman wanted to create a 'master' plan for the neighborhood.

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