Thanks to a sharp-eyed Facebook fan, we have information from Chicago Real Estate Daily that indicates that Walgreens is building a new store at the southeast corner of Sheridan and Irving Park (yes, we realize that is technically Lakeview, but it is in close proximity to many Uptowners). The owners of the property had originally planned to building a multi-story condo building, but that appears to be dead with the proposed single-store Walgreens.This is the plan that was originally proposed by Loukas Development for the property:
nice building
ReplyDeleteTrue TOD development,
theres a gas station there now right?
Lakeview is starting to spillover into Uptown. GOOD!
It was downzoned from that planned development back in January of this year to it's original B3-2 zoning.
ReplyDeleteBased on the moribund condo market I doubt the owner had any issues with canceling the high rise condos called for in that Planned Development if it meant they could get a Walgreens on that corner.
Trader Joe's would have been more interesting...
ReplyDeleteThis is great news!!! Hopefully the Walgreens will also help to put some eateries in the empty storefronts on the east side of Sheridan. With all of the commuter traffic, it seems those would be a perfect fit for a Potbelly's...or even a Trader Joe's.
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad downgrade, from a tasteful 12 story to a yet another stip mall-esque chain. Just goes to show how little value the land has at this point.
ReplyDeleteSoon we're gonna be like south Florida...a CVS or a Walgreens at every intersection!
ReplyDeleteAnything will be a huge improvement over an empty gas station that has been closed for 4 or 5 years. More eyes on the street at a pretty busy corner.
ReplyDeleteThey have now torn down the gas station this past week and the plot of land is all fenced up. A sign is hanging that says "Another project from Loukas Development."
ReplyDeleteI e-mailed Loukas for comment to no avail.
I live right there and it definitely needs more businesses in the area. I agree with the comments, this might bring more businesses to the area. The Sheridan station has a lot of foot traffic and the Route 80 bus line empties out in front of there.
Looking forward to improvements in the area its kind of a dead zone right now.
@Uptown Veg
ReplyDeleteMeh, single-story low density development adjacent to rapid transit in the city is a bad development, 12 stories with tasteful architecture was a perfect fit. Sometimes no development is better than bad development. I would rather the site have sat empty/abondoned until the rental/condo/commercial markets improved, instead it's going to get filled with suburban blandness. I can't help but fear this is what happens to the Maryville site, I can see the CVS, Subway and an LA Tan.
And yes, a Trader Joes would have been nice, especially if done properly like the Dominicks north of Foster, but i'm not sold that the area demographics are tempting enough to their corporate brass.
A dedicated Cubs parking garage, with spaces available for the "locals" in the off-season.
ReplyDeleteThis is still a very parking-challenged neighborhood in need of more places to put our cars.
agree with Gayle... make a post game time limit with time incentive to use local restaurants/retail and that would have helped.
ReplyDeleteoops, yeah, well
ReplyDeletehopefully the one story walgreens atleast is not set back from the sidewalk.
Heck if its even with the sidewalk that would be nice, too bad the current architecture for any retail one story buildings is the pits.
@Jeffo - agree
ReplyDelete@ the parking garage/lot idea - Puke. The reason Wrigley and the area in general have charm is a lack of eyesore parking garages. Putting a parking garage next to a rapid transit station is the antithesis of good urban planning.
I'm still rooting for a Potbelly in the area, I'd hope for the KFC lot. I'm going to suggest it to Potbelly via their real estate suggestion.
ReplyDeletethe originally proposed residential tower would be a much better use for that land, being adjacent to mass-transit ...
ReplyDeletethe condo market is still in the gutter, but the rental apartment market is viable. they could do a rental tower & then convert to condos later (10-15 years, a typical process).
a parking structure would be the worst use possible. we shouldn't be encouraging people any more than we already do to drive into city vs. taking mass-transit. the street traffic is already bad enough as it is.
unfortunately, the walgreens development will probably include a surface parking lot, but hopefully that will be on the east end of the lot & the building will rebuild the street wall along sheridan & portions of irving.
A single story Walgreens store doesn't have to look bad.....
ReplyDeleteCheck out this one in Milwaukee:
http://milwaukeestreets.blogspot.com/2007/09/walgreens-revisited.html
Maybe our new alderman can help push for better design.
Also, is there any chance this tiny information bit is referring to a Walgreens that could be taking the ground floor retail space in the previously proposed tower?
I was tentative about the high rise simply because of the capacity (or lack thereof) of the Sheridan stop's narrow staircases and platform. it wouldn't be able to fit all those new residents and existing ones at rush hour. I am kind of disappointed with a Walgreen's going there, but I am realistic--hopefully it transforms the block and they make the building attractive.
ReplyDeleteTodd, I believe that the corner they are building on is in Tom Tunneys ward and not Capplemans... that means the Lakeview folks need to call Tunney and ask for neighborhood input...
ReplyDeleteCool. Another place to confront agressive panhandlers!
ReplyDeleteI could be mistaken, and it's hard to see in this map, but the northeast corner of Irving Park and Sheridan looks to indeed be Cappleman's.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.james46.org/46th-ward/
ReplyDeleteTodd:
ReplyDeleteSE Corner - vacant gas station.
"Cool. Another place to confront agressive panhandlers!"
ReplyDeletePlease notify the authorities of aggresive panhandlers, you don't have to tolerate that crap.
Oh! Sorry....meant to write southeast corner, still the 46th ward I believe? Across Sheridan is Tunney? The map I posted in the link above isn't super clear.
ReplyDeleteHave to second the aggressive panhandler remark...there's been one by the Wilson/Clark Walgreens for years.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that a 12 story residential building, no matter how tasteful, is right for that corner. I went to several meetings that Helen Shiller held regarding that original development. There was a lot of controversy surrounding the size of the development. In fact, I remember something about a moratorium on high-rises being invoked after that project was approved. A shorter building seems more in keeping with that part of the neighborhood. The newer development on Sheridan @ Dakin is a good example of a building that I think works there. Now, I'm not sure we need a Walgreens there (though it would be convenient). But, a smaller development with ground floor retail would have been nice. Maybe we can influence Walgreens (like we tried with the original developer) to give us a building that adds to the neighborhood.I disagree that a 12 story residential building, no matter how tasteful, is right for that corner. I went to several meetings that Helen Shiller held regarding that original development. There was a lot of controversy surrounding the size of the development. In fact, I remember something about a moratorium on high-rises being invoked after that project was approved. A shorter building seems more in keeping with that part of the neighborhood. The newer development on Sheridan @ Dakin is a good example of a building that I think works there. Now, I'm not sure we need a Walgreens there (though it would be convenient). But, a smaller development with ground floor retail would have been nice. I wish I'd know about this sooner. Maybe we could have influenced Walgreens (like we tried with the original developer) to give us a building that adds to the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteHeard back from the alderman finally :( It's just a boring suburban style Walgreens running the length of Sheridan with a parking lot in front right on that corner. Exactly what I was hoping it would NOT be. So mcuh for anyone even trying to pretend to have TOD. At least they could have put the building on the corner and had parking along the back and side, entrance on Sheridan and exit onto Irving. I really loved that 12 story building they had planned, would have helped the look of that ugly intersection greatly, and would have been a great TOD.
ReplyDelete