CITY HALL — A pivotal step was taken on Tuesday when the City Council’s zoning committee approved the proposal for two apartment towers at 1840 N. Marcey St., following a lengthy period of community concerns and modifications to the project’s scope.
Developer Sterling Bay’s plans have significantly evolved, now involving two towers standing at 19 and 16 stories high, respectively.
The approved development will contain a total of 590 units and 147 parking spaces, which marks a reduction from the initial proposal that featured towers of 25 and 15 stories, totaling 615 units and 275 parking spaces.
The project is scheduled for a vote by the full City Council, which is set to convene on Wednesday.
The journey for the Marcey Street development has been lengthy, having initially obtained support from the Chicago Plan Commission in June 2024.
However, its progression through the City Council faced substantial delays due to pushback from Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) and various neighborhood groups.
Waguespack’s opposition led to the zoning committee voting against the proposal in December, creating a contentious moment during a City Council meeting.
Following the heated debates, the proposal languished until the zoning committee took it up again on Tuesday, which resulted in approval and Waguespack’s newfound support.
The zoning committee advanced not only the Marcey Street project but also several other developments including citywide allowances for additional dwelling units.
Additionally, multiple apartment buildings on the North Side and an all-affordable housing complex in East Garfield Park were discussed.
The 1840 N. Marcey St. site previously housed the logistics company C.H. Robinson and is located just across the river from Sterling Bay’s stalled Lincoln Yards megadevelopment.
Concerns about the towers had initially been raised by neighborhood groups, focusing mainly on their height and the potential traffic impact.
Conversely, supporters from the community, along with local business groups, voiced their approval, emphasizing the necessity for increased housing options in the affluent Lincoln Park area and the city as a whole.
A critical point of contention had been Sterling Bay’s request for the City Council to classify the site as a “low-affordability community.”
This designation would provide the developer with considerable property tax breaks, which they argued were essential for incorporating the mandated 20 percent affordable units into the project.
Waguespack had been particularly vocal against this demand last year, asserting that the proposal was akin to holding the city “hostage.”
He remarked that the inclusion of affordable housing should have been a fundamental aspect of the project from its inception.
Despite his earlier resistance, Waguespack later expressed a willingness to accept the proposal’s changes and anticipates that Sterling Bay will still seek the low-affordability designation, which requires separate legislative approval.
“Significant changes have been made,” Waguespack acknowledged after the zoning meeting on Tuesday.
He noted that the adjustments to the affordable housing component and the reduction in parking made a compelling case for his colleagues’ support.
Fred Krol, a principal at Sterling Bay, praised the outcome of the Marcey Street approval as beneficial for the city as a whole.
“The approval of 1840 N. Marcey is the result of extensive community input that improved the project,” Krol stated in a follow-up statement post-vote.
He highlighted the project as a $350 million investment influenced by advocacy from labor and affordable housing proponents.
Meanwhile, the future of Sterling Bay’s larger Lincoln Yards project remains uncertain, as the Chicago developer JDL recently announced intentions to acquire the northern section of Lincoln Yards.
This new plan proposes to build between 2,000 to 3,000 housing units, considerably altering the original development scheme.
JDL’s acquisition does not encompass the southern section of Lincoln Yards, which remains under the control of Sterling Bay and its financial partner, J.P. Morgan Asset Management.
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