Development Proposal
On Monday, July 9, Johnny Carlson of Trammell Crow returned to our committee (see original meeting summary here) to present a revised concept for a proposed building to be located at the corner of Fulton Market & Ogden. Previously conceived as a 19-story, 198 ft, 315-unit apartment building, the developers are now proposing a 14-story, 189 ft office building. The project would introduce ground floor retail (a coffee shop and restaurant is expected) and an auto court off of an interior alley that is accessible from Fulton or Ada. A traffic signal will be installed at the corner of Ogden and Fulton Market to support increased traffic in the area.
As with the prior proposal, the project would upzone the property, currently a surface-level parking lot, from M2-3 (light industry) and 3.0 FAR to DX-5 with an 8.1 FAR. To obtain the FAR, the developer would make a $2.79M payment to the Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus. Additionally, the developer will pay the City to release an existing covenant that limits the adjacent alley to manufacturing/industrial use.
The building will have a setback after the 10th floor, a penthouse on the roof, and exterior lighting and security cameras.
Committee Feedback
- Architecture – the group expressed appreciation for the design aspects of the project – including the goal of LEED certification, but stressed the need to use warmer, authentic materials. The committee did not like the abrupt increase in height this building would introduce as compared to adjacent buildings. Considering that this project will serve as the western gateway to Fulton Market, we would like to see this aspect incorporated into the design. Considering the finished appearance of newer buildings in the neighborhood, the group would like to see developers include this aspect of their projects in renderings.
- Retail – the committee would like to see local businesses included in the retail component of the project, which may require a reduced rental rate.
- Traffic – our committee was pleased to hear that a traffic signal will be included in the project at Fulton & Ogden. The developer agreed to provide the project traffic study for review.
- Auto court – the group considered the off-street parking to be a positive aspect, but recommended that the developer make efforts to make it more visible from Fulton Market to avoid drop-offs on the street.
- Green space – the developers should find ways to mitigate impacts on nearby Union Park.
Related Links
- Chicago Architecture (7/5/18): Fulton Market Tower Returns Smaller, Bigger, and With a Change of Purpose
- Crain’s (6/26/18): Developer switching Fulton Market plan from apartments to offices
- Crain’s (9/28/16): Apartment tower planned at western edge of Fulton Market
Date: July 22, 2018
By: NoWL Development Committee Chair Matt Letourneau