You can trade your pencils for pens on this one. The modest Near North condominium block marked down for 61 West Erie Street is a “go.” The Chicago Plan Commission recently gave it the green light.
Rendering of 61 West Erie. In the fog, for some reason.
There were a few stumbling blocks along the way, but nothing that LG Development couldn’t be solve with a few more aggressive setbacks, and a fat sack of cash to help illuminate Erie Park and its riverwalk.
We call it the “Astrolab Condos” for now because “61 West Erie” is a terrible name, and this was formerly the location of a film processing lab tied to such productions as The Dark Knight and The Break Up. The project also includes the greystone four-flat next door, which will not be torn down.
The nice thing about living here is that you’re right next door to a Walgreen’s. The bad thing about living here is that you’re right next door to a Walgreen’s.
Here’s the bird’s-eye low-down on this caper:
- Address: 61 West Erie Street
- Developer: LG Development
- Architecture firm: NORR
- Net site size: 5,268 square feet
- Former zoning: DX-5 Downton Mixed Use
- Floor Area Ratio: 7.4
- Maximum height: 154 feet
- Roof height: 133 feet
- Floors: 13 (12 + roof deck)
- Length: 100 feet
- Width: 49 feet
- Residences: 10
- Auto parking spaces: 10
- Bicycle parking spaces: 2
- Garage access: via north-south alley on west side of building
- Affordable Housing Opportunity Fund Payment: $175,000
- Green roof alert! 1,693 square feet
