Historic Uptown Synagogue-Turned-Apartments Opens Today
A smidge over two years ago we told you that the landmark Agudas Achim Synagogue at 5029 North Kenmore in Uptown was going to be turned into homes. Now the building’s haphak is complete, and people can start to move in. The Synagogue (Courtesy of Cedar Street) As we gushed back in October of 2016: This isn’t just any abandoned place of worship, though. Its roots go back to the legendary heyday of Maxwell Street, and it’s been...
River North Building Appeals to Bulldogs, Comfy Footwear
Do you like bulldogs? How about comfortable shoes? If these sound like your kind of things, then you’ll be happy to know that progress is being made on the new residential block called The Ardus at 676 North LaSalle Street. The Ardus is a project by Cedar Street and the Harlem Irving Companies. It will bring another 149 new apartments to River North, on the corner of LaSalle Street and Huron. As you can see in the photograph...
Out With The Old, In With The New at 676 North LaSalle
Last week we gave you an update on the demolition happening at 676 North LaSalle Street. That’s where a non-descript office building is being turned into apartments, getting a townhouse hat, and expanding laterally. Well, the demolition phase must be nearing completion because the City of Chicago has issued construction permits for a foundation for the expansion portion of the project. FOUNDATIONS PERMIT FOR NEW 149 APARTMENTS...
With JCB’s On the Roof, 676 LaSalle Is Ready to Grow Up and Out
The newest residential block going up in River North has tiny dozers crawling it like fleas on a Carolina hound dog. River North Spy Mike sent in the photo above and below showing that work gutting Cedar Street’s existing building is well in hand. That former office building will be expanded upward two stories, and a new companion building will go up in the parking lot now being used as a staging area next door. When complete,...
Historic Uptown Synagogue Going Residential
Just one week ago, we mentioned in the article about Saint Boniface Church being turned into residences that the conversion of holy places into housing is an ongoing, and perhaps accelerating, trend in Chicago. Now we have another one to add to the list: The Agudas Achim Synagogue at 5029 North Kenmore Avenue. This isn’t just any abandoned place of worship, though. Its roots go back to the legendary heyday of Maxwell Street, and...
River North Building Rehab Heads Toward Expansion Phase
It’s been a little over a year since prolific north side Chicago developer Cedar Street slapped down a cool $12 million for the mediocre office building at 676 North LaSalle with an eye towards eviscerating it and turning it into apartments. Now plans are advancing for the hard part of the project — expanding the building upward two stories, and eastward into the neighboring surface parking lot. Paperwork filed with the city...
Uptown Office Building Conversion Now Includes a New Residential Building
It’s been a little over a year since we told you about the latest plan to convert the old Combined Insurance Company office building at 5050 North Broadway in Uptown into apartments. In that time, developer Cedar Street has put together a plan and is ready to move ahead. Cedar Street bought the building in the spring of 2015 and planned to spend $150 million on the conversion. Booth Hansen did the design, which includes not...
The Biggest Thing in Small is Coming to a New Old Building on Chicago Avenue
The Bush Temple of Music (800 North Clark Street) is the latest Chicago building to experiment with the biggest trend in small living: the micro apartment. Cedar Street has been issued a permit to transform the former piano superstore into dozens of tiny residences to be known as Flats No. 800. This is happening just blocks away from where Walton No. 9 is being built on State Street, and where two blocks further on, you can buy...
Another Building to be Jammed in at Chicago and Clark
If you’re the historic Bush Temple of Music (800 North Clark Street), you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s getting awfully crowded on your block these days. Just a few years ago, the wonderfully gabled masonry pile stood alone on the northwest corner of West Chicago Avenue and North Clark Street, with only a couple of insignificant commercial barnacles and a spindly water tower as its companions. Then last...
Office to Apartment Conversion Coming to Uptown – For Realsies This Time
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before. A real estate development company has bought the former Combined Insurance Company building at 5050 North Broadway and plans to turn the office building into apartments. Sound familiar? That was what we expected back in 2011 when Imperial Realty bought the building. Now Crain’s Chicago Business reports that Cedar Street has bought the building and plans to revive its...
