The Chicago Plan Commission on Thursday approved a long-delayed retail and residential project near Six Corners in the Portage Park community, but not before commission members pressured the developer to include more affordable housing on-site, and strengthen its commitment to use union labor and minority- and women-owned businesses.
“I feel like we’re pulling teeth with this project,” said commission member Claudette Soto. “What I’m frustrated about is when developers come in here and only meet the bare minimums.”
Developer GW Properties proposed replacing the now-vacant former Peoples Gas site at 3955 N. Kilpatrick Ave., just east of the Six Corners intersection, with a 346-unit apartment building and several retail buildings. To fulfill its obligations under the city’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance, company principal Mitch Goltz said a minimum of 15% of the on-site units would be affordable, with a decent chance of hitting 20%.
But complaints kept coming from Soto and other members who wanted an iron-clad commitment to provide 20%, hinting they could cast no votes.
“It would have been much better to see right in front of us the 20%,” said member Guacolda Reyes.
Neighborhood residents chimed in, telling commission members that it’s become more difficult for low-income families to find homes in Portage Park, and the Affordable Requirements Ordinance has only created several dozen new units in the area.
“Let’s use every opportunity presented to us to right that wrong,” said Monica Dillon of Neighbors for Affordable Housing.
Goltz eventually agreed to make the 20% commitment. The $110 million project still needs a green light from the City Council’s zoning committee and then the full council.
“We would be happy to put the commitment in writing prior to the Zoning Committee meeting,” said Sara Barnes, the developer’s zoning attorney.
This isn’t GW Properties’ first attempt to fill the old Peoples Gas site. It shelved an earlier proposal after a contentious October 2021 community meeting, in which residents objected to the developer’s plan for 102 apartments, a 40,000-square foot Amazon grocery store and a huge parking lot right on the street. Many said they preferred walkable retail and more residences.
The latest plan, designed by Pappageorge Haymes Architects, keeps parking inside the development, boosts the number of homes to 346, and places small retail buildings on the sidewalks along Irving Park Road and Kilpatrick Avenue. To help the project blend in with the neighboring bungalows, the E-shaped apartment building will be lined with duplex homes, each with front yards and landscaping.
“This is a much-improved plan,” said commission member Danielle Tillman. She asked whether there was too much parking, since GW Properties plans to include far more than required, even though Metra and CTA Blue Line train stations are nearby.
Goltz said many of the retail spaces could be taken by fast casual restaurants, and they will likely need a lot of parking. In addition, many future residents will likely drive rather than take the train or ride bikes, and it was important to balance those needs with demands made by current residents.
“It’s what consumers want, and it’s what businesses want,” he said.
Trade union members also showed up Thursday and complained that GW Properties has used subcontractors who violated standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, a charge denied by Goltz.
Ald. James Gardiner, 45th, told the commission the plan would be “a shot in the arm for local businesses,” but also urged the developer to ensure it would be a safe worksite and use union labor.
“I assure you, union labor will be a big part of this project,” said Goltz.
The neighborhood did see a number of delays in other development projects, but now has a new Target store, hundreds of just-completed apartments, and a 10-story building for seniors. GW Properties’ project will fill the last big vacant lot in the neighborhood, said Amie Zander, managing director of Six Corners Association, a neighborhood group.
“This will be the final piece of the puzzle.”