The Chicago Plan Commission gave the green light on Thursday for a $110 million retail and residential development at the former Peoples Gas site in Portage Park, a move that could usher in the last major facelift for the Six Corners area. Despite the project's significant size, commissioners were adamant about increasing the affordable housing quota, ultimately securing a 20% commitment from the developer.
In a deliberation that could easily be mistaken for a dental procedure, commission member Claudette Soto expressed frustration with the developer, GW Properties, for merely meeting "the bare minimums". "I feel like we’re pulling teeth with this project," said Soto, according to Chicago Tribune. The plan, which will replace the now-vacant gas site at 3955 N. Kilpatrick Ave., proposes a 346-unit apartment building with on-site affordable housing increased to 20% — a victory locals have clamored for amid rising living costs in the area.
According to Block Club Chicago, initial proposals from GW drew community ire, leading to numerous overhauls before the current plan came to fruition. Pushback stemmed from concerns over exacerbating traffic and undercutting local businesses. The revised plan now includes multiple retail buildings along Irving Park Road and Kilpatrick Avenue, with a residential complex augmented by duplex homes.
Yet, amidst the approvals, some on the commission still saw room for improvement. Commission Vice Chair Andre Brumfield felt the project was too "suburban" despite its urban setting. Commissioner Danielle Tillman echoed this sentiment, questioning the need for extensive parking within a community adequately served by public transport. "It’s what consumers want, and it’s what businesses want," responded Mitch Goltz, principal of GW Properties, in a show of balancing market demands with community feedback.
Labor standards also took center stage as trade union members voiced concerns about past safety infractions by GW's subcontractors. In response to these allegations, which Goltz denied, the developer committed to involving union labor in the forthcoming construction. "I assure you, union labor will be a big part of this project," Goltz told the Plan Commission, as reported by the Chicago Tribune.
The developer's pledge to write in stone the promise of affordable units calmed some anxieties, with the project seemingly poised to help buoy local businesses and enrich the city's tax revenues. However, before breaking ground on this "final piece of the puzzle", as GW's attorney Sara Barnes put it, the proposal still requires approval from the City Council's zoning committee and then the full council. If all goes according to plan, the Portage Park community may see construction commence by the end of the summer.
