A long-empty slice of N. Clybourn Avenue in Lincoln Park could soon trade weeds for walk-ups, with a four-story apartment building on deck that would bring 59 homes, including a dozen designated as affordable, to the shopping-heavy corridor. The plan would replace the vacant midblock parcel at 1728 N. Clybourn with a brick-clad building capped by indoor and outdoor rooftop amenities.
As reported by Urbanize Chicago, Contemporary Concepts Inc. is behind the proposal for the 59-unit development, with Eckenhoff Saunders listed as the architect. The filing outlines a unit mix of 10 studios, 3 one-bedrooms, 37 two-bedrooms, 5 three-bedrooms and 4 four-bedrooms, with 12 apartments reserved as affordable units. The ground floor would hold 11 apartments plus a coworking space and fitness center, and the plan calls for 18 car parking spaces, 59 bike stalls, and rooftop amenities including an indoor amenity room, outdoor grilling, turf, and a padel court.
A listing on Compass shows the parcel was marketed this summer as vacant land with roughly 215 feet of street frontage and a list price of $6,255,000. The listing places the site in Lincoln Park between W. Concord Place and N. Sheffield Avenue, matching the developer’s midblock description.
Design and massing
Eckenhoff Saunders, a Chicago firm with residential and institutional work across the region, is listed as the project architect. The design breaks up the long Clybourn frontage into three brick-faced sections, with inset balconies and first-floor apartments set back behind fencing and landscaping to soften the sidewalk edge.
Rezoning and timeline
According to the developer’s filing, the team is seeking a zoning change from B1-2 to B2-3 to allow the project to proceed. If that rezoning is approved, Contemporary Concepts plans to start construction in spring 2026 and finish in spring 2027, according to Urbanize Chicago.
As outlined in the City of Chicago zoning code, B2 districts permit ground-floor residential use in areas where street-level retail demand is relatively low, a setup that can work for midblock infill properties like this one. If the zoning change is granted, the project would then move into permit review and the standard building permit process.
Where this fits on Clybourn
The proposal continues a trend of new housing filling in the gaps along the Clybourn corridor, which has seen a mix of large towers and smaller infill projects added in recent years. Larger efforts, such as the Slim tower at 1565 N. Clybourn, have helped reshape portions of the corridor, while mid-rise and four-story developments are popping up on shorter lots and vacant sites, gradually shifting the balance of retail and residential uses along the avenue. Chicago Agent Magazine has covered one of the most prominent nearby tower proposals.
What comes next
The rezoning request will trigger community outreach and formal review by city bodies before any building permits can be issued, following the procedures in the city’s zoning ordinance. Neighbors, the local alderman’s office, and relevant city departments will all have chances to weigh in as the application is placed on agendas for public meetings and committee hearings.
Contemporary Concepts has been active on several Lincoln Park projects and positions itself as a developer and general contractor focused on mid-sized multifamily buildings, with its website outlining its portfolio and approach. As the filings move through the city, the proposal will be scheduled for public review, and the developer will need to secure both the zoning change and building permits before work can begin on the Clybourn site.
