A quiet Lincoln Park side street could be in for a big change, as Contemporary Concepts Inc. has filed plans for a five-story, 19-unit apartment building at 2724 N. Lehmann Court that would take the place of a small, early 20th-century structure. The proposal would tuck nearly two dozen households onto a narrow block and skip on-site car parking in favor of bike storage and a shared rooftop deck. Neighbors and curious onlookers will get a chance to weigh in as the project moves through the city approval process.
Project details
Designed by Studio Dwell Architects, the plan calls for a roughly 70-foot brick building with three apartments on the ground floor and four units on each of the four upper floors. That adds up to nine one-bedroom units and ten two-bedroom units. The design includes a shared rooftop deck and a bike room with about 20 spaces, and it provides no off-street vehicle parking, according to Urbanize Chicago. Ald. Timmy Knudsen and the Park West Neighborhood Association are listed as co-hosts for a virtual community meeting about the project on Monday, January 12 at 6 p.m., the developer says.
Developer and design
Contemporary Concepts Inc. is listed as the project developer and includes 2724 N. Lehmann Court in its multifamily pipeline, with a target delivery of summer 2026 on its project page. According to Contemporary Concepts Inc., the firm has several other Lincoln Park projects in the works. Architectural design credit goes to Studio Dwell Architects, which has teamed up with the developer on other recent neighborhood buildings.
Zoning requests and what they mean
To make the building fit on the compact lot, the development team has applied for several variances. The requests include reducing the required off-street parking to zero, easing front, side and rear setback rules, and allowing a modest height increase. The application also seeks a special use to permit residential units below the second floor, according to Urbanize Chicago. These kinds of requests go before the Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals, the city body that hears appeals and variance petitions under the municipal code. The municipal zoning code notes that ZBA decisions are final administrative determinations and must be backed up by written findings of fact, which can determine whether a project is allowed to proceed to permitting and construction, as outlined in the Chicago Zoning Ordinance.
Where this fits in the neighborhood
The Lehmann Court site sits on a block that is already seeing redevelopment heat up. The long-vacant Inn at Lincoln Park at 601 W. Diversey is moving ahead as a roughly 40-unit conversion under Validus Capital, as reported by Block Club Chicago. A demolition permit to clear the existing three-unit building at 2724 N. Lehmann was issued late last year, according to reporting by Chicago YIMBY, opening the door for the proposed new structure.
What’s next
Neighbors who want the community meeting link can sign up for the 43rd Ward newsletter and watch ward communications for the virtual invite; the ward website lists neighborhood groups and newsletter sign-up information. The Chicago Zoning Board of Appeals meets monthly and is scheduled to convene later this month, so residents tracking the proposal will want to keep an eye on the ZBA docket or meeting agenda for any hearing date. If the ZBA signs off on the requested relief, the developer could move on to seeking permits and, eventually, starting construction.
