Two long-vacant city lots next to the CTA Green Line’s Ashland/63rd station are finally getting a second act, as Chicago officials tap a local development team to build a pair of mixed-use buildings that will bring 36 apartments and new retail to the Englewood corridor.
The project, planned for 1515 W. 63rd and 1607 W. 63rd, is designed to put more residents and storefronts within steps of the Green Line, with city planners framing it as a way to stitch housing and shops back into a stretch of 63rd Street that has sat empty for years.
The selected plan
The winning proposal is led by E.G. Woode L3C and calls for two four-story buildings of roughly 23,959 and 24,048 square feet. Each will hold 18 residences above about 4,400 square feet of ground-floor retail, with space aimed at neighborhood-serving businesses rather than big-box tenants.
Both buildings include parking for 20 bicycles, shared rooftop decks, and room for landscaped public areas on each lot. The team behind the plan includes Wrought Iron Partners and architects Beehyyve L3C and Alligood Song. Commissioner Boatright said the development will “provide what 63rd and Ashland needs,” according to Urbanize Chicago.
Design and transit focus
The proposal’s two triangular buildings are laid out to keep a lively retail edge along 63rd Street while leaving the remaining portions of the oddly shaped lots open for green space and pedestrian access. The city’s request for proposals prioritized transit-oriented, mixed-income concepts that could support neighborhood retailers rather than parking lots.
In response, the winning team leaned into transit access and amenities, emphasizing bike parking and rooftop common space instead of on-site car storage, according to Chicago YIMBY.
Money and approvals
City documents put total development costs at about $18 million. The two city-owned parcels, collectively valued at roughly $100,600, would be sold for $1 per lot if the proposal clears the approval process.
The developer plans to seek up to $5 million in Community Development Grant funds to help cover construction. Both the land transfer and any grant awards still need sign-off from the Chicago City Council before any work can begin. The request for proposals that led to this selection was issued in October 2025, according to Urbanize Chicago.
Local roots and next steps
E.G. Woode operates as a community-oriented collective that has already rehabbed corner properties along 63rd Street. Architect and founding member Deon Lucas has helped lead neighborhood projects that pair small-business space on the first floor with housing above, a model chronicled by Next City.
For now, the Englewood project is still in the early stages. City approvals and grant decisions are pending, no construction timeline has been released, and the design team says it will continue working with the local alderman and community groups as plans move toward zoning and council votes, a process with several steps before a shovel hits the dirt. Reporting by Chicago YIMBY notes that no schedule has been announced.
