Density is good. It keeps neighborhood restaurants full, establishes busy retail, and enhances a dynamic and active pedestrian environment. It also increases the local tax base and provides socio-economic strength for neighborhoods. When located in close proximity to public transportation, younger (and older) citizens can live car-free, supplementing public transit with ride-sharing. Owning a car is expensive, and if given the opportunity, many urban dwellers would do without. We took this knowledge and teamed up with a local developer to explore options for creating a small footprint apartment tower within walking distance of the 606, another viable transportation mode.
The proposed site, on Milwaukee Avenue at the western edge of the Bucktown neighborhood, borders the CTA Blue line and is several hundred feet from the Armitage Blue Line Station. Larger-scale projects have been approved further north on Milwaukee Avenue, and to the south stands the iconic Coyote Building, a historic 12-story art deco building at the corner of North and Milwaukee Avenues.
Milwaukee Avenue currently accommodates an assortment of building types, from retail to historically industrial spaces. Our proposal to build 104 units would add to the vitality of the pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. We would provide parking on site for bicycles, but car parking would not be required per Chicago's TOD Ordinance.
Our proposal explores a variety of façade options, utilizing different balcony arrangements and material patterns, all of which attempt to reflect the texture of the existing Bucktown/Logan Square neighborhoods.
Extensive solar studies revealed that, due to the diagonal orientation of Milwaukee Avenue, our proposal would not have adverse effects on neighboring residential properties.
