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Marc Lifshin and Brian Goldberg’s LG Development Group, a Chicago based real estate development and construction firm, has its hopes pinned on winning approval for its latest design for a new development in Polonia Triangle, Chicago’s historic Polish Triangle.
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The Polish Triangle is located in West Town, in what used to be the historical Polish Downtown area of Chicago. It is bound by Division, Ashland and Milwaukee Avenue. A single-tiered fountain made of black iron with a bowl about nine feet in diameter is installed at its center. The Division stop on the Blue line subway is also located there.
The group plans to build a new glass and steel seven story structure in the Polish Triangle by Wicker Park Chicago in place of a string of old buildings that it had acquired between 1237-1253 N. Milwaukee Avenue and 1230-1240 N. Ashland Avenue last year. The residential building will have 58 apartments and total more than 50, 000 square feet including 13, 000 square feet of retail frontage.
The apartments will be divided into three two bedroom units, 49 one bedroom units and six studios.
A Bank of America branch currently situated in front of the new building has a seventeen year lease and will remain, but its brown brick façade will be recovered in glass and steel to fit in with the rest of the project.
It was designed by LG’s Development’s in house architect Gabriel Leahu after earlier proposals were rejected.
It what was once a neighborhood defined by a Polish immigrant community, the Polish Triangle has been neglected for decades. Comprising roughly 10, 000 square feet, it has been marked by run down and empty store fronts for years. A transportation hub, its station is in badly need of repairs.
All this in spite of the fact that the Triangle is known as the gateway to nearby Wicker Park and has been the home for years to the very popular Chopin Theater which brings to it countless visitors.
Area residents were happy to see the new development come and replace what many feel is an eyesore of dilapidated old retail outlets. They just wanted something bold and cutting edge to help to redefine their neighborhood.
LG hopes to gain final approval for the project at a meeting with the Wicker Park Committee’s preservation and development subcommittee on Wednesday. The firm is seeking a zoning variance for the project that will allow for a more densely populated building than is currently allowed.
But according to a report in Our Urban Times such a variance will only be approved by the local Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno if it meets local affordable housing regulations.
If all goes well, construction will begin next year and residents will be able to start moving in by early 2016.
Polonia Triangle
