LAKEVIEW — The planned location of a high-rise at Halsted and Grace may still look bare but the developers are shooting for renters to move in as early as this fall.
"Fall 2013 is definitely on target," said James Letchinger, owner of JDL Development, a developer of Halsted Flats, the planned 15-story, mixed-use structure at 3740 N. Halsted St.
No tenants are set for the 10,900 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, but because of the relatively small space the tenant would likely be a food service business, Letchinger said. The building will feature 269 units, from studios to three-bedroom apartments, according to Halsted Flats' Facebook page.
The development includes 276 parking spots.
The development got a lot of flack from neighbors when first announced, sparking a grassroots group called Halsted Neighbors that contested the plan's density, height and impact on the character of the neighborhood.
The project required changes in zoning from Ald. James Cappleman (46th) and, after a series of community meetings, the alderman ultimately supported the project.
Jim Ludwig, owner of Roscoe's Tavern and a longtime community activist who opposed the zoning changes, was surprised at the speedy timeline.
"There's no possibility in my mind that they could be delivering by next spring," he said. "It just doesn’t make sense. But, you know, the Empire State Building was built in ten months."
