Former Riddell Manufacturing Site OK'd for 49 Single-Family Homes

OLD IRVING PARK — Once home to Riddell's helmet manufacturing operation, the 3600 block of North Milwaukee Avenue will now be home to ... homes, after a unanimous vote by members of the Chicago Plan Commission on Wednesday.

David Dubin, of Dubin Residential, won approval for his development of 49 single-family homes — seven years after buying the 4.1-acre site at 3670-3738 N. Milwaukee Ave., across from Schurz High School.

Dubin's original plan for 57 town homes and 16 single-family homes was scrapped during the economic downturn, and a subsequent proposal for 250 apartments was rejected as too dense for the neighborhood.

In recommending the current project to the commission, Fred Deters of the Bureau of Planning and Zoning called the proposal "appropriate for the site" and "compatible with the character of the surrounding area."

The Old Irving Park Association provided a letter of support — citing Dubin's willingness to incorporate the community's feedback into the development's final design — as did Ald. John Arena (45th).

The project's architect Brian Kidd, of the firm Papageorge Haymes, told the commission that concessions included having more of the simple-frame Craftsman-style homes front Milwaukee Avenue.

"We didn't want the development to turn its back to Milwaukee," said Owen Brugh, Arena's chief of staff.

One of the last sticking points, according to Brugh, was Dubin's desire to build private streets and alleys — a cheaper option than city standards — which would be maintained by the development's homeowners' association.

"When infrastructure starts failing, residents expect the city" to step in, said Brugh, adding that the cost of such repairs would be prohibitive for an association to fund.

"Our position was, let's just start from a place where the infrastructure is city standard," he said.

With that final demand met by the developer — who did not respond to requests for comment — "there weren't any more issues left to negotiate," said Brugh.

Having cleared the Plan Commission, the development now moves into the permit process. A construction timetable was not given.