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West Loop Developers Pitch Plans for 950 New Units at Meetings This Week

By Stephanie Lulay | July 26, 2016 8:19am
 A Chicago developer is now pitching plans to build 627 apartments at the former H2O Plus site in the West Loop. 
A Chicago developer is now pitching plans to build 627 apartments at the former H2O Plus site in the West Loop. 
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DNAinfo/

WEST LOOP — Two developers will pitch plans to build nearly 950 new residential units in the West Loop at two public meetings this week. 

First, Chicago-based developer The John Buck Co. will present plans to build 627 apartments at the former H2O Plus site at a 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday at Merit School of Music, 38 S. Peoria St.

Under plans, the developer aims to build four buildings atop a two-story parking podium at the site bound by Madison, Green, Monroe and Peoria streets. The four towers would range in height from 13 stories to 17 stories, according to renderings obtained by DNAinfo Chicago in April.

The following night, owners of the Bridgford Foods site will present plans to build 322 residential units at 171 N. Green St. in Fulton Market at a 6 p.m. meeting Wednesday at Merit School of Music. 

Under plans, California-based Bridgford aims to build a 13-story building and five-story structure at the site, according to a zoning application. 

Both developers seek to rezone the properties and will answer questions about the projects at the meetings. 

H2O Plus redevelopment 

The John Buck Co. plans to build four tours atop a two-story parking podium at the former H2O Plus site in the West Loop. [DNAinfo/]

$100 million-plus luxury rental project, the 627 apartments would be a mix of studio, one, two, and three-bedroom units and 15 duplex units wrapping the parking garage.  

Plans also call for 293 parking spaces, 10,000-square-feet of retail space, a pool and dog run to developed on site, according to the West Loop Community Organization. 

If successful, the LEED Silver-certified project would break ground in early 2017 and open in late 2018. 

A rendering shows what the project would look like from Madison Street looking east. [DNAinfo/]

The developer seeks to rezone the site and demolish the existing building. The developer seeks to take advantage of a new city effort called the Neighborhood Opportunity Bonus program that will allow for more density to the project.

The project will need to go through the city's Planning Development process because of the number of units and the building's height, said Carla Agostinelli, executive director of the West Loop Community Organization. 

The 845 W. Madison St. site is located near Mary Bartelme Park and across the street from Merit School of Music and Mariano's. 

The John Buck Co. agreed to buy the property for $20 million in 2014, according to Crain's

An earlier proposal called for 550 units to be developed at the site, according to the developer's website. 

H2O Plus in July 2015 announced plans to move its headquarters to San Francisco and close the West Loop location. Earlier this year, H2O sought a new tenant to sublease the two-story property. A Realtor representing H2O declined to confirm the length of the lease.  

Bridgford redevelopment  

Bridgford Foods is located at Lake and Green streets in Fulton Market. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]

Under Bridgford's plan, a 13-story building at 171 N. Green St. and a five-story structure at 170 N. Green St. would be built. 

In addition to the 322 residential units, 250 parking spaces and retail would also be located on site, according to a zoning application. 

Owners of the Bridgford Foods site plan to build 322 residential units at 171 N. Green St. in Fulton Market. [City of Chicago Zoning Application]

Nearby, Tucker Development is also pitching plans to build an 18-story residential tower on a parking lot at Peoria and Lake Streets, according to a zoning application. 

Pastorelli Food Products, a company that has called the West Loop home since the 1930s, also plans to sell their facility at the southwest corner of Lake and Peoria streets. 

Founded in February 1932 in San Diego, Calif., Bridgford began as a retail meat market and evolved into the meat processing, wholesaling and frozen food manufacturing businesses. The company acquired an existing meat processing facility at Lake and Green streets in 1975. Today, the company manufactures beef jerky, salami, summer sausage and pepperoni at the site.

Under Bridgford's plan, a 13-story building at 171 N. Green St. and a five-story structure at 170 N. Green St. would be built. [City of Chicago Zoning Application]

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