BRIDGEPORT — A development company is planning to build 24 new townhomes at 35th and Parnell streets.
Represented by the powerful Daley and Georges law firm — founded by late Mayor Richard J. Daley and now led by son Michael Daley — the developer won a zoning change in June allowing townhomes to be built on the plot. It was previously zoned for single-family detached homes.
The plan was OK'd at the June 25 City Council meeting.
Casey Cora explains why this upcoming Bridgeport development has gone a bit unnoticed:
Plans filed with the city show the developer, Parnell Court LLC, wants to build four townhomes, each with six units. Each of the buildings would be three stories tall and there will be parking for 48 vehicles.
The principals of Parnell Court, a development company headquartered in a Chinatown townhouse, are listed as Shi Cai Zheng and Shi Tan Zheng, records show. Neither could be reached for comment. A contact listed for the company, CM Lan, did not return messages seeking comment.
Richard Toth, an attorney with Daley and Georges who represented the company during the zoning process, did not return messages seeking comment, nor did Ald. James Balcer (11th).
Located a few blocks west of U.S. Cellular Field, the townhomes would bring new housing to a commercial stretch of busy 35th Street.
More luxury single-family homes had been planned for the intersection's northwest corner — there are still signs there advertising $709,000 homes — but the developer backed off when the economy soured, said Frank Roti, who identified himself as an agent of Itor Real Estate Services.
Will the new homes jumpstart more development on 35th?
"I'm sure that they would," Roti said.
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