WEST LOOP — Under a developer's proposal, a new 38-story residential tower in the Fulton River District would have less parking than the neighboring K2 Apartments.
California-based Cardiff Mason Development Inc. plans to develop a 38-story apartment tower at 352 N. Union Ave. and 347 N. Halsted St., adjacent to the Kennedy Expy. The vacant site, near the new dog park at K2 Apartments, would house 373 apartments and 158 parking spaces.
Of the 373 units, about 30 percent would be studios, 45 percent would be one-bedroom units, 20 percent two-bedroom units and 5 percent three-bedroom units, according to Brian Kidd, senior associate with Papageorge Haymes Partners. The same architect group also designed K Station and K2 Apartments.
The developer originally pitched a "substantially higher" number of parking spaces in the building, but reduced the number of parking spaces-per-unit to 40 percent after meeting with Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd).
"Some of the neighboring aldermen actually try to pack in as much parking into these structures as they can, but what I evangelize on in our ward is if you build it, they will come," Reilly said, adding that there is ample parking in the area.
At the 496-unit K2, which opened in 2013, the number of parking spaces-per-unit is 70 percent, but today about half of those spots are not utilized, Kidd said.
"If you're this close to central business district with lots of modes to get you there, you shouldn't have a lot of parking," Reilly said.
A developer plans to build a 38-story rental tower at 352 N. Union Ave. next to K2 Apartments in the Fulton River District part of the West Loop. [DNAinfo]
Studios in the 352 N. Union Ave. building would be 400-500 square feet and three-bedroom apartments would be 1,400-1,600 square feet, Kidd said at a community meeting at Old St. Pat's Church Tuesday night. The new luxury apartments would rent for a similar price to K2, he said.
The development would include an outdoor pool and a new dog park on the west end of the property that would be open to the public during daytime hours. There would be three garage entrances to the building, with a main entrance on Union Avenue.
The Neighbors of West Loop board plans to meet with the developer Monday, said Larry Gage, the group's president. If all goes well, the building could open as early as 2018.
"We're not going to speak in favor of this right now, but we think that [the developer] has done a very favorable and commendable job" addressing concerns, Gage said.
K2 Apartments is 34 stories tall.
The developer needs a zoning change to move forward with the project.
Check out more plans of the proposed 352 N Union Ave. development below.
The ground level of the proposed development at 352 N. Union Ave. [DNAinfo]
The building's Halsted Street level. [DNAinfo]
The typical floor plan in the proposed 352 N. Union Ave. development. [DNAinfo]
The site is located just south of K2's dog park. [DNAinfo/Stephanie Lulay]
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
