Two New Apartment Projects Proposed in Chicago’s Gold Coast

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17 April 2019 | Chicago, United States

Chicago-based developer Newcastle Limited has presented its plans for a pair of mixed-use Gold Coast developments.

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1130 North State Street

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Solomon Cordwell Buenz

The two State Street projects would replace a cluster of vacant commercial buildings and one of Chicago’s last remaining Barnes & Noble bookstores with a combined 470 rental units, 193 parking spots, and more than 30,000 square feet (2,800 square meters) of retail space.

The plan for the northwest corner of State and Division is an 11-story building with 102 rental units that would eliminate a handful of low-rise structures, including the former homes of the Tip Top Inn, Hash House a Go Go, and McFadden’s pub.

The 121-foot-(36-meter)-tall proposal will offer about 12,000 square feet (1,100 square meters) of ground-floor retail space, topped by a reasonably well-concealed 32-car garage, as well as resident amenity spaces on the third floor and roof.

A 39-story tower is slated to replace the Barnes & Noble bookstore at 1130 N. State Street, which was put up for sale in September, 2018.

Designed by architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz (SCB), the high-rise calls for 368 rental apartments offered in multiple layouts, 19,000 square feet (1,765 square meters) of commercial space, and 161 parking spaces. The design features a traditional base clad in concrete, stucco, and brick, topped by a contemporary glass-and-metal tower with curved corners.

“We set the building back and then divided the tower into two interlocking volumes at different heights to increase the slenderness,” explained SCB architect John Lahey. “Then we curved the surfaces. There are a lot of rigid buildings in the area, and we thought softening the design this way would give it its own, more elegant, identity.”

The proposed 425-foot- (129.5-meter-) tall development would incorporate unused density from the neighboring Lou Malnati’s pizzeria property (which will remain at 1120 N. State) as well as Newcastle’s upcoming three-story building across the street at 1139 N. State.

Although the high-rise conforms with the site’s existing downtown district zoning, the height and unit count trigger the Planned Development (PD) process, which will require Plan Commission, Zoning Committee, and City Council approval. Provided all goes as planned, the development team hopes break ground on both 1200 and 1130 N. State Street projects in early 2020.

For more on this story visit Curbed Chicago.