Fort Dearborn Station, the U.S. Postal Service‘s sprawling mail hub at 540 N Dearborn St, is the subject of a new request for proposals aimed at developers interested in acquiring and repositioning the site.
Today I braved the legalese and read through the document (prepared by The Staubach Co., the USPS’ real estate consultant for this process).
One item jumped out immediately: The site is zoned DX-7, permitting a wide range of uses, including residential, mixed-use and hotel development, according to the document. Moreover, a source close to the RFP process said a residential component would likely be part of the overall plan. The only caveat is that the chosen developer must acquire and prepare two smaller facilities for the Postal Service to occupy once it vacates Fort Dearborn Station.
The facility (shown here in a handy aerial shot) sits on a large site with the potential for a variety of projects. We’ll keep an eye on what’s sure to be a lengthy planning process and report back with more.