Crain’s Chicago Business (subscription required) Is reporting that Jewel is taking bids from high-rise developers for its site at Clark and Division in the Gold Coast, and that three major developers are competing for what may ultimately be a 40-story apartment tower.
Crain’s suggests that another NIMBY battle is on the verge of breaking out, led by 42nd Ward Alderman Brendan Reilly:
On the Gold Coast site, Alderman Brendan Reilly (42nd) is already drawing a line in the sand, even though no plans have been presented to his office yet.
“It would be irresponsible of any bidder to think they could build the maximum air-rights there,” he says. “We want to make sure whatever is built on this site is a good fit within the context of the neighborhood.”
Anyone who cares about the fate of the city, in my take, has to hope that the alderman was misquoted and that he didn’t really suggest it would be irresponsible of a property owner to exercise his rights. Ald. Reilly does, however, have a history of bullying developers.
Is a 40-story tower not completely in character for the neighborhood?