New details have been released regarding Friedman Properties' plans to replace the old Engine Company 41 Firehouse at the southwest corner of Illinois and Dearborn Streets for a new station topped by a 29 story tower according to Chicago Curbed. This project has not been approved yet and will be the first public-private partnership of its kind in Chicago.
"This is a unique development proposal, unlike any other that I have worked on before. The public benefit here would be a brand new firehouse for the neighborhood, something the Chicago Fire Department has been seeking for many years now."
42nd Ward Alderman | Brendan Reilly
The new three story firehouse will be designed by DLR Group and would include a fire truck garage on the main level with crew quarters and new office space for the city's Fire Prevention Bureau. Once the new station is in full operation, the old building will be demolished and in it's place will be a 455 foot office building from architect Goettsch Partners. The plans for the new glass and aluminum clad tower at 444 N. Dearborn Street are designed to wrap around the station house and will feature a multi-story lobby with retail space and a mezzanine. Below grade parking will accommodate 50 cars and will be solely for office and fire department use.
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Friedman Properties will need to revise its current Planned Development agreement with the city to transfer unused air rights from its neighboring low-rise properties on Clark Street and the former courthouse on Hubbard Street. A payment of almost $11 million by the developer will go into Chicago's Neighborhood Opportunity Fund in exchange for density bonuses. According to DNAinfo, the new Neighborhood Opportunity Fund program allows developers to build larger and taller projects in an effort to bring in millions to rebuild deteriorating neighborhoods.
Per Chicago Curbed, Alderman Reilly stated that the meeting was the very start of the community engagement portion of the approval process. No firm start date was given but they do foresee a total construction time line for the new station and office high rise of 40 months. The tower will be 614,000 square feet and will require a considerable level of pre-leasing before Phase Two can start.
According to DNAinfo, the cost of the $20.2 million fire house would be paid for by Friedman Properties and an additional $5 million for the existing 14,600 square foot firehouse property and a 3,150 square foot alley. The site of the firehouse is currently zoned DX-7 and the city is expecting to receive about $4.4 million in real estate taxes each year for the new development. Terms of the proposed deal will be posted on the Department of Planning and Development's website and alternative bids will be accepted for a 30 day period.