Chicago Garage Becomes 72-Unit Apartment Building

A parking garage in Chicago’s East Lakeview neighborhood recently reopened as a 72-unit apartment building, reports John Greenfield in Streetsblog Chicago. “The building, developed by JSM Venture, is only 0.6 miles from the Belmont Red/Brown/Purple station. It also has easy access the #36 Broadway bus, as well as the #77, #151, and #156 CTA buses on Belmont. And it's only a half mile from the Lakefront Trail.” 

The building, called The Medallion, includes businesses on the ground floor, many of which were there before the building was renovated. Greenfield notes that the building is within short walking distance of many local businesses and is exempt from parking requirements thanks to its proximity to the Belmont station.

Despite the successful conversion of this project, Greenfield learned that converting older parking garages is difficult and expensive work. Christine Carr, who works with the company managing leasing at the building, “confirmed that overhauling The Medallion was no easy task.”

To make buildings more easily adaptable, Greenfield’s Streetsblog colleague Steven Vance suggests that “architects should design today's parking structures with enough floor reinforcement, column spacing, ceiling height, and room for ductwork and electrical equipment, that they can be converted into places for people in the future.”