New plans have been revealed for the mixed-use proposal set to replace the vacant lot and parking garage at 331 South Plymouth Court in The Loop. Located at the intersection with West Van Buren Street and connected to Pritzker Park, development of the site has been in the works for a few years after a previous proposal, dubbed Assemble Chicago, stalled.
View of Downtown Loop Site at 331 S Plymouth Court. Image by C40
For the past few years, development along the southern portion of State Street has struggled to gain traction. This included Assemble Chicago, a 20-story proposal that was the result of a design competition won by The Community Builders and Studio Gang. The 207-unit, $102 million project underwent multiple iterations and at one point included a potential YMCA anchor before ultimately being scrapped.
Previous iterations of Assemble (left, center) – ACoDA (right)
However, last week the city announced a new team selected to take over the project with a revised design. Dubbed ACoDA, the proposal is being led by DL3 Realty and designed by architecture firm Perkins&Will. The new $62 million, 25-story tower will feature a four-story active podium and a $1.5 million redevelopment of Pritzker Park.
Rendering of ACoDA by Perkins&Will
Like its predecessor, ACoDA takes inspiration from the historic Fisher Building behind the site, featuring an angled form and light brown decorative fins, though with significantly more glass. The podium would include ground-floor retail and restaurant space, co-working areas, and multiple live-work loft units for local entrepreneurs, according to the city’s press release.
Rendering of ACoDA by Perkins&Will
Rendering of ACoDA by Perkins&Will
The floors above will contain 300 residential units, a major increase from the original proposal. Of those, 60 will be designated as affordable. Residents would also have access to 60 parking spaces within the podium, as well as a large outdoor deck on the fifth floor overlooking the park. It also appears that the previously announced YMCA and Rush clinic locations have been removed from the plans.
Rendering of ACoDA by Perkins&Will
The project joins early signs of momentum in the area, including the recently announced redevelopment of 401 State Street into a vertical farm and residential units nearby. In order to move forward, the proposal will require City Council approval and must secure several small grants ahead of groundbreaking. Power Construction and UJAMAA Construction will serve as the general contractors.
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