Austin residents on Wednesday got their first look at plans to redevelop the massive Mars Wrigley manufacturing site, a major project aimed at transforming the industrial property into a mixed-use residential community.
The plan calls for redeveloping the 20-acre site, which includes a Chicago landmark-designated historic building facing Oak Park Avenue, into a new mixed-use community. Roughly 140 residents packed the auditorium of the Sayre Language Academy for the meeting. And the reaction included neighbor concerns the project is too dense with new housing for the neighborhood.
Alderman Chris Taliaferro said Mars engaged LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) early on to lead community engagement after deciding to close its facility on the 2000 block of North Oak Park Avenue. LISC worked with three local organizations: Galewood Neighbors, Northwest Center and Austin Coming Together to hold five community meetings across four locations, resulting in the LISC plan.
“Mars issued a request for proposal to find a developer willing to bring a project as close to the LISC plan as possible,” Taliaferro said.
McCaffery was selected to develop a project aligned with that plan. Taliaferro emphasized that these community meetings are meant for input and discussion, allowing McCaffery to revise plans based on feedback and that additional meetings and inter-community discussions are planned over the coming weeks.
Joseph M. Antunovich, CEO of Antunovich Associates and Dan McCaffery, CEO of McCaffery, presented the redevelopment plan to those present.
The plan includes 150 units dedicated to senior living, 197 units of multi-unit housing and 132 townhome units. Altogether, the project will bring a total of 479 new units to the site.
“For those of you that are local families, these are 5- or 6-story buildings, with parking on the first floor and four stories of residential units above. The townhomes along the edges will be no taller than three stories to remain compatible with the surrounding neighborhood,” Antunovich said.
The plan includes stormwater management, connectivity to walking trails, transit-oriented development near the train station and upgrades to infrastructure like sidewalks, streets, and utilities. The proposal also a 64,000 Square foot community “flex” space which can be used for events, farmers markets and other uses.
The meeting ended with residents submitting their questions and feedback by writing notes for the developers and Taliaferro to review highlighting disagreements over affordability, density, transparency and which features the community actually wants.
Community members expressed concerns about affordability, density, transparency and who actually wants certain features.
The developers explained that new housing units need to be filled to secure financing and that Chicago needs more housing overall. A resident responded, saying the focus should not be on finance or citywide needs, but on the neighborhood itself, emphasizing that this is a community of homes.
One resident said, “We don’t need housing,” Others raised concerns about affordability, asking, “How expensive are they going to be?”
McCaffery emphasized that unsold or unfilled units would stop any new housing debt from being incurred.
“You won’t get it financed. Banks won’t give you the money to keep building if people aren’t going to buy it,” McCaffery said.
When asked what the mixed-use elements of the primarily housing plan would include and whether it would serve the broader neighborhood, McCaffery responded that it would cover “all of the above.”
“It was a 95,000-square-foot reuse of the old building, which is a great opportunity to determine what goes in there. That’s one use. Secondarily, there will be some modest, though not huge food service near the Metra station,” McCaffery said.
Residents asked about security in the new development, specifically whether each block could have security measures. The answer clarified that multifamily and senior housing buildings will have security within them, while street security for the rest of the area falls under the city’s responsibility, but all buildings will be constructed securely.
Residents asked about including a library in the plans. Taliaferro said they are working with the city to bring one, noting that previous attempts had failed because of city-related issues.
Another resident inquired if the plan could avoid adding new apartment rentals or if there were alternative options. McCaffery said apartments are particularly appealing to young people, and if the goal is to attract younger residents, adding apartments is appropriate. He acknowledged the concern but suggested this approach fits the neighborhood’s needs.
One resident spoke and said “Are we being considered? You know, the city wants this and it’s good for other people. But what about us? It seems like we’re being talked to rather than collaborated with.”
The next upcoming community meetings are scheduled on Dec. 6 and 17.
