Plans for 43-story apartment tower in Fulton Market gain committee approval

Related Midwest and Tucker Developments’ latest plans for Fulton Market’s 495-foot, 43-story apartment tower were approved by Chicago’s zoning committee, as initially reported in Black Club Chicago.

The tower, located on 906 W. Randolph St,. will provide 300 condo spaces (60 of those to be affordable on-site units), 75 parking spots and ground-floor retail.

If the skyscraper is to be approved by the city council, it will become Chicago’s tallest building located west of Halsted Street, according to Neighbors of the West Loop Development Committee.

Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (D, West Loop) spoke with Black Club about how the tower was only authorized after developers agreed to the 60 affordable living units that were added into the apartment spaces. The zoning committee vote occurred a month after the project was approved by the plan commission.

Originally pitched in 2017, the skyscraper has undergone several restructuring plans to fit the needs of all West Loop residents. Related Midwest initially envisioned the tower to include 220 parking spots along with commercial space and was expected to rise to 570 feet with 51 stories.

The Neighbors of West Loop organization protested the building’s size, writing in a letter to Burnett that its height was at odds with the majority of the building community, including nearby business owners.

In June 2018, Related Midwest developers agreed to scale down the skyscraper from 51 stories to 43 stories following the negative reactions. It was later reduced again to 36 stories after multiple meetings with the West Central Association, but later changed again back to 43 stories.

That same month, The West Loop’s Chamber of Commerce West Central Association threw its support to the revised skyscraper plans.

Neighbors of the West Loop remain critical of the new tower despite the alterations already made.

Once the project has gained city council approval, developers will pay the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund $4.8 million in exchange for additional density to be installed in the building.