Owner May Redevelop Entire Block Across from Chateau Hotel

Traveling down the 3800 block of North Broadway Street may soon look very different as yet another building owner is coming forward with preliminary plans for redevelopment.

Abby Sullivan, Ald. James Cappleman’s (46th) special projects manager, says the owner of nearly every building across the street from the former Chateau Hotel wants to change the properties’ zoning.

She says he’s looking for B3-5 zoning, the same as the Chateau, allowing for small-scale retail stores with apartments or condos above them.

“Dave Gassman owns all the buildings except one on the east side of Broadway on the 3800 block,” Sullivan said. “There are four different zoning classifications on that block, and he wants to combine all of that into uniform zoning. He wanted B3-5, and that’s pretty standard for developers to ask because it works for a lot of potential uses. And then he wants to redevelop that.”

Sullivan says Gassman initially asked for zoning approval and then he would figure out the specifics of the redevelopment. However, board members with East Lake View Neighbors said they’d prefer to see project plans before approving anything.

Transforming the entire block would add to a list of projects recently announced for the neighborhood. Sullivan says since the single room occupancy hotel was purchased by BJB Properties, developers have been flocking to the area.

“Since the Chateau sold there’s been a lot of interest from other developers for redevelopment in that direct vicinity.” 

JDL Development Corp. is already seven months ahead of schedule on Halsted Flats, a 15-story project a block away at 3740 N. Halsted St. JDL also just announced a proposal to build a 7-story apartment tower where the Mobil gas station sits at Broadway and Sheridan.

In addition, the Unity Green at Gill Park says they’re only about $40,000 short from their almost $500,000 plan to redevelop Gill Park’s playground and adjacent open space. The second phase would be an even larger investment.