“Thousands of apartment units and a hotel could replace the former Salvation Army property and a neighboring site steps from the city’s first casino in River West.
“Chicago-based Shapack Partners plans to transform two areas, including the closed store at 509 N. Union Ave., into an apartment-hotel hybrid campus, according to two zoning applications submitted to the city.
“The property along Grand Avenue between Desplaines Street and Union Avenue would be divided between a 141-room hotel and a 1,110-unit apartment building. The hotel would be along Union Avenue, while the apartments would be primarily along Desplaines Street, according to the zoning documents.
“Shapack plans for a three-building apartment complex southwest of the Salvation Army property along the intersection of Milwaukee and Union avenues and Hubbard Street, according to the plans. The 1,159-apartment campus would also feature ground-floor retail and office space. There are 454 affordable units planned overall, with 222 for the hotel-apartment hybrid and 232 for the three-building apartment complex.
“Representatives from Shapack Partners were unavailable for comment.
“The Salvation Army closed in March, citing significant disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The site was home to a thrift store and an adult rehabilitation center, which also closed in March. Shapack Partners bought the campus in May for $25 million, according to Crain’s. (Mercado, Block Club Chicago, 6/23/22)
The Wrigley Lodge / Salvation Army Building is a unique blend of two distinct architectural styles. A soaring Streamline Modern element joins the 5-and 6-story red brick industrial lofts to create wonderfully balanced asymmetry. The result is an iconic building. Its distinctive appearance and important history make this building an important one to save. The building was designed by C. J. Furst and Charles Rudolph in 1891.
In 1929, William Wrigley Jr. purchased the building and donated the property to the Salvation Army for use as a lodging house for unemployed men. A formal ceremony was held on October 23, 1930. The Wrigley Lodge served as a homeless shelter throughout the Great Depression and World War II. Following the war, it increasingly served as a veterans’ rehabilitation center to assist returning servicemen.
Wrigley Lodge had the capacity to lodge 1,200 men nightly and to feed over 2,000. But the goals were more broad and included rehabilitation services, paid employment opportunities within the buildings, and assistance in finding employment.
After the war, the Salvation Army began a fundraising campaign to remodel the building, and on December 9, 1947, a permit was issued for the alterations. It was remodeled in the Streamline Moderne style including the striking, asymmetric, vertical entryway with glass block and rounded corners. (Preservation Chicago 2021 Chicago 7 Most Endangered)
Preservation Chicago applauds Chicago-based Shapack Partners for their planned adaptive reuse. The Salvation Army building is an outstanding structure that deserves to be protected and preserved as part of the site redevelopment. While the specifics are still unknown, we are encouraged by recent reporting that indicates a preservation-sensitive outcome for this important building.
Read the full story at Block Club Chicago
2,200 Apartments, Hotel Proposed For River West Salvation Army Site Near Bally’s Casino