“Ald. Timmy Knudsen (43rd) supports DePaul University’s plan to build a new basketball facility on its Lincoln Park campus, he announced Friday.

“DePaul’s plan calls for a $60 million athletic center on Sheffield Avenue that would include an athlete recovery lounge, meeting rooms and basketball courts. It would require the teardown of four century-old homes in the 2300 block of North Sheffield Avenue, a part of the project that many neighbors pushed back against.

“Knudsen said he was able to support the project, in part, because of how many concessions the university was willing to make to get the facility built.

“‘The biggest wins we solidified are the commitment to invest in the landmarking of Byrne Hall and Cortelyou Commons,’ Knudsen said. ‘DePaul also committed that not more than one month will pass between demolition and building. They’ve agreed to sprint from demo to build. And what this does is it lets me know they’re not going to demolish anything until they are fully ready to get that thing done.’

“With Knudsen’s support, the proposal will now go to the city’s zoning committee before being considered by the full City Council.

“The four row houses are at 2308, 2310, 2314 and 2316 N. Sheffield Ave. Since these buildings will be torn down, DePaul has agreed to help protect other historic buildings in the area.

“Two of the rowhouses that would be torn down at 2310 and 2316 N. Sheffield Ave. are orange-rated in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey, meaning they are not designated as landmarks but they do have an architectural feature or historical association that contributes to the context of the community.

“DePaul’s courtyard building at 2300-2302 N. Sheffield Ave., which was built in 1925 and houses about 40 student apartments, would also be torn down.

“As part of the agreement with the city, DePaul will support making the exterior facades of Cortelyou Commons and Byrne Hall official Chicago landmarks. This is a way to make up for the loss of the historically rated structures on Sheffield Avenue, according to the plan of operation.

“DePaul has also committed to an investment of ‘several million dollars’ to improve and maintain the cladding on O’Connell Hall, a university-owned building at 1036 W. Belden Ave.” (Filbin, Block Club Chicago, 9/30/24)

“Not all neighbors and preservationists are on board with the compromise plan, however.

“Some groups, including the Sheffield Neighborhood Association and Preservation Chicago, asked the university to consider preserving the buildings and use other DePaul-owned sites for expansion, like the surface parking lot at the intersection of Fullerton and Sheffield avenues.

“‘We wish the university well and understand their needs for expansion, but the sites they’re selecting aren’t the most ideal,’ said Ward Miller, director of Preservation Chicago.

“‘I think it will bring about a tipping point with the community. I don’t think they want to be in a situation where the community feels out of sync with the university.’ said Brian Comer, president of the Sheffield Neighborhood Association, said he hopes DePaul can find another location for its sports facility.

“‘We want the university to be able to offer their student athletes a wonderful experience,’ said Brian Comer, president of the Sheffield Neighborhood Association. ‘If the university didn’t have any other property, it’d be a different conversation, but they do and they could allow our gorgeous architecture to remain.’

“Sheffield Neighborhood Association provided a list of about 10 buildings that should be preserved due to their history and architecture, Comer said. From the list, DePaul officials chose two to pursue landmark status for Cortelyou Commons and Byrne Hall. They also committed to investing in O’Connell Hall’s facade, Coffey said.

“‘We’re feeling significant pressure from development and we’re seeing a rather dramatic loss of historic properties in the neighborhood,’ Erik Heitmann, president of neighborhood improvement group Lincoln Central Association said. ‘It’s a great first step to see DePaul committing to protecting other buildings, but this still certainly impacts the community. We’re a community that values our historic character and we’d like to see development that coexists with that.'” (Padar, Block Club Chicago, 4/11/24)

Read the full story at Block Club Chicago

• DePaul’s Controversial Athletic Facility Plan Gets Ald. Timmy Knudsen’s Support; The $60 million athletic facility will require DePaul to tear down four century-old homes, a point of contention with neighbors, Patrick Filbin, Block Club Chicago, 9/30/24
• Alderman Knudsen approves DePaul Basketball practice facility, The project will now proceed to seek city zoning approvals, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 10/2/24
• DePaul Adjusts Sports Facility Plan, But 1890s Rowhouses Would Still Be Demolished, The university now promises to preserve three other historical campus buildings — but still plans to demolish four rowhouses to make way for the facility, Kayleigh Padar, Block Club Chicago, 4/11/24
• Sheffield-Belden Group, a Preservation Chicago 2024 Chicago 7 Most Endangered