Lathrop Homes Scaled Back, Historic Elements Preserved

Months after their original deadline, the group planning to redevelop Lathrop Homes has finally come forward with a new design, slashing units and preserving some of the historic buildings. 

The Lathrop Community Partners—a five-part design team behind the project—submitted plans with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development detailing just 1,208 units at Lathrop, Chicago Real Estate Daily reports.

That’s much less than all three of the designs the group initially proposed in fall of 2012, with one seeking an excess of 1,600 units. The 32-acre site near Diversey Parkway and Damen Avenue sits directly between Lincoln Park, Bucktown, Roscoe Village and Lake View.

While Lathrop Homes was initially a Chicago Housing Authority-run development with 925 units, the new plan calls for 504 market-rate units, 400 public-housing units 2012 affordable units and 92 units for seniors in public housing, CRED writes.

That’s combined with plans for 780 parking spaces, an issue with some neighbors who voiced concerns regarding traffic at the already busy intersection.

Also a concern for residents and former Lathrop residents was maintaining some of the historic feel of the homes, originally built in 1938.

Luckily for those advocates, CRED found a majority of the buildings north of Diversey will stay, with CHA’s Chief Development Officer Michael Jasso saying it will be enough for the group to qualify for historic tax-credit financing. South of Diversey, many of the buildings down Damen would be replaced, along with a high-rise at the south end of the property.

The final feedback-based proposal was slated for release in March, but the Lathrop Community Partners and CHA said they needed more time. At the time 1,300 units were being explored, a number still too dense for neighbors.

Ald. Scott Waguespack and Ald. Joe Moreno—both of whom have a stake in Lathrop Homes and must approve the plan—told CRED the project is moving “in the right direction.” The entire proposal will be presented at a July 30 community meeting.