A four-story apartment building is set to replace the recently demolished Burger King at 1323 W. Irving Park Road, situated approximately half a mile north of Wrigley Field. According to the developer’s presentation to the city board, the new building will comprise 31 apartments and provide 31 parking spaces within an enclosed garage. Demolition work is currently underway following the issuance of a wrecking permit last week, as indicated by city building records.
The development team stated at a July meeting of the Zoning Board of Appeals that Burger King’s lease had expired, and the property was sold in the summer of 2022 to Wayne 531 LLC for $3.1 million. Since the property already allowed residential uses, rezoning from the City Council was unnecessary. However, developers sought approvals from the Zoning Board of Appeals to accommodate the development within the oddly sized property bordered by Irving Park Road, Wayne Avenue, and Lakewood Avenue.
The project received special clearance to incorporate apartments on the first floor, reduce the rear property setback requirement from 30 feet to just over 4 feet, and increase the maximum height from 45 feet to 49-and-a-half feet, as per city records. Additionally, the Zoning Board of Appeals approved a request for more than the required 16 parking spaces. The project’s proximity to the Sheridan Red Line station qualifies it as a transit-oriented development, allowing developers to include fewer parking spaces.
As the project did not involve a zoning change, no affordable units are mandated to be included. Construction on the new building’s timeline remains unclear, as a construction permit has yet to be issued according to city records.
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