November 9, 2026 — A familiar property at Diversey Parkway and Seminary Avenue has been a Saab dealership, a MINI showroom and a COVID-19 testing center. Now, the former auto dealership at 1111 W. Diversey Parkway is at the center of one of Lincoln Park’s most contentious development debates: ComEd’s proposal for a new electrical substation.
From car dealership to COVID testing site
Longtime North Side residents may remember the property as an automobile dealership. Before MINI of Chicago arrived in 2011, the location housed a Saab–Lincoln–Mercury dealership. MINI subsequently operated a large showroom and service facility at the address. During the pandemic, Innovative Express Care used the property as a COVID-19 testing location.
The site’s automotive history is documented in a 2011 MINI of Chicago advertisement. The former MINI dealership and testing center are also identified in a June 2026 aldermanic newsletter.
Why ComEd wants the site
ComEd purchased the roughly one-acre property in 2021 for $11.5 million. The utility says a new substation and underground transmission infrastructure are necessary to address rising electricity demand and maintain reliable service in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, North Center and Uptown. The project has been described as costing approximately $250 million, with construction potentially taking three years.
ComEd has warned that existing North Side substations are approaching capacity. The utility argues that additional capacity is needed not only for existing customers but also for future homes, businesses and redevelopment. See the Chicago Sun-Times report and ComEd’s proposed building rendering.
Neighbors want housing instead
The Diversey Community Coalition argues that the parcel, just a short walk from the Diversey CTA Brown Line station, would be better used for transit-oriented housing and possibly ground-floor retail. The coalition and local officials identified 14 alternative sites for ComEd to consider, but the utility rejected them, citing factors including feasibility, cost, size and availability.
Supporters of housing say this is an unusually valuable opportunity to add residences close to public transportation, schools and neighborhood businesses. ComEd counters that the chosen property offers the most practical and cost-effective location for essential electrical infrastructure. Read more about the proposed alternative locations.
A significant regulatory setback — but no final decision yet
In October, administrative law judges reviewing ComEd’s grid plan recommended against approving the substation as proposed, finding that ComEd had not sufficiently justified the project’s scale. The judges’ recommendation is not a final ruling, and ComEd has disputed the characterization of its transformer requirements.
The Illinois Commerce Commission is expected to issue a decision on the grid plan by December 15, 2026. The Diversey Community Coalition says more than 1,000 public comments have been submitted opposing the project. Its November updates describe continued legal arguments over the proposed project’s size and potential alternatives. Read the October 22 Sun-Times coverage.
THIMBY versus NIMBY?
The dispute has also sparked a broader conversation about neighborhood development politics. In a November 9 Chicago Tribune story, the debate is framed around the term “THIMBY” rather than the familiar “NIMBY.” The central question is whether advocating a different use for a site is meaningfully different from opposing an unwanted project.
For neighbors who remember shopping for cars here — or lining up for a COVID test — the property has already lived several lives. What comes next could shape this stretch of Diversey Parkway for decades.
What do you think?
Should 1111 W. Diversey become new housing near the Brown Line, or is a ComEd substation the better use of the property? Share your thoughts in the comments.
This location should only be considered for a 6-8 story condo or apartment building.