Alderman Brian Hopkins (2nd) said he supports Sterling Bay’s newest vision for the $5 billion Lincoln Yards project on the North Branch of the Chicago River.
The Chicago developer over the weekend unveiled its latest version of the plans for the 54-acre mega-development, and Hopkins said he will now back the project when it appears before the Chicago Plan Commission on Thursday, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Hopkins’ support is essential for the project under the unwritten rule of “aldermanic privilege,” and it comes after a number of instances in which he pushed back against Sterling Bay’s efforts to advance the project. Most recently, the developer dropped plans for a 20,000-seat soccer stadium and an entertainment district after Hopkins said he wouldn’t support them.
“Every change that I pushed Sterling Bay to make was the result of community consensus around these issues,” Hopkins told the Tribune.
The revised plan calls for as many as 6,000 new residential units and about 15 million square feet of buildable space. It will include a mix of office, residential, hotels, retail and entertainment venues. [Chicago Tribune] — John O’Brien