DPD Announces $6 Million Commercial Complex for South Branch RFP Site

A $6 million, 28,000-square-foot commercial building with a riverfront restaurant is the winner of a Department of Planning and Development Request for Proposals (RFP) for .95 acres of vacant City land in Armour Square, Commissioner Ciere Boatright announced today.

Proposed by Chinatown developer Mao S. Mei and designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners, the three-story building at 466 W. Cermak Road includes upper-story space for medical and professional offices and an adult day care, as well as on-site parking for 48 vehicles. Two hundred feet of adjacent river frontage includes landscaping and a 30-foot building setback to provide space for outdoor dining and other outdoor activities.

"As a mixed-use destination for Chinatown and beyond, the project will help activate the riverfront with people-oriented uses that complement neighbors and other planned investments," Commissioner Boatright said.

The RFP attracted two other responses: one for a school and one for parking. The Mao S. Mei proposal was the only response not to request City of Chicago financial assistance. Its proposed $1.165 million purchase offer for the land is commensurate with the property's market value.

Located in the Pilsen Industrial Corridor adjacent to the Cermak Road Bridge Historic District, the proposed building is largely masonry and glass with a second-floor terrace.

"Physically, the project will improve pedestrian-oriented connectivity between Chinatown and Pilsen while visually creating a more cohesive identity for this entry into Chinatown," Ald. Nicole Lee (11th) said.

The RFP sought projects that create employment opportunities, catalyze new development, and strengthen the urban fabric of the surrounding community. Each response was evaluated based on the proposed concept, as well as the development team's financial capacity, relevant experience, and ability to complete developments of a similar scale, among other factors.

The selected team includes Wmbe Chicago Inc. as general contractor and Site Design Group as landscape architect.

The City's sale of the property is expected to occur in 2026 with construction to follow, pending City Council approval.

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