A proposal to build apartments on top of the century-old Isaac G. Ettleson building in the city’s East Lake View Neighborhood and a scaled down Helmut Jahnskyscraper for South Michigan Avenue are up for review today by the city’s Plan Commission.

Today’s agenda is also noticeably less packed than those held over the past six months, when the Plan Commission was hearing about 6 to 8 applications a month.

The applications in agenda order:

#1 - 352 East Monroe Street (42nd Ward) -  An application forwarded by the Chicago Park District for the construction of an 8,000 square-foot concession building within Maggie Daley Park awaits Plan Commission review. The park is protected by the Lake Michigan and Chicago Lakefront Protection Ordinance. In January 2015, the Park District Board of Commissioners approved a concession stand contract with the Four Corners Tavern Group for the design, build-out and operation of a restaurant, a concession kiosk, and the right to cater special events at the park.

#2 - 3100 South Lake Shore Drive - Application (4th Ward) - This is another application from the Park District seeking a zoning change to expand an existing parking lot.

#3 - 3817-45 North Broadway Avenue. (46th Ward) - The owner of the former Spin nightclub in Boystown, David Gassman, who also owns several properties in Rogers Park, is behind a proposed eight-story mixed use building that would incorporate the existing Isaac G. Ettleson building currently located on the subject site. Built in the early 1900s, and once occupied by the Hamilton State Bank, the corner lot, two-story structure is known for the white terra cotta eagles crowning the building. According to the zoning application Gassman filed with the city in September, the proposed structure will keep retail at the ground floor, office space and 15 dwelling units on the second floor, and the remaining 110 residential units spread among the third through eight floors. The site is currently zoned B3-3 and Gassman is seeking to establish a planned development. He’s represented by zoning attorney Thomas S. Moore.

#4 - 920-1006 South Michigan Avenue and 1011-1015 South Wabash Avenue (4th Ward) - The Plan Commission will conclude its meeting with Helmut Jahn’shighly anticipated, but somewhat scaled down, skyscraper for 1000 S. Michigan Avenue. Originally proposed as a more than 1000-foot building for the Historic Michigan Boulevard District, the building would reach 832 feet in height. It includes 506 units, according to the specs listed on the meeting agenda.

The developers, JK Equities and Time Equities, are seeking a planned development to build an 86-story residential tower on a surface parking lot. The building will have enough parking stalls for 486 cars. Roughly half may be leased out to the public. The neighboring office building, located near the corner of South Michigan Avenue and 11th Street, would be included in the PD. Proposed uses include “school, college and university.” (Columbia College is located on the same block.) Somewhat related, the Landmarks Commission adopted new design guidelines in February that provide parameters for new construction in the historic district. The scaled-down renderings, which shaved about 200 ft from the original plan, align with those guidelines.

Items Deferred As of Wednesday:

#1 - 11127-29 South Langley Avenue and 704-706 East 112th Street (9th Ward) - A team of art and neighborhood organizations are behind a plan to transform a 18,500 square foot parcel of vacant land sandwiched between two historic apartment buildings in the city’s Pullman neighborhood to build lofts for artists. The so-called Pullman Artspace Lofts project has been more than five years in the making and calls for the rehabilitation of the two existing historic apartment buildings coupled with the construction of a new 34,000-square-foot, three story building to be located in the empty lot.

Pending zoning approval, the two rehabilitated buildings would have six units each, while the newly constructed masonry building will hold 26 units, with ground floor communal artist and exhibition space. “[The project] provides the opportunity to integrate historic preservation with cutting edge new construction and create an iconic group of buildings that anchor Pullman’s eastern boundary,” the project’s website notes. All 38 live/work units will be made affordable.

Pullman Artspace, LLC filed a planned development application with the city in February 2016. According to the Economic Disclosure Statement, the LLC is made up of Minnesota-based Artspace Projects, Inc. (55%), Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (40%), and Pullman Arts (5%). The project is also designated as a Transit Oriented Development (TOD) due to its proximity to the the Metra. Plans call for 17 parking spaces and 25 bike stalls.

#2- 1050 West Wilson Avenue (46th Ward) - Cedar Street Capital Partners filed an application with the city in September 2015 under the name “Halsted Commons, LLC” to rezone the former Wilson Avenue Theater and later TCF Bank building into a planned development. Plans call for the restoration of the century-old building and construct an adjacent seven story, dark grey brick mixed-use residential building that would include ground floor retail, 110 dwelling units, and 16 parking spaces. Due to the September filing date, the application falls under the old, 2007 affordable housing regulations.

The development team is represented by Paul Shadle & Katie Jahnke Dale of zoning law firm DLA Piper. According to the Illinois Real Estate Journal, Ceder Property bought the historic theater building for $625,000, and, according to DNAinfo, local housing advocates are not thrilled with the housing plans for the site. Four people are listed on the Economic Disclosure Statement for Halsted Commons, LLC: David Duckler (33.3% ownership); Alex Samoylovich (25.5%), Jay Michael(25.5%), and Tom Kim (10%). Michael, a well-known developer in Uptown, died in January from non-Hodgkin lymphoma.