LINCOLN PARK — Sterling Bay has announced yet another setback in the years-long project to build the proposed Lincoln Yards development in Chicago’s scenic former scrap-metal-and- disused-warehouse district. After being forced to relinquish a portion of the property to lenders, Sterling Bay now plans to reduce the scale of the sprawling residential area down to one small, but very well maintained patch of grass.
“Look, we’ll concede that maybe a fifty-plus acre mega-development was overly ambitious,” said Ted Meyer-Lewis, a project manager for Sterling Bay. “We thought we were going to build a city within a city, but realized a better vision for the project was to really lean into the ‘yard’ aspect of our name.”
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The newly proposed design for the newly named “Lincoln Yard” would replace the construction of several apartment buildings and office complexes with a patch of well maintained grass. The size of the patch will be determined by how far a standard five pound bag of Scotts Turf Builder will go.
“With this new direction we expect to have the project completed by the end of June, just in time for Chicagoans to visit the Lincoln Yard, maybe sit on it?” said Meyer-Lewis. “Or have a picnic? Toss a ball, but not very far? The land outside the patch of grass will still have a lot of scrap metal in it, so really try to keep your limbs inside the patch. Dogs are allowed, but just one at a time.”
Residents of Lincoln Park and Bucktown have expressed disappointment and frustration with the delays and the new lawn concept.
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“We thought they were going to build affordable housing and a walkable district that would connect our neighborhoods, but all they ever really did was put up chain link fences covered with pictures of what it’s supposed to look like,” said Madeline Hooper, a resident of Lincoln Park. “I’d love to walk my dog to Bucktown without spending most of the walk passing through a visual metaphor.”
According to Ald. Scott Waguespack of the 32nd district, the project's delays are due to continued spats with the city over efforts to get the land zoned as a low-affordability community, which greatly reduce Sterling Bay’s property taxes. This effort has been rejected at city zoning meetings.
“They’d probably have gotten approval if they’d stop winking whenever we ask them if they’re going to meet the affordable unit requirement,” noted Waguespack.
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As Lincoln Yards prepares for the next phase of development by purchasing a length of hose and oscillating sprinkler, the project is slated to move forward and the new Lincoln Yard is set to open in early 2034.
