High-Rise Development Could Still Become Reality

Plans to construct Parkway Point paused indefinitely after the economy took a spill in 2009, but now a developer formerly with the project says the high-rise could still become a reality.

Slated to overtake the blonde brick building at 504-514 W. Diversey Parkway, the roughly 15-story building was planned to include almost 70 condos and 91 parking spaces, with an adjacent 11-story building including 50 units and almost 100 parking spots.

Both were planned to meet at the bottom containing retail and restaurant spaces with a glass façade.

Formerly fronted by Giacomo Caliendo, owner of G. Corp Development, and his partner Mark Kozlowski, the high-rise was put on hold in 2009 shortly after the South East Lake View Neighbors organization voted to potentially make design changes.

While Caliendo says he’s no longer involved with Parkway Point, nor is he partnered with Kozlowski, he knows work is being done behind the scenes in hopes of reviving the project.

“Mark is working to get all the plans together to move forward,” Caliendo said. “That’s all I can say about it. He’s still just working to try and move forward with it.”

Multiple calls and emails to Kozlowski regarding the project were left unanswered.

Signs of Parkway Point’s revival comes after similar developments in Lake View also showed signs of movement despite being put on hold in 2009. The 8-story glass tower planned for the corner of Diversey and North Broadway is now moving forward, as well as the large-scale Addison Park on Clark project in Wrigleyville.

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Still, Ald. Tom Tunney’s (44th) Chief of Staff Bennett Lawson says reports Kozlowski is working to renew Parkway Point may not mean much. After issues arose in 2009, he says he hasn’t heard anything regarding developers attempting to make it a reality.

“It’s sharply designed, but it was an issue of finance,” Lawson told Patch during an interview in September. “They also were planning on taking the blonde brick courtyard, and they were hoping to make that a part of the deal, and that’s what the drawings show. If they don’t do that, it’s just one tower, which means a reduction in units, so the number is a lot tighter. I think that piece more than anything was the killer. It’s probably one we should take down (off our website) though, because it’s been a while.”