It's a Done Deal: Avondale's $65M California Avenue Development Gets Full City Council Green Light

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Avondale · June 21, 2026

Bricktown's biggest development story just hit its finish line. The Chicago City Council has officially approved the $65 million mixed-use development at 3265 N. California Avenue in Avondale — the final governmental stamp needed to move the project from blueprint to bulldozers. The unanimous vote seals a community-shaped approval process that stretches back months, with neighbors having successfully pushed for a scaled-back, more neighborhood-friendly design along the way.

The approved project — led by developers Stocking Urban and Macon Construction — calls for 105 housing units across a mix of three-story townhomes and a five-story apartment building, including 21 affordable units. The site sits on an expansive L-shaped lot bound by West Melrose Street to the south, steps from the Chicago River. With City Council now fully on board, developers are targeting an early 2027 completion, meaning Avondale could see construction underway on the long-vacant stretch before the year is out.

For a neighborhood that showed up to community meetings, asked hard questions, and pushed back on earlier proposals that felt too dense, this final vote is a testament to what civic engagement looks like in Avondale. Stay connected through Ald. Anthony Quezada's office and the Avondale Neighborhood Association for groundbreaking news — Bricktown's California Avenue corridor is about to look very different.

Sources:
1. https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/06/16/new-housing-okd-for-avondale-mckinley-park-streeterville-and-across-from-johnnys-ice-house/
2. https://chicagoyimby.com/