Galewood residents are one step closer to discovering what will replace the sweet smells of chocolate at the site of the old Mars factory at 2019 N. Oak Park Avenue. Nearly two years after Mars announced that they would be closing the factory and donating the land to the developer or organization of the community’s choice, the company released the news that McCaffery Interests, Inc. would be developing the 20-acre manufacturing site.
McCaffery Interests, Inc., is an award-winning development firm based out of Chicago and was chosen after a lengthy and competitive bidding process, administered by Jones Lang LaSalle, a global real estate services company headquartered in Chicago. Throughout the bidding process, several developers submitted their own proposals, which were then evaluated based on how closely they aligned with the wants and needs of Mars and the community, how experienced they were and their past performance.
The desires of the Galewood community were represented in a Local Initiatives Support Corporation report and local community groups, including Austin Coming Together, Galewood Neighbors and Northwest Center, as well as other community members, were sure to make their voices heard. The report detailed hopes for a mixed-use site, which included community areas, green spaces, housing, businesses and a small business park.
“We voice our concerns because we want to make sure that the final outcome is at least close to what we had envisioned,” Chairperson for Greenville Neighbors Steve Green said. “We want to make sure that whatever’s in there, is something that is going to benefit. It’s going to be for the city or for the community, the neighborhood.”
At the end of the process, it was determined that McCaffery would be best fit to develop a site most in line with this vision. McCaffery’s history of completing large-scale, mixed-use developments in Chicago and across the country, as well as their commitment to honoring site legacies, made the choice a done deal. Now that McCaffery has been designated as the developer of the site, they can move forward in the rezoning process by continuing to plan within the City of Chicago’s rezoning process and awaiting the City of Chicago’s decision whether to permit the site to be rezoned in accordance with the uses outlined in the LISC report.
Another important component of the process is the community desire to maintain the facade of the old Mars factory as a historical landmark. The Commission on Chicago Landmarks approved a motion in July to recommend landmark designation for the factory. Next, this recommendation will be submitted to the City Council and will await approval by the zoning, landmarks and building standards committee.
McCaffery’s development plan is set to be released in the coming months and the rezoning process will remain public. Community members retain the opportunity to submit feedback regarding the development of the site. Green said he has appreciated Mars’ commitment to the community throughout the process so far.
“From the beginning of this whole thing, the fact that Mars, the Mars family, wants to make sure that whatever happens to the site is to the benefit of the community, has been really a great thing.”
This commitment shows no signs of fading as the Galewood community moves closer to learning the fate of the manufacturing site at 2019 N. Oak Park Avenue.
“Mars remains committed to the City of Chicago and working collaboratively with all our stakeholders to redevelop the site for the benefit of the community,” a Mars spokesperson said in a statement to the Austin Weekly News.
