Redevelopment Begins at Former Turtle Wax Site in Lincoln Park

• Demolition has started for the redevelopment of the retail complex at 1800 North Clybourn Avenue in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood.
• CRM Properties Group revised and downsized the project from its earlier proposal.
• The redevelopment will include new retail buildings, parking facilities, and preserved elements from the historic Turtle Wax factory site.

What the Lincoln Park Redevelopment Includes

Construction activity is officially underway at 1800 North Clybourn Avenue as crews begin demolishing existing structures tied to a revised redevelopment plan for the former Turtle Wax property in Lincoln Park. The site sits at the corner of North Clybourn Avenue and North Sheffield Avenue and was originally home to the historic Turtle Wax manufacturing plant built in 1908.  CRM Properties Group has been pursuing redevelopment plans for the property for several years, though the latest version of the proposal is significantly smaller than the original concept unveiled in 2024.

What Changed From the Original Proposal

Earlier plans envisioned a larger mixed-use development featuring multi-story commercial buildings, preserved factory towers, integrated pedestrian walkways, structured parking, and a residential high-rise tower rising behind the site. The developer has since switched architecture firms from Lamar Johnson Collaborative to Stantec and moved forward with a scaled-back retail-focused concept. The revised plan now calls for four smaller single-story commercial buildings surrounding a surface parking lot with 101 spaces on the northern section of the property. A separate wedge-shaped parcel to the south will include another retail structure along with a reconstructed version of one of the original factory towers and an additional 99-space parking lot.

What the Commercial Development Will Deliver

The redevelopment is expected to include approximately 44,000 square feet of commercial space overall. Because the revised proposal complies with existing zoning requirements, developers can proceed without seeking major zoning changes or city approvals that larger mixed-use projects often require. The property has already been largely vacated, allowing demolition work to begin immediately as crews clear the existing structures.

What Happens to the Residential Tower Plan

Although the larger residential component was removed from the active redevelopment phase, developers say the possibility of a future residential tower has not been fully abandoned. The site originally reserved for the proposed 500-foot residential tower will temporarily remain as surface parking while long-term options continue to be evaluated. No updated timeline or design details for a future residential phase have been announced.

What This Means for Lincoln Park Development

The project reflects a growing trend where developers scale back larger mixed-use proposals in response to construction costs, financing challenges, and shifting market conditions. Lincoln Park remains one of Chicago’s strongest retail and residential neighborhoods, but developers across the city have increasingly prioritized lower-risk phased projects that can move forward more quickly under current economic conditions. The preservation and reconstruction of historic factory elements also continues Chicago’s broader effort to incorporate adaptive reuse and industrial heritage into modern redevelopment projects.

What the Project Could Mean for the Area

While smaller than originally planned, the redevelopment could still help reactivate a long-underutilized commercial property in one of Chicago’s busiest retail corridors. If market conditions improve in the future, the preserved development capacity for a residential tower could eventually allow the site to evolve into a larger mixed-use destination over time