Investor Buys Building, Plans Changes at Busy Corner

A high-trafficked corner might soon get a makeover after an investor recently purchased a practically vacant building for $1.45 million.

JDB Properties LLC made the deal in January to purchase the more than 18,000-square-foot building on the southwest corner of West Irving Park Road and North Ashland Avenue, according to the Cook County Recorder of Deeds.

The mixed-use building, located across the street from Lake View High School, was once home to the store Mattress Discounts. Now the only retailer in the space is Subway at 3952 N. Ashland Ave.

Exact details regarding what residents might see at the space remains unclear, as JDB Properties investor John Nannini wasn’t yet sure what he planned to do with the space, according to DNAinfo Chicago. He said his team is “kicking around some things,” and might be ready announce something in a month.

But the investment is one of many on Ashland in recent months.

Just one block south, Joe and mary Kay Calabrese, owners of both Zia’s Trattoria and Café Touché in Edison Park, have set their sights on the former restaurant Centro. By summer the space is slated to become a new Napa Valley themed eatery, complete with about 230 seats and potentially even valet service.

In addition, Artis Senior Living of Wrigleyville recently purchased almost an entire city block at on Ashland between Addison Street and Cornelia Avenue for $3.7 million. They plan to build a high-end mental health facility for seniors on the 45,000-square-foot lot.

That’s combined with Target Corp. closing the deal at 3201 N. Ashland Ave. to construct a new City Target. It will be Chicago’s third City Target.

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