I am very happy to confirm that Filter is open for business!

We have been working with Jeff, the owner, to open this new space since the old Filter closed in 2007.  It has been a long, arduous journey but we are very happy to have Jeff open.  Filter was an old hangout for me when I was living in Bucktown in the 00′s and I was very disappointed to see Filter be replaced by another ubiquitous commercial bank installation.  After I heard the news I thought, I wish there was something I could do to help Filter reopen.  Turns out, there was.  Knowing how cumbersome the Chicago building and zoning codes can be, I contacted Jeff and asked if he needed help, free of charge, to assess new Filter locations.  It was the least we could do for a cafe that means so much to the neighborhood.  Three spaces and 18 months later we found the building at 1373 and knew it was the one.  The raw quality of the space was very reminiscent of the old Filter and had a couple of other built-in, cool features.  For instance, the old, metal shutters covering the windows at the back of the seating area were revived to their original luster.  Photos after the jump.

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Construction at Filter has started!  The walls have been framed, rough plumbing and electrical are complete, and major ductwork has been installed.  Completion is scheduled for the end of the year.

UPDATE (10/02): We have been approved for permit!  Construction to start Monday, 10/05!

UPDATE (09/22): The plans are out of plan check.  We only have a few minor issues to clarify with the Department of Buildings.  With any luck the plans will be approved for permit at the end of next week 09/25.

Filter has emerged from the Green Review, and will now proceed into the building permit pipeline.  We are hopeful to have comments back in a couple of weeks with construction slated to start immediately after.

We are on pace for 61 LEED-CI credits which puts us in Gold territory.  Stay tuned!

The building that will be housing the new Filter hit a bit of a snag in the Department of Zoning, which is why you haven’t heard from us in a while. Rest assured, though, the Zoning Board of Appeals has given the building a green light and we had a successful preliminary intake meeting with the Green Permit Program Wednesday. We are on pace to achieve a Silver rating under the revised LEED v3.0 rating system! Expect another update in a couple of weeks.

Filter coffee update:  We will be wrapping up construction drawings in the next two weeks,  after which we will submit to the Department of Buildings and Health Department for permits.  Sandblasting just wrapped up and has taken off about fifty years of grime, check out the photos after the jump.

Also, Filter is on pace for LEED-CI, certified level!

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