The deal, endorsed Tuesday by the community development commission, has been in the works longer than the nearly three years it has taken to decide on ASAT Inc.'s plan over two from a competing developer. "The request for proposal has been pending for almost three years, but I've been working on this for almost 10 years," says 50th Ward Alderman Bernard Stone. "It's been needed in my community for God knows how long."

Now used for 45 metered parking spaces serving the bustling Devon Avenue retail district, the northeast corner of Devon and Rockwell avenues will get 13,000 sf of ground-floor retail space facing a public plaza, 30 condominiums on the fifth and sixth floors, and 214 parking spaces on the second, third and fourth floors, according to ASAT Inc.'s plan. In addition, Chicago architect John Hanna has incorporated a glass and tile mural on the building's side. "We had to figure out a way to hide a parking garage," Hanna says.

Although ASAT Inc. is setting aside six units for buyers earning the median income or less, commission member Rafael Leon suggested the developer work with the city's department of housing to make the units affordable to households earning 80% of the median income or less.