Small business incubator for hair, nail, skin services planned for former Jefferson Park firehouse

by BRIAN NADIG

A city of Chicago community development grant of up to $250,000 has been awarded to help turn the first floor of the former Jefferson Park firehouse into a small business incubator, featuring as many as 15 separate hair-style and other salon-related operators.

Called “Parlor Station,” the project was one of 58 neighborhood improvement projects recently awarded a total of $33 million in grants.

Construction began last summer on the former firehouse’s second floor, where four apartments are being built out. Initial plans had called for a brewery on the first floor, but those plans fell through.

Located at 4837 N. Lipps Ave., the two-story structure, which includes a basement, was built 120 years ago. It stopped being used as a firehouse in 1981, and then until around 2010 it housed the 45th Ward streets and sanitation services.

Several years ago the city sold the building to developer Tim Pomaville of Ambrosia Homes in exchange for putting $200,000 in escrow to cover the estimated cost of environmental remediation for the site. The site is located about 1/4-block south of the Jefferson Park CTA Terminal, 4917 N. Milwaukee Ave.

The project is designed for hair stylists and skin and nail treatment specialists who are looking to start their own business but may not be ready to lease an entire storefront, said Lidia Pomaville, the project’s organizer.

“We’re going to make it beautiful,” Pomaville said. “It’s going to be a stunning space,” with glass and several amenities.

Tenants will have access not only to their own station but to shared spaces, including restrooms, a break room and laundry area, Pomaville said.

The entire parlor station will cover about 4,000 square feet.

“We hope to have it built out by the end of the year,” Pomaville said, adding that the permitting process could cause some delays.

The project also will require the issuance of a special use by the Zoning Board of Appeals to permit hair and other salon-related services on the site.

The grant allows for the reimbursement of up to 75 percent of the project’s cost, with a maximum award of $250,000.

The building’s apartments are expected to be ready for lease later this year, and each will include two bedrooms and two baths and come with one parking space. The ceiling height will be as high as about 14 feet in some of the units.
Also on the Northwest Side, development grants were awarded to Wonderland Child Care, 5729 W. Belmont Ave., Rolon Studio, 5021 W. Fullerton Ave., Turn Back Time, 3834 W.Irving Park Road, The Hinterlands, 3666 W. Irving Park Road, Brothers Restaurant, 3000 W. Belmont Ave., Gateway To Learning, 4925 N. Lincoln Ave., Ballet Folklorico, 3006 N. Pulaski Road, Blue Sky Enterprise, 5118 W. North Ave., Rincon Family Services, 4010 W. North Ave., Frances Simmons Ellis, 6046 W. North Ave., and Fatso Hard Kitchen, 6464 W. North Ave.

“Lasting prosperity within our communities begins with revitalization efforts that center equity, community-driven development, and each neighborhood’s unique needs,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a statement. “Through this investment, the city is doubling down on its role as a partner, empowering the businesses and organizations that are already serving our people and shaping our city’s future. I look forward to seeing the newfound opportunities, cultural experiences and vitality that these investments yield.”

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