Real estate pros have speculated for months what plans Sterling Bay has for the A. Finkl & Sons site since news broke last year the firm would buy the property, along with the neighboring Lakin General Tire and Gutmann Leather sites, a combined 40 acres in the Clybourn PMD. The nonprofit North Branch Works organization and partner Delta International released its final recommendations, part of an EPA-funded study.

North Branch's study suggests three scenarios for the Finkl site. One has parcels being sold off and developed individually, while incorporating the buildings that remain; another involves a corporate anchor such as a tech innovator buying and developing the majority of the land; or finally, a single developer could combine the parcels and develop the site with minimal reuse of the remaining buildings, while setting aside land for public transportation and bike lanes.

North Branch hopes the study will give the community some input into how the Finkl site is developed. Executive director Michael Holzer told Bisnow last year zoning restrictions in PMDs have led to gains in science, R&D and engineering jobs.