720 North LaSalle Foundation Work Deepens
It wasn’t all that long ago you could get a shower and room at 720 North LaSalle Street. What was once a Howard Johnson Inn, consider by many to be a hole-in-the-wall establishment for weary travelers seeking cheap accommodations, is now a hole-in-the-ground future residential tower by friends-of-the-blog bKL Architecture. Revcon Construction crews made short work of the caisson drilling, and now foundation work continues...
Residents Begin Entering West Loop Through The Gateway
We’ve been watching rooftop construction at the new Gateway West Loop (11 South Green Street) with great interest for the last couple weeks. Normally, roofs don’t catch the eye, especially in an unfinished state. But from high atop our West Loop bureau, we’ve been able to observe first-hand as Gateway’s amenities floor takes shape. Curious, we wandered across the Kennedy Expressway for a closer look....
Status Update: Xavier Moving Toward Completion at 625 West Division
The 18-story residential high rise now known as Xavier continues to hurtle towards its Fall opening. The design by GREC Architects is bringing 240 homes to 625 West Division Street, an area rich with urban renewal following the tear-downs in the Cabrini Green neighborhood. A prime piece of real estate situated directly across the street from the new Target store, the 244,000-square-foot building will include ground-floor retail space...
With 1345 Wabash Complete, 1333 Shifts Into High Gear
Now that CMK Companies‘ 1345 Wabash tower (1345 South Wabash Avenue) is ready to accept residents, workers are earnestly changing the landscape next door at 1333 South Wabash for the accompanying structure. The Brininstool+Lynch design is being fitted into a hole intended for a previously-endeavored development that never got out of the ground. When complete, the 28-story tower will rise 276 feet into the South Loop sky. But...
Next Phase of Parkside of Old Town Rising On West Division
Redevelopment of Chicago’s Cabrini Green neighborhood continues on the city’s north side, and Holsten Real Estate Development Corporation’s Parkside of Old Town project continues to grow. This particular project, at 459 West Division Street, will bring an eclectic mix of dwelling options when ready for occupation in the winter 2016. At completion, the Landon Bone Baker Architects-design will include 106 dwelling...
JeffJack Nearly Ready To Take Off The Wraps And Welcome Tenants
Construction worker-bees are painting, polishing, and burnishing the West Loop’s newest amenity-laden rental development. JeffJack Apartments, at 601 West Jackson Boulevard is in the home stretch preparing for an April 1 opening. The name is memorable and a directional aid since it sits at the intersection of Jefferson and Jackson. It started as an internal shorthand name for the property. But even a marketing firm hired to come up...
Will Chicago Finally Get a New Supertall Skyscraper?
Yesterday, grand plans were unveiled for redeveloping Chicago’s old Main Post Office (433 West Van Buren Street), and the surrounding area. They include the construction of five residential, hotel, and office skyscrapers perched atop a massive parking, retail, and transit podium spanning the Chicago River. The highest profile portion of the project is a 120-story tower to be built just west of the river at 350 West Harrison...
The Marketing of Downtown Chicago
Last month, we noted two important announcements for the health and vitality of downtown Chicago: The new CityTarget coming to the Sullivan Center (35 South State Street), and Wal-Mart’s new Urban Market to be installed at Presidential Towers (555 West Madison Street). As much as we hate giving credit to politicians for jobs well done, the outgoing Mayor Richard M. Daley really deserves a laurel, and hardy handshake for these...
Video: Winthrop Club in Evanston
This is the news conference for the new Winthrop Club condo block in Evanston. It’s a little long, but there’s an interesting story about what the developers wanted to do versus what the city of Evanston would allow them to...
New Condo Block Ready to Open in Evanston
Evanston has a new condo block opening soon. The Winthrop Club (1570 Elmwood Avenue, Evanston) is a project of Winthop Properties, which is located in the north suburb. It’s the latest in a series of modern-looking mid-scale skyscrapers that are transforming the look of this ring city. Developers Ibrahim Shihadeh and Bob Horner of Winthrop Properties At a media preview held last week I was given the chance to tour...
