Chicago Development News

The site of a proposed 12-story condo building in River North could instead be transformed into a five-story hotel. The long-vacant site was once home to a film processing company.

That building was torn down two years ago with grand plans for luxury condos. Now it seems plans have changed once again for 61 W Erie.

The property owner recently announced plans for an apartment-style hotel, complete with retail space. The revised plan for the site complies with existing zoning, meaning the city does not need to grant its approval.

As of now, the building calls for a boutique hotel with just 29 hotel suites. Reportedly those hotel suites will look less like a traditional downtown hotel and more like upscale apartments.

The proposed hotel operator is Sonder.

A new Chicago ordinance could make it more difficult for developers to push ahead with plans for condo-to-rental deconversion projects, according to reports. The City Council recently approved legislation that requires a larger percentage of condo owners to approve the sale of a condo building to developers.

Previously it took 75-percent of condo association members to approve selling every unit of a building in bulk. The new number stands at 85-percent of condo association members.

City leaders behind the new legislation say it gives homeowners who want to stay in their building more clout. They say past condo deconversion projects have led to the displacement of long-term condo owners who didn’t want to sell.

The new law comes as deconversion projects

A proposal to build a 39-story apartment building, replacing the Barnes & Noble bookstore, has been abruptly withdrawn. The architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz, proposed the development which would have contained 368 rental units, a rooftop deck with pool, and 19,000 sq. ft. of commercial space.

A public meeting was held on April 11th in which neighbors voiced concerns that the structure was too tall, did not blend into neighborhood well, would block views and create parking complications. 

Brian Hopkins, 2nd Ward Alderman, appears to agree with these concerns and has officially nixed the project. Another proposal made by Newcastle, slated for the northwest corner of State and Division is currently under review.

Their proposal is for an

Looking for new construction in one of Chicago's hottest neighborhoods right now? If so, these new condo developments are all worth a closer look...

2136 West Lyndale Street 

Get ahead of the competition with a new construction condo at 2136 West Lyndale Street. The property offers contemporary style points, including open living space and high ceilings. You’ll also find large front decks, spa-like baths and SmartHome technology included with the new condos of this building.

2913 West Lyndale Street

Additional luxury new condo options exist at 2913 West Lyndale. The contemporary property offers up the advantage of private decks and hardwood floors, along with plenty of high-end luxuries and a location that’s just a short distance away from

City Club Apartments has presented an initial proposal to redevelop a vacant Lake View parcel at the corner of Lake Shore Drive and Waveland Avenue.  

The proposal, according to reports, calls for 2 structures; a 5-story, 66-foot residential-use tower at the south end of the site, and a 19-story, 206-foot mixed-use tower to the north. The lot is one of Chicago’s few undeveloped lakefront sites, as has been a subject of speculation for some time.

Tressa Feher, Alderman Cappleman’s chief of staff, stated that the project is still a work-in-progress and specific details like height, design, and total unit count, are subject to change. According to Feher, “There are still legal ingress and egress issues and other easements that need to be worked out,

West Town is one of the hottest neighborhoods in town right now and new construction opportunities are moving quickly. But if you're planning to be in the market for a new construction condo in West Town later this year, here's a closer look at several boutique projects that won't disappoint... 

2721 W. Haddon Ave.

With only a half-dozen units to choose from, the stylish new condos of 2721 W Haddon Ave are certainly worth another look. The open floor plans are complimented by large floor to ceiling windows and quartz countertops, plus a location that’s just a stroll away from the park, the beach, walking trails and more. 

815 N. Paulina 

Just steps from everything you want in West Town, 815 N Paulina offers stylish condos, some of which come

Uber is expanding in Chicago, this time gearing up for a move into a massive amount of rental space inside Chicago’s Old Post Office. The rideshare company reportedly signed a lease for 450,000 square feet of space in the building.

That makes it the building’s largest tenant by far. Until recently, Walgreens held the largest lease with 200,000 square feet of space.

Construction is slated to begin next spring on the new Uber offices. According to reports, the space will help accommodate thousands of Uber employees. Several months ago, Uber acknowledged it was looking for a larger space to consolidate its Uber Freight workers with employees from Uber Eats and Uber Ride.

While the company started with just 5,000 square feet five years ago, it quickly grew

The new Three Sixty West condo project has been one of River North’s most anticipated, which is why it’s exciting that first move-ins are finally under way.

But along with reaching this milestone, developer Belgravia Group also unveiled staged models as well, giving prospective buyers a better glimpse at what units at this amazing 11-story boutique building has to offer.

According to reports, around half of the building’s 38 units have already closed, which is impressive given pricing starts right around $1.1 million.

Each floor plans at Three Sixty West includes 3 bedrooms and between 1,735 and 2,396 square feet. In addition, only the most coveted amenities were incorporated into the building’s plan, helping keep monthly assessments as low as

A new apartment and hotel tower at 300 N Michigan Avenue recently gained approval from the Chicago Plan Commission. The project cleared the commission last month, paving the way for a 46-story tower to replace a low-rise building sitting near Millennium Park.

Plans for the mixed-use tower call for 289 residential units, topped off by ground-level commercial space and 280 hotel rooms. Plans also call for some parking. The more than $250 million project brings with it some affordable housing units.

The developer plans to put millions into Chicago’s Neighborhood Opportunity Fund in exchange for greater density and height with the project. That money is expected to help small businesses on Chicago’s West and South sides.

300 N Michigan is one of three large

The site of an old Treasure Island grocery store in Lakeview could soon be redeveloped into hundreds of apartments. A developer wants to construct a large apartment complex where the former grocery store and a parking lot stand on North Broadway.

Dubbed Optima Lakeview, plans call for the contemporary glass building to stand eight stories high, and house nearly 250 apartment homes. Those apartments would include a mix of efficiency units, plus one-, two-, and three-bedroom floor plans.

The developer plans to add in ground level retail space, plus room for indoor parking and bicycles. Community amenities would also include a basketball court, game room, a pool deck and a fitness center. A rooftop deck is also part of the proposal.

The new development still