1) Fulton Market ranks among top 5 areas for “cool streets” nationwide
Fulton Market, the once gritty, industrial meat packing district of the West Loop, has seen its fair share of transformation over the years, and now it can boast being a top area in the nation for “cool streets” for retail. Cushman & Wakefield published a report listing the top ranking trend-setting retail districts across the nation, among which Fulton Market holds fourth place. A rising star for both commercial and residential real estate, Fulton Market continues to be attractive to leading retail brands, and it doesn’t seem like the increased influx of retailers entering the area will abate any time soon.
Fulton Market Named One of Top 20 Cool Streets in North America
2) Google set to become one of Chicago’s largest tenants
When Google unveiled its new offices in Chicago’s West Loop in the summer of 2015, it was a move that would establish a Midwest campus for the tech giant. Google just opened its second office in the Fulton Market neighborhood, 210 N. Carpenter St, expanding its campus and setting it on a track to become one of the largest tenants in Chicago. The newly opened office will be dedicated to the company’s expanding cloud computing division. Google currently has more than 1,200 employees in Chicago and its offices in Fulton Market serve as the company’s Midwest headquarters. Google help set the tone for development and expanding real estate in the West Loop in the last few years, and its growing campus could help attract more investment to the neighborhood.
Google Building at 210 N Carpenter in West Loop
3) Chicago’s top dining district gets more restaurants and food hall
Between “Restaurant Row” and the Fulton Market District, good restaurants are in no short supply. The abundance of dining options in the West Loop continues to grow, including the addition of these new eateries:
Veggie Grill, 911 W Randolph St - the California-based chain serves up a fully plant-based menu including “burgers,” “carne asada” burritos, salads, sandwiches and more. This is the first West Loop location for the chain, and its fourth in Chicago.
Veggie Grill West Loop - Paleo Zucchini Noodles with Beyond Sausage
Boqueria, 807 W. Fulton Market - this new Spanish tapas restaurant by New York-based Executive Chef Marc Vidal, promises paella, jamon Iberico and boozy brunches. It is scheduled to open December 2019 and will be the seventh restaurant for the company nationwide, and its first in Chicago. Chef Vidal has expressed plans to integrate local purveyors into his menu offering.
Boqueria West Loop
Time Out Market, 916 W Fulton Market - the craze over food halls in Chicago continues with the opening of Time Out Market in just a few days. Set to open November 21, 2019, the new food hall in the West Loop owned by the media company, Time Out, will feature offerings from 18 of Chicago’s best dining spots including Lost Larson, Split-Rail and Virtue to name a few. The 50,000 square foot food hall is split into three levels, and will also feature an event venue, three bars, a rooftop and more.
Time Out Market in West Loop
4) Penthouse condo sells for $4+ million in West Loop neighborhood
Residential real estate in the West Loop is experiencing a moment. A newly-built 28-unit Hayden building at 1109 W Washington Blvd just had an eighth-floor penthouse condo sell at just over $4 million and two other penthouse condos in the building will close shortly at nearly the same amount. These high-end, multi-million dollar condo sales are not the highest in the area, however, they indicate a strong market for investment. The number of high-end condos sold in the West Loop is currently outpacing those in the Gold Coast neighborhood. It is likely that more development and newer condo buildings will arrive in the West Loop soon, and with the rate at which these multi-million dollar condos are selling, buyers looking to purchase a home in that price range will have additional options in the West Loop neighborhood.
Hayden West Loop
5) Expansion coming to Illinois Medical District in West Loop
The Illinois Medical District, which forms the southwest part of the West Loop neighborhood, is the second largest urban medical district in the country and its CEO/Executive Director, Dr. Suzet M. McKinney, has a vision to increase its prominence as a leading life sciences hub in the nation. Dr. McKinney addressed the City Club of Chicago on October 10, 2019 to share plans to start four new development projects soon that will expand the district’s campus which is home to four hospitals and, now, two mixed-use developments: Harrison Square, a 13-acre site including space for residential housing, hotels and retail shops, and The Gateway Chicago development, a 10-acre community offering similar features.
IMD CEO Speaks at City Club of Chicago
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