Chicago Construction Roundup 2019

2019 was a great year for Chicago construction. In Quarter 2 alone, Chicago was reported to have a total of 27 cranes in operation. From high rises to small construction projects, Chicago had a busy construction year.

To close out 2019, Focus has put together a construction roundup, where we’ll discuss our favorite projects from the year, the best new apartment buildings in Chicago of 2019, and more.

Vista Tower

Vista Tower may be one of the most talked-about buildings in 2019. Set to be the third tallest building in Chicago, it was recently topped off. This building was spearheaded by architect Jeanne Gang, the primarymind behind Aqua Tower, the tallest building built by a female architect. Vista will break Gang’s previous held record for Aqua Tower.

The developer behind this 1,191-foot-tall luxury condominium and hotel tower is Magellan Development. This building will be home to 192 hotel rooms and 396 private condominiums. Vista is set to open Spring 2020 and was one of the most exciting additions to Chicago’s construction industry in 2019.

Logan Apartments

Next on our list is Logan Apartments, which were topped off in November of 2019. The general contractor on this project was Focus with architect, Antunovich Associates.

Logan Apartments is a mixed-use development consisting of two apartment buildings – one five-story and one six-story tower. The apartments house retail space on the ground level. The towers are home to 200 apartment units with luxury amenities. The project will also include 154 parking spaces.

Gr333N

Gr333N is an innovative 19-story office building currently wrapping up construction. It is the first of three office buildings planned by Sterling Bay.

It is headed by Gensler architects and will offer ground-floor retail. A unique concept in this building is that the parking concealed by an inventive kinetic wall that will ripple in the wind.

Gr333N is set to open in early 2020.

167 N. Green Street

167 N. Green Street is another exciting West Loop project. This 17-story office building is co-developed by Shapack Partners & Focus with architecture completed by Gensler.

The building’s 17^th-floor luxury amenity deck will feature a fitness facility, lounge, rooftop patio, and basketball court. A unique addition to this structure is the “Mews,” which provide pedestrian access to the building’s retail space. 167 N. Green Street was topped off in December 2019.

Union West

Union West is a connected 15-story apartment building. This structure was recently topped off and will be home to 358 rental units. Spearheaded by bKL Architecture and developed by ZOM Living, this downtown Chicago apartment building was opened to renters late 2019.

Focus is happy to contribute to the ever-evolving Chicago skyline. We’re excited to see what’s in store for 2020!