Focus Celebrates New Oak Park Project with Official Groundbreaking Event

Chicago, IL (March 17, 2022) – Chicago-based developer and general contractor Focus held a groundbreaking ceremony today to celebrate its newest project, Porter, in downtown Oak Park. The new seven-story mixed-use luxury apartment building will include 158 units and will be within walking distance of two Chicago transit lines, as well as less than 15 minutes away from Chicago’s Loop and Medical District.

Focus was joined by representatives of the Village, the Village board, and the Plan Commission as well as many of the project’s teams including individuals from Booth Hansen, Partners by Design, and KLOA, to celebrate a ceremonial groundbreaking. Trustee Jim Taglia and Oak Park’s previous Mayor, Anan Abu-Taleb gave remarks citing the collaborative plan commission process and the benefits of the project for the community. “The more people that live in our community, the more people invest in our community, and to me, having a developer like Focus, one who is committed to delivering a great project, will further support our local community,” said Abu-Taleb. “Thank you for investing your time and money in our community.”

Focus’ CEO and Founder, Tim Anderson also gave a few short remarks, thanking the village representatives, project’s partner Geolo Capital and lender, Wintrust Bank. He also reflected on the company’s mission when creating new communities like Porter. “We are thrilled to be at the helm of this extremely exciting and versatile luxury project,” said Anderson. “We are dedicated to developing projects that reflect and respect the context of an existing neighborhood, while building value for the community. We take these commitments seriously and are eager to deliver."

Porter will offer a mix of studio, 1-bed, 2-bed and 3-bed units, as well as five maisonette homes that will offer private access along Marion Street. Designed by world-class architect Booth Hansen, the building will respect the context of the surrounding Pleasant Historic District and will connect Oak Park’s commercial corridor to the North and the residential neighborhoods to the South.

Porter will feature well-appointed apartments with high ceilings, plank style flooring, and designer kitchens with tile backsplashes and quality appliances. Primary bedroom suites will offer walk-in closets and luxury baths. The community will also offer world-class amenities featuring indoor and outdoor spaces like a fitness studio, pet spa and co-working space, as well as 123 covered parking spaces. The ground floor includes the building’s lobby and 1,200 square feet of retail space, which is slated to be home to a café that will activate the corner of Pleasant and Marion Streets.

Focus will serve as the general contractor and developer for Porter, which is slated to deliver in 2023. Project partners include San Francisco based Geolo Capital and local bank Wintrust. The project is being led by Vice President, Development Courtney Brower and they are supported by Development Manager, Sheila Eustace and Senior Project Manager, Kirk McLawhorn. For more information on Porter, please click here.

About Focus

Focus is a Chicago-based developer and general contractor, that since 1993, has utilized an integrated delivery model to produce a diverse portfolio of distinctive real estate. Focus has delivered developments in the Chicago market that value over $1.8 billion and projects have ranged from smaller, multifamily communities in historic districts to high-density, mixed-use redevelopments in thriving downtowns. For more information, please visit www.workwithfocus.com.

# # #