What’s up in the West Loop: Cranes

The Chicago Cityscape real-time development map is updated daily showing recent new construction and renovation projects, proposed projects that require zoning changes, and significant citywide developments.

The real-time development map is accessible to everyone but a Cityscape account or membership is needed to see all of the details on the map. Additionally, Cityscape members with the Leads or Real Estate Pro tier know about these projects months, and sometimes years, before they begin construction. You can request a demo of this and other Chicago Cityscape features.

We created a West Loop edition of the map to show brand new aerial photos of five construction projects — four new construction and one demolition. All photos were taken by Eric Allix Rogers.

Bridgford Foods

This former meatpacking facility was being demolished through March, to make way for a new multi-tower mixed-use development on the block facing Lake Street between Green and Peoria Streets. The facility comprised multiple buildings, each one requiring its own demolition permit; here’s one permit, issued in December 2021, which has a map showing the others.

164 N Peoria St

Across from the former Bridgford Foods, 164 N Peoria St (formerly known as 900 W Randolph St) is a new construction high-rise with 300 apartments being developed by Related Midwest.

166 N Aberdeen St

Across from Quarters, one of Chicago’s biggest co-living buildings, a 21-story residential building with 224 dwelling units is under construction. It will have 70 car spaces. The developer, MCZ Development, obtained the zoning change for this project in 2018.

The previous uses were a meatpacking plant facing Aberdeen and restaurants on Randolph Street.

160 N Elizabeth St

Moceri + Roszak — developer of Parkline on Wabash/Randolph — is developing a 27-story building with 375 dwelling units, 144 car parking spaces, and groundfloor commercial space. Previous uses here were a car wash and car repair shop. A Stan’s Donuts factory is across the alley.

345 N Morgan St

Sterling Bay is building another office building in the West Loop, kitty corner from the office building they rehabbed for Google. The planned development — for an 11-story and an 18-story office building — was approved in 2019; according to the leasing website the design evokes historic railroad terminals.

Chicago Cityscape maintains a Proposed Projects database — development proposals that need zoning changes — and adds 30 new projects each month. We also send a newsletter highlighting five new projects twice a month. Start a free trial to see the over 600 projects we’ve mapped, annotated, and visualized over the past two years, or request a demo.

What’s up in the West Loop: Cranes was originally published in Chicago Cityscape’s Blog on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.