Potential plans have been revealed for a mixed-use development at roughly 2601 S Martin Luther King Drive in Bronzeville. Located on the corner with E 26th Street, the renderings and rough plans were revealed by local developer JC Griffin. Griffin, who has experience in smaller projects around the city, tapped Wight & Co. and Studio Barnes for the design.
Site context map of Metropolis Pointe via Google Maps
The roughly 6.6 acre site is bound by the existing rail tracks to the east and sits just south of McCormick Place, but north of the Bronzeville Lakefront Megadevelopment which the Bears recently reported to be taking a second look at for a future stadium. The property currently sits vacant and has gone through various failed purchase attempts according to Crain’s.
Rendering of Metropolis Pointe by Wight & Co. and Studio Barnes
Now, Griffin is looking to partner with Quintin Primo of Capri Investments to buy the site for $30-35 million, hoping to close on the purchase within the first quarter of 2025. However, the current property owners are in talks with other buyers and stated they have not reached a finalized deal with Griffin as his group has not demonstrated they have the funds for the purchase.
If Griffin is successful in buying the land and securing funds, then his team hopes to extend the skyline south and address the lack of affordable housing in the area with a mixed-use complex anchored by a 50-story skyscraper. The proposal would be called ‘Metropolis Pointe’ as a nod to Bronzeville’s historical designation as a Black Metropolis during the Great Migration.
Rendering of Metropolis Pointe by Wight & Co. and Studio Barnes
Though most details are vague, the complex would be anchored by a pretty large multi-story commercial podium with internal gardens and plazas. Two towers would rise on each end, with 370-residential units within the taller tower, many of which would be considered affordable. Above it all would sit a large outdoor observation deck.
Rendering of Metropolis Pointe by Wight & Co. and Studio Barnes
Clad in glass as well as bronze and black metal panels, the building would take almost a silo-like industrial form if built as is. The full build out would have a total cost above $300 million and would require partial reasoning although the site is currently zoned for 1.4 million square-feet of space. To fund the project, Griffin is hoping to secure partial funding from Opportunity Zone investors like those we interviewed here last year.
At the moment no timeline is known, and the project would still need to take into account community feedback.
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Very cool!
I appreciate the “build it and they will come” mentality, but this project is quite out there. Even if financing did seem to pencil out, this project will subjected to quite the uphill battle.
I’d like to think the neighborhood would welcome such an investment coming from private money, but I’m skeptical. The area adjacent is majorly lacking resources and amenities that would cater to this tower. (Assuming the shiny expensive tower is maybe trying to attract a more affluent resident.)
The hardest thing to overcome: this area is basically a wasteland of urban planning. The scars of urban renewal run deep. That chunk of 55 just sucks to walk under. Access to the Metra stop is pathetic. The walk to Motor Row would be underwhelming as there’s simply not much there.
There is still so much underutilized land just waiting to be transformed. So much opportunity that could help bring some energy south of the Loop. We really squander the busyness of the convention center. Thousands of visitors that bus all their purchases elsewhere because there’s no where to get a drink or a meal that’s not mediocre McCormick food. If this developer isn’t just presenting a pie in the sky idea, could be a catalyst for some major change.
Well put. That area is very challenging. Lake Meadows to the south also doesn’t feel very urban, despite the tall buildings. That awful trailer parking lot south of McCormick is a horrible use of lake adjacent land. And is stunning how cut off from the city McCormick is, despite its relative proximity to downtown. That the museum campus, soldier field, mccormick place are cut off by LSD and also not served by a CTA train line is truly mind boggling.
Just to point out, that parking lot is the marshalling yard for McCormick and is critical to the success of the large scale conventions that come in and out of the convention center.
People here love to point out how NYC “owns” Chicago but they also have a marshalling yard in a prime location next to their convention center. It’s pretty essential.
There’s a CTA station, 2 of them, on 22nd Street…4 blocks. Looking at the drawings, and reading “affordable” housing, I have to wonder how long before this replaces the torn-down projects.
I don’t know what you’re saying about this.
Cautious optimism. Crazy idea for a challenging site. Good/interesting architecture vs. pavement mess.
It’s beautiful!
This is an exciting design. We have to get out of the mindset that the south side doesn’t count. Someone has to be the pioneer and be first to build a stunning property that Bronzeville and the City of Chicago deserve. We need to think out of the box, people. Our lake shore does not end at McCormick Place and there are Museums, stunning architecture and excellent universities south of McCormick Place as well. Do people only walk north aa was mentioned in the prior comments? Our city is in drastic need of excitement and hopefully this project could be a spring board.
@TK You said everything I wanted to say. Thank you.
I feel like they should focus on less density and focus on in-filling that whole area.
Create a neighborhood with 5-8 story buildings with storefronts. Focus on in-filling that desolate area first then adding density once it fills out.
Why not both?
Exactly
This. I love the ambitious scale and DIFFERENT look of this building but agree the area is a wasteland.
This area of the city is already seeing large amounts of infill, so seeing this development accompany the infill would be great. That being said, I feel somewhat skeptical for some reason that this project will actually be built, but I hope to be proven wrong
Thank you, Who Cares. This is exactly what I was thinking. I’m really tired of this quasi-Corbusian BS where tall building with density = urban development. It doesn’t. It’s just high rise suburbia masquerading as urbanity. Chicago would be far better off with traditional 5-8 story buildings (that are similar but still unique) with smaller commercial spaces that encourage small businesses. Build a neighborhood, not a development—or else we risk building glass and steel graveyards 20 years in the future.
Additionally, this mega development site stuff is essentially fools gold. We get all excited about a long vacant parcel being developed “soon” and then it languishes for years because it’s all controlled by a single developer who either can’t get financing or tries to time the market and misses it. Break these parcels up. Allow things to build more organically.
Lastly, the tower in the rendering is exceptionally ugly. Maybe it would look better after full build, but I’m skeptical.
Perhaps someone at JC Griffin was told some insider plans regarding the stadium, and they’re now jumping to be the first developers of the area. My guess at least.
I like this design a lot and finally some architect and developer are thinking out of the box (instead of all those boring blue/gray glass boxes that SCB keeps rolling out). Unfortunately, I don’t see this happening. Fingers crossed it does work out!
Indeed, look what happens when it’s not a car-storage-first building with a podium. I hate podiums so much, they’re like putting self-storage facilities on the lower levels for every building. It’s such myopic design.
Lol! West Loop has zero cranes for the 1st time since 2017, Development in the city is at an all time low, there’s only 2-3 highrises U/C in way more desirable parts of the city, but you want me to believe a 500+ ft skyscraper is going to happen in the southside of all places.
A pipe dream.
This is an interesting project. I have been working with developers in Chicago and suburbs for over 30 years and these are cautious times for lenders and developers. I have off market land opportunities in great areas and not much activity and seeking potential developers and builders. Starting slow for 2025
Yeah, this project is never going to happen.
Interesting idea. As an Urban Planner, I am interested in the community feedback from residents in the area. Bronzeville deserves accessible affordable housing. All residents of this city deserve access to clean, safe, affordable housing for ALL incomes.
I live a few blocks from here. It is difficult reading that this area is a wasteland in these comments. It is very residential without a lot of mixed development in this neighborhood, but it is pleasant to walk around and really awesome to bike around. The south end of the South Loop was probably not a lot different 20 years ago than this area is now. The neighborhood needs places to eat and drink and shop, but it is a tidy area that is not a wasteland.
Bronzeville as a whole, no. A good chunk of the area still has lots of potential, and some fantastic old remnants from another life still populate it. Wasteland used as the definition of neglected or barren.
As for this site, the hollowed grounds of Michael Reese Hospital, i55, the sea of parking lots off of Michigan Ave and LSD, and overall blight bordering the highway, there’s a lot to be desired of a more liveable neighborhood. It’s still very close to some great assets but a possible challenge for weary investors.
You’re right. Developmentally Bronzeville was ravaged by “urban renewal” in the 60s and 70s and then again in the 90s but the neighborhood is really nice and the people who live there take a lot of pride in the neighborhood and keep it really tidy and organize. It thrives despite Chicago and the CHA terrorizing Bronzeville for so many decades.
Alex, I agree with you completely. It’s something else to read comments from likeminded people casually calling this area a “wasteland.” It’s less than inspiring to want to share space with people who think this way of communities south of the Loop.
I bike MLK quite often and it is a community not unlike plenty on the fringes of downtown a decade ago. I just don’t know why such negative energy has to be directed to an area so damaged by the city (and North Siders who couldn’t care less about the South Side’s future).
Just so you’re clear — it’s not designated at the people who live there it’s about the city government’s absolutely ham-fisted policies in the 80s and 90s that devastated the area and the wealth accumulation of the people who live there. It’s directed at the city policies and it’s racist incompetence NOT the people.
Don’t project your insecurities onto strangers on the internet you don’t know anything about
Or strangers on the Internet should be more mindful about referring to someone’s home/neighborhood as a “wasteland”. It’s not about “projecting insecurities”. Words mean things and have implications.
Yikes! The design appears clumsy and somewhat off-putting. The exterior with those street-level arches appears foolish and gaudy. It’s time to reduce the kitsch.
I guaranteed you that if this is built, it will be massively value engineered and many of those overly-gaudy details will be removed
There needs to be a CTA rail connection; this should be included. The bumbling administrations missed out with Biden but should be planning for the next chance.
Great!! Another GHOST Southside development Like the 78 & 7162 S Exchange Avenue
Reminds me of the soon to be demolished Ren Center. Let’s not have another one.
You’re talking about Detroit, right? Does it really look like they’ll demolish that once Ford leaves?
Time for a green line station at 26th.
Downtown needs to expand south at least to the University of Chicago, this is an elegant step in the right directions.
I love it and hope the building in these renders is what they build.
If you build it they will come, people will come ray