Two demolition permits issued for the West Loop by the City of Chicago on January 10 could indicate that the start of 1201 West Fulton construction is near. One demo permit is for the Christensen & Olsen Foundry Company building at 218 North Racine Avenue, and the second permit will raze the former Revel event space at 1201 West Fulton Market.
Rendering of 1201 West Fulton by GREC Architects
Rendering of 1201 West Fulton by GREC Architects
Site map of 1201 West Fulton Market, via Google Maps
This is the second time the Revel building has been permitted for demolition; the first time was December 12, 2022. This time, both structures have been surrounded by demo fencing. Heneghan Wrecking is named as the demolition contractor, and their equipment is on site, ready to begin the teardown.
Fulton & Racine, surrounded by demolition fencing on January 11, 2025. Photo by Daniel Schell
Murals on the north façade of 218 North Racine, and on the Revel building on the right. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
While it’s never guaranteed that demolition will be immediately followed by construction, it is, at the very least, a promising start. Fulton Street Companies has two pending new construction permits in the Chicago Data Portal for 1201 West Fulton: one is for the caissons, and the second allows for the foundation and superstructure up through the underside of the fifth level. A tower crane permit and one for the full building should be next. They’re building a 34-story, 433-unit apartment tower designed by GREC Architects. The permits do not indicate a general contractor.
The Christensen & Olsen building has already been bored up. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Looking east on Fulton Market. Photo by Daniel Schell
Both buildings have been empty for awhile. Entrances off the alley were breached, and now there’s quite a bit of graffiti and litter inside each of them. While the Foundry building, built in the late 1890s, will be missed for its architecture, demolition of the old Revel space will rid the neighborhood of nothing more than a tagger’s canvas.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
Is that Chicago painting on the brick a mural or just graffiti
Is it worth saving
I’ve always assumed it was a mural, because of the precision and detail.
The artist for that mural is Jas Petersen. She has done several large works on the sides of buildings on the Near West Side in the last few years. Always colorful and interesting work. She has an instragram with posts of other murals.
Thank you.
Great. I wish the new projects would have preserved some of the street scape tho. Fulton market is quickly becoming the most vibrant part of chicago. Still have lots of infill to do
This design got so watered down when they switched architects. Value engineering and architect at its most annoying. That said, I hope the developer lands the financing needed for full constitution.
I’d like to see more hotels and entertainment/cultural institutions come to the West Loop
Right now it’s a great place for dining, but I still feel that the area needs more. Also one or two public garages would help
any of you guys hear about that Hines is going to buy 311 south Wacker and potenitlly demolish it I think that’s stupid does that even make sense to demolish a building that is only like 20ft from being a supertall
Another high rise “luxury” building. How original. This area has lost all personality. It’s now like the land of frat bros and sorority girls. Are all these “lux” buildings occupied?
The area has personality, you just aren’t the target demographic anymore. Judging by the rapid explosion in population, people seem to like the place well enough.