Additional renderings have been revealed for the mixed-use redevelopment of the historic Field Building at 135 South LaSalle Street in The Loop. Following a series of recent conversions that are rapidly increasing the neighborhood’s population, the project has officially received $98 million in TIF funds, approved by City Council earlier this week.
Existing vs New rendering of Field Building by SCB
The 1934 Art Deco structure is being redeveloped by a partnership composed of Riverside Development, AmTrust RE, and DL3 Realty, with local architecture firm SCB leading the design. The current proposal represents a slight decrease in density from the initial proposal made over two years ago but will still feature a substantial affordable housing component in line with city requirements.
Existing vs New massing of Field Building by SCB
Rising 44 stories in height, the redesigned ground level will preserve the famed central arcade cutting through the block-long structure. Adjacent to this will be 92,000 square feet of commercial space along Adams Street across three floors. The development team hopes to attract a much-needed grocer to the neighborhood, along with medical offices and a fitness center.
Ground floor plan of Field Building by SCB
Floor plans of Field Building by SCB
At the rear, off the alley, two new parking ramps will lead to the third and fourth floors, which will accommodate 177 parking spaces. Floors five through 14 will contain 386 residential units, consisting of 228 studios, 106 one-bedrooms, and 52 two-bedrooms. Of these, 116 will be designated as affordable.
Rendering of Field Building by SCB
Four new outdoor terraces will be created on the 25th floor as old mechanical penthouses are removed from the setbacks. These will include an outdoor pool, seating areas, and additional amenities. Further amenities will be provided on the 43rd and 44th floors. The intervening floors will retain office use, as the building is currently about 20 percent leased.
Existing vs New elevation of Field Building by SCB
The overall conversion will cost $241.5 million to complete. Funding will come from the previously mentioned $98 million in TIF support, an $86 million loan, $33.3 million in Historic Tax Credits, and equity. With all approvals in hand, the team plans to break ground on the conversion at the start of 2026 and complete work by the end of 2027.
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This is an amazing reuse of this iconic building. I am glad to see this go forward. I wish the city would rethink how to make LaSalle Street a more pedestrian-friendly place now that so much residential is coming to the area. What about removing some buildings to gain natural light and open park space? How about green sidewalks and trees and less traffic lanes? What if more full floor green spaces on the upper levels of buildings were created for respite? What if some buildings were urban hydroponic gardens for people living nearby? I wish our city planning department would envision into the future more.
Completely agree. There are so many old, iconic and beautiful buildings in the Loop – love to see this one preserved and repurposed. But more green space and pedestrian friendly areas, yes!
Don’t demolish a single building in that historic district. It’s the kind of density that those buildings provide that will make the area a viable, vibrant neighborhood that’s attractive to other businesses residents need. There’s a huge park just a few blocks away (Grant Park). You don’t move to an area like this with open landscapes in mind—unless you’re some kind of a nut.
I agree, the La Salle Street canyon is more important than the individual buildings. Knocking down one of the buildings would be like punching it in the face and knocking a tooth out.There is a giant park four blocks to the west. And a river walk. Anyone moving into a building on Lasalle Street looking for lots of green space is moving onto the wrong street.
I get where you’re coming from, but I will second what Greg said. You do not make this place more livable by knocking down any buildings. You. make it more livable by providing vibrant spaces to be in, indoors and outdoors. There’s plenty of space along LaSalle St, it’s just currently mostly being used for moving private vehicles.
It’s insane that it’s so hard to get a grocery store in the Loop. There should be at least 5, and they don’t all have to be huge ones. I’m guessing it’s because of parking…how can people come get their Costco-sized groceries by walking there!? /sarcasm
The purpose of a landmark district is to retain why it is one. Demolishing any buildings on LaSalle to provide green space is just silly. With Grant and Millennium parks and the River Walk all in close proximity, there is ready access via a short walk to some of the city’s most special and spectacular outdoor spaces. This proposal is a wonderful way to adaptively repurpose a magnificent building from Chicago’s golden age of twentieth century architecture. So happy that it is funded and ready to move forward.
The conversions are inevitable if we want to save the buildings, which is the overwhelming consensus. But there needs to be a reevaluation of the wisdom of restaurant sidewalk permitting, which has encroached on needed pedestrian walkway space to a ridiculous extent. It is unacceptable from an ADA standpoint to force people to walk on sideway grates, which is now mandatory on many of the LaSalle cross streets. Whatever pittance the fees generate is not a win for the larger cause of injecting new life into the district, the pandemic is over, and there is no longer any justification for this. It is only going to get worse as we start getting dogwalkers and double-wide stroller pushers in larger numbers
Yikes, this is wild. The pandemic reminded us what a vibrant pedestrian-centric street can be. “[T]he pandemic is over, and there is no longer any justification for this” is an insane take. The justification is that sitting outside is nice (except maybe in the dead of Chicago winter, but these days even that is rarely so terrible). The justification is that outdoor seating along streets creates a vibrant urban experience that keeps the street active into the evening hours and on the weekends. The justification is that cities should be livable places where you want to be, inside and outside. You are misplacing your anger here. La Salle has 5 lanes dedicated to cars (parking + driving). What if we gave some of that space to pedestrians? Narrow it to 4 lanes and give each sidewalk 5 more feet. I don’t mean this to be anti-car either, its just that if we want our streets to be active and pedestrian friendly, we should encourage the things that make being out on the street nice and discourage the things that don’t. Outdoor seating is good in that respect, 5 wide car lanes (when fewer and/or narrower lanes would suffice) is bad in that respect.
Where would children from this area go to school? I don’t mean there will be a lot, but it’s enough that one should ask.
Love this conversion; it will give the building a new life.
And from an architecture perspective, the conversion is actually a nice improvement as well. Removing those gray caps on the lower ceiling area makes the art deco style more cohesive.
It’s a beautiful building and I would be more than happy to live there. The outdoor spaces are a great addition. Part of the appeal for me to live on LaSalle Street is the canyon effect of the street.
Wow. The affordable component is 116 apartments. The subsidy from the city, which is functionally bankrupt, is $98,000,000. That’s just $844,000 per affordable unit!
And a private developer will continue to own the apartments, and collect all the rents. Some kinda geniuses in City Hall making these deals.
I smell elitist classist who doesn’t understand what “affordable” units mean. I know reading
comprehension can be
tough for some
people, but that total
cost of the project
is not all cash
upfront. Largest
components come from
TIF support and
Historic Tax Credits
and equity.
So AMcA has a calculator – to bad they don’t know how to use it.