The first windows have been installed on the south end of the residential construction at 629 West Lake Street in the West Loop. Soon, the palletized windows stacked just inside the outer walls will be added to the facade as well.
The eight-story, 49-unit development from Continuum Real Estate Brokers topped out in December. As window installation progresses, crews from Chicago Common Construction will be able to begin work on the interiors once they’re sealed off from the elements. The Axios Architects-designed project will have two parking spaces and 2,000 square feet of retail at ground level, plus spaces for 49 bicycles. A single penthouse unit and the building’s amenities will be located on the top floor, with the bulk of the apartments located on the second through seventh floors.
Fresh glass adorns the south end of 629 West Lake. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
More windows await. Photo by Daniel Schell
Rendering of 629 West Lake Street by Axios Architects
From the alley at the south end of the building, were two garage spaces will be accessed. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Looking south down Desplaines Street. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Just one block south, this same three-player team will soon begin construction on a nine-story, 50-unit building of similar design at 135 North Desplaines Street. That project received its full permit on January 15, and will replace a surface parking lot at the corner with West Randolph Street. A site visit on the 17th showed the parking lot had already been enclosed by construction fencing, and by January 26 an excavator had been delivered to the lot, indicating that site prep could get started any day.
Rapid Update:
Yes, site prep is underway. A site visit Tuesday morning showed not only work to tear up the parking lot and start digging, but also steel piles driven into the soil on the south side of the lot, next to the existing CTA’s building at 127 North Desplaines. Photos of that coming soon.
135 North Desplaines Street, January 17, 2026. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
135 North Desplaines Street with the excavator on site, January 26, 2026. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
No opening date has been made public for the units at 629 West Lake, nor is it clear if a crew will begin construction at 135 North Desplaines now, or wait until their first building is complete.
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Love this infill, more pls!