The elevator and stairway cores are topped out at nine stories for the residential building at 135 West Desplaines Street in the West Loop. At the foot of those stacks of block, work has reached the second level, but has not progressed far since we last visited the site in early June. Concrete block is forming the south wall of the second floor, with additional pallets of materials on hand for further construction.
Curiously, the safety rails have been removed from the second level, indicating that work may have slowed or stopped on the 50-unit residential building. Continuum Real Estate Brokers got a permit to begin construction on the surface parking lot at the corner of Desplaines and West Randolph Street in January, and site prep began immediately. We’ve reached out for information about the project’s status but have yet to receive a reply.
This is where construction stands as of August 7,2026:
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
From June 2026:
Core exercises, June 23, 2026. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
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I loved Legos as a kid, I should have gone into masonry. LOL
With new building construction at such a low level in BJ’s Chicago, rents are just going to keep going up as will property taxes.
Wow, how far things have fallen. I remember the early-mid 2010s when we were counting 30, 40, or more cranes in the sky. That felt like it was going to last forever, but all things come to an end.
Everybody talks about a midrise “boom” but that’s all a delusion. Midrise construction was happening all along, it’s just that the highrise boom took the attention away from it. Now that there are only a few highrises being built, people are paying more attention to all of the townhomes and 4-6 story buildings going up in the neighborhoods. But again, that was ALWAYS happening in the background.
NYC has pulled far, far ahead of Chicago, and other cities like Miami are pulling along too. It’s just so unfortunate to see Chicago in this state. Definitely getting rid of BJ will hopefully help….
You need a vacation.
The cranes in 2010 were the remnants of the building bubble. When it burst in 2008 there was a winding down as projects were completed (or at least the ones that weren’t abandoned).
You compare Chicago to NY and Miami but why not Lagos or Shenzen? They’re growing even faster. If they’re your model you can have it.
Chicago has less population than it did 50 years ago but the population is 1/3rd richer now than it was back then.
Oops, sorry Eric – thought I was reply to tupper.
No, the skyscraper boom continued well into the late 2010s (the Rahm years), headquarters were moving into the city. Investors were confident. He championed the city to the best of his ability.
Skyscraper construction has plummeted in the past couple of years. If I were an institutional investor or a lender, I would be hesitant to park my money in a new highrise in this city as well. Not with this administration in power. He needs to be gone, yesterday
Chicago has always been boom or bust throughout history. Hardly anything of note was built between the early 90’s and mid 2000’s. There wasn’t a skyscraper completed in Chicago from the 1930’s to 1964 with Marina City ushering in a downtown construction boom.
We have never had the foreign capital pouring in that cities such as NY and Miami have. Spec building just isn’t a thing in Chicago. There has always been a more conservative, pragmatic approach to high-rise/skyscraper funding and construction here.
Until Chicago gets billionaire investors that are in it for the love of the game this is how it will be. Unfortunately people like Justin Ishbia, Pat Ryan or Joe Mansueto won’t build signature towers that sit nearly vacant just for bragging rights.
The fact that the majority of Chicago’s pipeline is tied to mega-projects is another reason for slow development. Foundry Park, North Union, Halsted Pointe, Halsted Landing, !901 Project, The 78 and Bronzeville Lakefront are all multi billion dollar, multi-phase projects that will take decades to redefine the city. Eventually development will pick back up but the city just had its most prolific era ever for buildings over 700′.
Why can’t we have foreign capital pouring into our city like NYC and Miami? 20 years ago it would be unthinkable for Miami to be compared to NYC, but they were able to attract that capital through smart policy decisions.
There’s nothing honorable about a “conservative, pragmatic approach” to construction. That’s just code for Chicago being left behind
It continued into the 2010’s because it was in the pipeline before the recession. Some stopped before construction was underway. Others like Calatrava’s spire stopped after the foundation was in. After the recovery started skyscrapers construction again plummeted because of COVID as offices emptied out and more people were working from home
You ppl are hilarious. Always thinking about black or liberal politicians.
“you ppl!”
Chicago has never had a non liberal politician. It’s more about priorities. A liberal politician can be pro growth (aka pro jobs, pro increased tax base to fund govt initiatives). Streamlining approvals, limiting red tape, quickly resolving nimby lawsuits. These aren’t owned by any political party.
Exactly. BJ has just plain been horrible, comically so. He has done nothing to steer investment into the city, he doesn’t even care. It’s an after thought, and it shows.
It has nothing to do with political parties, it has to do with understanding what it takes to run a major city, and one that that is badly needed is to give investors confidence. The ‘C’ word. It is crucial.
And he gives nobody any ‘C’. That’s why there are so few big projects. Until that clown show gets run out of town, that will not change.
I want more skyscrapers. This does not have to be the new norm for Chicago
Yes, what Chicago needs is a man to inspire confidence again. A real confidence man, that’ll get Chicago on the right track.
Chicago has had plenty of non-liberal mayors. Richard M. Daley was a Pro Life, Pro Business social moderate. He would definitely be considered right-of-center in today’s climate. Rahm was pretty Pro Business and–more so than Daley–pretty decent on fiscal issues. The last two disasters (both one-termers) don’t necessarily mark a trend.
Perhaps all the office to residential conversions are what’s mitigating the construction of new high rises.
That is true. I have read that in 2028 more of the apartments coming online will be from conversions than from new construction.
Perhaps, why build new when you can convert. Most, if not all of the old brick and timber warehouse/factories are done so they are turning to the office towers.
I’m 90% sure Tupper is Darren Bailey…
Crime is at a historic low under BJ so now crime isnt the main complaint from conservatives now its the lack of skyscrapers? LOL.
Btw, Chicago for 12 years running is number 1 in corporate relocations and expansions, amd way back when we were number 2 in fortune 500 HQs amd today we are…. number 2 in that category still.
What will be your type’s next whine fest?
Foundry Park, North Union, Halsted Pointe, Halsted Landing, 1901 Project, and The 78 are laying the groundwork for the next wave of smaller projects. The 1901 Project is already inspiring small investors to get into East Garfield Park.