Ja’ Grill Opens New Location at 1407 S Washtenaw Avenue in Chicago’s North Lawndale Neighborhood

The Habitat Company recently welcomed Ja’ Grill as the first restaurant tenant to open its doors at Ogden Commons, the real estate firm’s 10-acre $200 million development in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood.  This development is the city’s largest mixed-use opportunity zone project.  Ogden Commons will bring 120,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and approximately 350 mixed-income housing units to North Lawndale.

Ja’ Grill is the first restaurant tenant to open its doors at Ogden Commons, The Habitat Company’s 10-acre $200 million development in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood which is the city’s largest mixed-use opportunity zone project.

The Ogden Commons location, at 1407 S Washtenaw Avenue, is the second Chicago site for Ja’ Grill, is known for its authentic Jamaican cuisine, and has a flagship restaurant in Hyde Park. The new location is open daily for both lunch and dinner and will have patio seating available during the warmer months. Momentum Coffee, a Black-owned coffee shop and co-working space, is also scheduled to open in an adjacent retail space at Ogden Commons later this spring.

“We take pride in our Caribbean spice and lively atmosphere at Ja’ Grill, and we’re bringing that flavor to Ogden Commons, working together with other area businesses to create more dining options in this historic part of the city,” said Ja’ Grill Owner Tony Coates. “It’s very exciting for us to be able to contribute to the growth of North Lawndale and serve as a beacon for the community where everyday people can congregate and enjoy great food, camaraderie, and togetherness.”

Housed in a three-story commercial building that was completed in 2021 as the first phase of Ogden Commons, Ja’ Grill joins other building tenants, such as Wintrust Bank and Sinai Health System, which is scheduled to open its full-service outpatient surgical and ambulatory center this summer.

”Ja’ Grill is a wonderful and much-needed addition to the North Lawndale neighborhood – it’s the exact type of retailer we envisioned for Ogden Commons is helping draw more people to this area by offering fantastic food as well as employment opportunities,” said Charlton Hamer, Senior Vice President, Habitat Affordable Group. “The immediate area was almost a dining desert, but with large employers like Sinai Healthcare and CineSpace Studios next door, not to mention the neighborhood’s existing residents as well as the future residents of Ogden Commons, Ja’ Grill was definitely an important piece of the puzzle in creating a vibrant mixed-use development.”

The Ogden Commons location is the second for Ja’ Grill, known for its authentic Jamaican cuisine, joining its flagship restaurant in Hyde Park.

The second phase of Ogden Commons will include 110 mixed-income apartments. This project is expected to break ground in fall 2022 with the first occupancies slated for fall 2023. The entire project will be built over multiple phases and will transform the mostly vacant property near Douglass Park into a vibrant destination to live, work and play. The planned completion date for Ogden Commons is 2026.  James McHugh Construction Co and Bowa Construction are serving as general contractors for the development.

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