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.
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.
Perhaps all the office to residential conversions are what’s mitigating the construction of new high rises.