65 East Wacker

65 EAST WACKER

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
65 E Wacker Holdings II, LLC

STATISTICS
24 Stories
222,768 GSF

STATUS
In Development

A 24-story downtown office building near Chicago’s popular Riverwalk proposes to convert the building into 252 apartments, while retaining a restaurant and historic lobby space. The art deco building at 65 E. Wacker was completed in 1928 and is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

December 6, 2024March 14, 2025

65 E. Wacker residential development approved

65 EAST WACKER RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT APPROVED

We’re excited to announce that the Chicago Plan Commission has officially approved the residential development of 65 East Wacker Place! Our team here at PH will design the conversion of floors 4 to 24 into residential units and the two lower floors will turn into the new lobby, while still preserving Morton’s The Steakhouse, located on the second floor. We’re all thrilled to see the transformation of this historic building! More news coming soon.

Pomeroy Apartments

POMEROY APARTMENTS

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Chicago Housing Authority

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Leo Steif

STATISTICS
104 and 1 Management Units
10 Stories
118,500 GSF

The classically detailed, limestone and terracotta clad building was renovated as part of the Chicago Housing Authority’s Plan for Transformation to be their flagship senior living center on Chicago’s North Side. The plan sought to preserve the building’s vintage apartment-hotel character keeping as many dwellings as possible while adding contemporary amenities, technologies and accessibility features. A full exterior restoration including replication of the missing terracotta eyebrow cornice were a part of the repair program. Inside, the ornate plasterwork of the original 1923 lobby was restored and the space re-purposed for a formal Event and Dining Room. Together with the creation of a new Kenmore Avenue entry, a central communal space resulted to bring together administration and activity spaces for casual and formal interaction of the occupants. Special amenities include a central landscaped courtyard and rooftop terrace with garden plots for residents.

LEED® Platinum Certified

AWARDS
The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award, President’s Award, Landmarks Illinois
Silver Achievement Award, Best 50+ Repositioned Community, National Association of Home Builders
Silver Award, Best Renovation, MultiHousing News (MHN) Excellence Awards, MHN Magazine
Bronze Award, Building Design+Construction (BD+C) Reconstruction Awards, BD+C Magazine
Bronze Award, Restoration/Renovation, Brick in Architecture Awards, Brick Industry Association

801 West Madison

801 WEST MADISON

LOCATION
Chicago, IL

CLIENT
The Neighborhood Hotels

STATISTICS
76 Units
6 Stories
21,596 SF Retail/Commercial
82,082 GSF

STATUS
In Development

The Former Mid-City Trust and Savings Bank building was designed in 1911 as a Romanesque Revival-style six-story commercial and office building. The L-shaped building was redesigned in 1928 to add a new Classical Revival-style exterior and a double-height banking hall on the inside, illuminated by large skylights. Banking facilities at 801 W. Madison remained open until the early 2000s and have stayed vacant since the mid-2000s.

The building was designated a Chicago Landmark in 2012, with the interior banking hall included as a significant space in the designation. The Neighborhood Hotels purchased the building a decade later for rehabilitation and conversion into an apartment-style hotel. The historic bank will be revived into a mixed-use building with a small portion of the first floor and floors 2-6 comprising 76 hotel suites and the remaining space on the first floor and basement to be leased to retail and restaurant tenants. The building application for listing on the National Register of Historic Places was recently approved.

5231 Hohman

5231 HOHMAN

LOCATION
Hammond, Indiana

CLIENT
NWI Hohman LLC

STATISTICS
100 Units
9 Stories
10,000 SF Retail/Commercial
98,903 GSF

STATUS
Under Construction

RENDERINGS
Courtesy of ResElevate

The adaptive reuse development at 5231 Hohman Ave in Hammond, Indiana, aims to revitalize the historic Bank Calumet building, once the city's tallest structure and a prominent fixture in the commercial district of the city. Since its construction in 1924 and subsequent use by First Midwest Bank in 2006, the building has remained vacant since 2015, impacting the city's vitality. The project seeks to transform the prime location into a vibrant centerpiece, attracting new residents and visitors while invigorating Hammond's economic and cultural landscape. The plan includes converting the 9-story building into 100 contemporary residences with flexible layouts, incorporating retail spaces and co-working areas on the ground floor. The comprehensive renovation involves structural improvements, updated systems, facade restoration, and eco-friendly features, preserving its historical charm while ushering in a modern urban apartment style to rejuvenate the neighborhood.

The Grand Kedzie Lodge

THE GRAND KEDZIE LODGE

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Ranquist Development
Jodi Development
Campbell Coyle

STATISTICS
10 Units
3 Stories + Basement
1 Parking Space
9,413 GSF

PHOTOS & RENDERINGS
Courtesy of Ranquist Development

The Grand Kedzie Lodge is a historical mansion located at 2228 N. Kedzie in Logan Square, Chicago. Originally built in 1893 as a single-family home, it has since been adapted into a multifamily residence and is now a part of the Logan Square Boulevards historic district. The mansion features a Richardsonian Romanesque style of architecture with rusticated limestone frontage, arched openings, and a cylindrical turret with a conical cap.

The property went through repairs and updates to increase the total number of dwellings to ten units in the main house. While the exterior of the building was preserved, the interiors were updated to meet the needs of modern urban tenants. Floor plans have been thoughtfully designed to take advantage of the interesting volumes and large windows, creating unique interior compositions throughout. The expressive roofline also provides a dramatic interior feature for the upper loft units.

AWARDS
1 Place, Multifamily, Metamorphosis Awards, Retrofit Magazine

The Grand Palmer Lodge

THE GRAND PALMER LODGE

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Ranquist Development
New Era Chicago
Campbell Coyle Real Estate

STATISTICS
14 Units
2 Stories
12 Parking Spaces
11,639 GSF

STATUS
Complete

PHOTOGRAPHY
Aleks Eva
Pappageorge Haymes Partners

Palmer Park is an adaptive reuse of a century-old synagogue, and more recently a Boys and Girls Club, into a 14-unit apartment building consisting of 1- to 3-bedroom apartments. The project preserves the old yellow brick and limestone structure designed by architect Edward Steinborn in the 1920s, and works within the existing two-story volume of the building, with new balconies and ground-level patios projecting off the west side of the building. Historic masonry, terrazzo floors, and plaster detail elements have been joined by modern fixtures creating a unique mix of materials, instilling a sense of antique charm while providing modern convenience. The development team worked extensively with the community to redevelop the west lot of the building, where the club had a fenced playground, into a publicly accessible pocket park. This park serves as a physical link to the community while also acting as an amenity space for the tenants, whose balconies and patios overlook the park.

1810 North Wells

1810 NORTH WELLS

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Chicago Development Partners

STATISTICS
18 Units
2-4 Stories
18 Parking Spaces
5,100 SF Commercial
39,762 GSF

STATUS
Under Construction

The proposed mixed-use residential project, located in Chicago’s Old Town Triangle neighborhood, combines the adaptive reuse of an existing 2-story building, a 3-story building with a 2-story coach house in the back, and the partial demolition of a 1-story garage building with a new 3-story rooftop addition. The entire development preserves the existing street-wall along North Wells Street with the new addition being deliberately set-back from the street front. Together the four buildings will include 18 dwelling units 18 parking spaces, 5,100 SF of street-level retail, and a shared courtyard.The building's massing is composed of a 4-story base filling the vacant lot, a middle section tower that is setback from the base facade along Washington Blvd. The top floors also set back further providing active roof-top uses and outdoor decks for occupant use. The building's base is designed to respect the local character with a contemporary expression utilizing a mix of traditional materials, brick, and metal.

1847 North Humboldt

1847 NORTH HUMBOLDT

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Ranquist Development
Jodi Development

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Unknown

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
Pre 1910

STATISTICS
15 Units
3 Stories
18 Parking Spaces
15,000 GSF

Located on the historic Humboldt Boulevard and steps away from Chicago's popular 606 Trail, the project converts a century-old church to residential use, providing 15 new residential apartments to Chicago's increasingly popular Logan Square neighborhood. The development transforms the existing structure to include six custom apartments. With the original church’s exposed framework and stained glass details, the dwelling units offer a one-of-a-kind experience for its residents. Adjacent to the site was the previous church’s parking lot, which was relocated to the back of the development to make way for a brand new annex building with 9 additional units. The completed development provides 15 modern residences for the growing population in Logan Square that blends seamlessly into the historic fabric of the neighborhood.

CASE STUDY
Case Study Download

Clybourn Lofts

CLYBOURN LOFTS

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Horwitz-Matthews

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
c. 1900

STATISTICS
57 Units
6 Stories
60 Parking Spaces
140,000 GSF

Originally built as a 1900-era piano factory, the six story building was transformed into fifty-seven residential lofts. The addition of a brightly-colored steel superstructure to the north wall not only creates an innovative framework for exterior terraces, but is critical in establishing a bold new identity for the historic building. The use of industrial materials, such as expressive steel detailing, chain-link fencing, raw concrete block and checkerplate aluminum is contrasted wit brass, white tile and glass to create an affordable impact and visual excitement. The development strategy for the building was to offer an opportunity to customize the design of each loft. Working closely with each buyer, Pappageorge Haymes created a variety of unique architectural expressions. This level of customization was achievable because the firm also acted as construction manager for the project.

Altgeld Park

ALTGELD COURT

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Centrum Properties

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
c. 1960

STATISTICS
40 Units
1 and 2 Stories
66 Parking Spaces
89,000 GSF

Situated within an established urban neighborhood and adjacent to a railroad spur, the site was originally dominated by a 1960’s era industrial building which the community was unwilling to see demolished. As a result, an innovative strategy for adaptive reuse was developed which involved “carving” landscaped courtyards out of the original steel frame/bar joist structure and positioning open and garage parking along the rail line. Within the complex, bedroom level mezzanines are constructed of precast concrete planks bearing on steel stud demising walls with major living areas characterized by high ceilings, painted industrial framing and articulated fireplace walls. At the exterior, existing perimeter masonry walls are simply cut to receive dramatic over-scaled windows. Block masonry, corrugated galvanized siding, aluminum windows and colorful canopies all serve to playfully reinterpret the industrial aesthetic.

AWARDS
Distinguished Building Honor Award, American Institute of Architects, Chicago Chapter
Builder’s Choice Design and Planning Award, Project of the Year, Builder Magazine

Dearborn Tower

DEARBORN TOWER

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
State Street Development Corporation

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1906

STATISTICS
316 Units
18 Stories
389 Parking Spaces
196,000 SF Retail/Commercial
717,000 GSF

Formerly a giant industrial freezer for Beatrice Foods, the re-purposed building features 30 units per floor on eight of the original floors, two floors of commercial offices and restaurants, and additional residences added to the top of the tower to increase the density to 316 units. The massive base remaining from the original Beatrice cold storage warehouse has been stripped of its cladding, exposing the concrete frame with a recessed terrace window wall. The seven-story addition sets back and articulates the façade with a smaller, lighter grid. The south side of the building provides long linear balconies that double as sun shading devices in the summer. The north façade is articulated with a masonry tower incorporating a clock and mast thereby marking the building entry and tying together the new and old masses.

814 North Franklin Street

814 NORTH FRANKLIN STREET

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Horowitz-Matthews

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1891

STATISTICS
4 Stories
24,000 GSF

This adaptive re-use project converts a former bicycle factory into a stylish office and retail space. The exterior is a union of three elements: an existing, highly-detailed façade repainted in colors that relate to neighboring buildings; a gridwork of glass and aluminum set back from the façade to maximize lower level exposure and a highly painted column joining the building’s two facades. The interior consists of three principal spaces: the entrance lobby, whose small rotunda is a setting for the interplay of forms, surfaces, and color; the office of the architect, a space that conveys conservative imagery within the loft context; and a free-form office for an expressive and adventurous developer. The latter office features work stations and other office functions designed to create a playful and colorful interior streetscape.

AWARDS
Citation of Merit for Interior Architecture from the American Institute of Architects, Chicago Chapter

BMT Design 1

BMT DESIGN 1

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
BMT Design

STATISTICS
1 Stories
10,000 GSF

PHOTOGRAPHY
Photos© Wayne Cable (.com)

First seen through a seamless glass storefront within the shell of an existing loft building, the studio and headquarters of this preeminent toy design firm is articulated in a profusion of differently colored and textured spaces that establish the theme of a “secret workshop”. Visitors encounter support offices connected by a suspended model train and defined by iridescent glass panels and a backlit glass door. The elegance of the partners’ conference room, with its orthogonal relationship to the building grid, inviting black leather chairs and fabric paneled walls, provides a sensory respite from the creatively contorted and skewed plan. A translucent gate swings into the terrazzo-floored room, where rolling chairs can be pulled up to a round table for game-storming sessions.

AWARDS
Citation of Merit for Interior Architecture, American Institute of Architects, Chicago Chapter

Professional Office Design Award

The Park Monroe Condominiums

THE PARK MONROE CONDOMINIUMS

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
GlenStar Properties

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Alfred Shaw & Associates

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1972

STATISTICS
215 Units
(10 Floors) 50 Stories
237,000 (10 Floors) GSF

This major two phase adaptive re-use project involved segregating the lower floors to independently accessed Class A office space and converting the upper 10 floors into 215 luxury condominium residences. A new resident lobby with canopy and illuminated marquis provide a distinguished entry at 65 East Monroe with access to a private elevator bank. At the residential levels, the existing narrow fixed glass curtain wall was replaced by an expansive operable window wall featuring private recessed terraces. Removal of a penthouse level mechanical plant allowed for the removal of every other exterior column which housed ventilation ducts for offices. At the penthouse level, amenities include landscaped outdoor terrace, roof top sky deck, hot tub, indoor swimming pool and fitness center, media and community rooms.

The Fisher Building

THE FISHER BUILDING

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Fisher Building LLC

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Charles Atwood

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1896

STATISTICS
184 Units
21 Stories
14,000 SF Retail/Commercial
29,500 GSF

Commissioned by paper industry magnate Lucius Fisher for his office headquarters, the neo-Gothic inspired Chicago Landmark building was originally built in 1896 by D.H. Burnham & Company. After an addition was added in 1907, it became one of the tallest and most elegant buildings in the country. By the 1990’s, the building had outlived its usefulness and had fallen into a state of disrepair until it was restored and converted to residential use in early 2000. The highly complex restoration included the replacement of 6,000 pieces of terra cotta, the recreation of both original main entries, and the repair and replacement of 1,200 existing wood windows. On the interior, existing marble walls and floors, mosaic tile floors, and extensive mahogany trim molding and doors were also repaired and faithfully restored.

AWARDS
Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence, Commission on Chicago Landmarks
Best Restoration, Friends of Downtown, Chicago

The Buckingham Student Center

THE BUCKINGHAM STUDENT CENTER

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Brownstone Realty & Development Co.

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Holabird & Root

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1929

STATISTICS
129 Units
27 Stories
4,680 SF Retail/Commercial
215,000 GSF

The transformation of this Landmark office building for new use as a 129-unit, 456-bed student housing center included the implementation of state-of-the-art building systems as well as the complete restoration of its brick and terracotta clad facade and original Art Deco Lobby. Large single hung windows were installed to take advantage of the expansive views East to Lake Michigan and West to the Loop. Each studio-, one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartment- style unit includes ensuite laundry, a full kitchen and its own HVAC unit. The building offers abundant common areas and premium amenities including a complete fitness center, 27th floor sky lounge and an internet café with WiFi.

AWARDS
Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award, Outstanding Adaptive Use Award, Landmarks Illinois, City of Chicago
Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence, Commission on Chicago Landmarks, City of Chicago
Finalist, Award for Excellence, Urban Land Institute

Bradley Business Center

BRADLEY BUSINESS CENTER

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Centrum Properties

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1956

STATISTICS
3 Stories
187 (new) Parking Spaces
355,600 GSF
21 Acres

Located on Chicago’s North Side between I-90/94 and Wrigley Field, Bradley Business Center is a 21-acre commercial redevelopment surrounded by some of the city’s most popular retail and residential districts. The project will include site work and alterations and construction for shell and core improvements to an existing 1950”s era warehouse/manufacturing plant relative to speculative office and light industrial space. Also included are plans to expand the building with a 45,000 sq. ft. greenhouse for commercial farming.

Domain

DOMAIN

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Centrum Properties

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Schmidt Gardner

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1917

STATISTICS
292 Units
12 Stories
1,395 Parking Spaces
1,140,000 GSF

The renovation of this historic former warehouse complex for the Montgomery Wards and Company fulfills a multi-use program, combining a telecom server facility with residential loft-style units, retail spaces, parking, and a riverwalk and marina at the Chicago River. Special features include a 5-story, 16,000-square-foot interior landscaped courtyard carved from the vast interior of the structure, and a roof top running track at the 12th level. The industrial elegance of the original façade is preserved by the use of historic-reproduction windows and stepped-back terraces at a two-story addition to the 9-story structure. The façade at street level is recessed behind round columns in deference to the original railway docks. The curvilinear nature of the residential corridors contrasts the rigid structural grid, visually foreshortening the long halls. A consistent pattern language of design elements at the different lobbies on each floor provides visual landmarks, and counterbalances the rectilinear building envelope.

565 West Quincy Street

565 WEST QUINCY STREET

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
c. 1925 and c. 1955

STATISTICS
241 Units
18 Stories
189 Parking Spaces
9,800 SF Retail/Commercial
382,700 GSF

This unique adaptive re-use development involved merging a new eleven story modern steel and glass tower construction on top of an existing seven story brick and concrete building that had been erected in two phases in the 1920’s and 1950’s. The new and old masses converge at the eight floor, where the top of the existing building has been converted into a rooftop patio and sundeck with kitchen. The tower’s hanging balconies, patterned to match the facade color and material change, serve to further integrate the two forms. An 11,000-square-foot basement amenity level includes a fitness center, lounge, games room, putting green, movie theater and center-piece 2-lane bowling alley. Ground floor retail, parking and lobby space anchor the structure contextually and provide a dynamic street presence.

AWARDS
Gold Key Award, Outstanding Design in Community Design and Planning - Best Overall Community, Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago
Gold Key Award, Outstanding Design in Community Design and Planning - Amenity Design, Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago

One Arlington

ONE ARLINGTON

LOCATION
Arlington Heights, Illinois

CLIENT
Stoneleigh Companies
Stonestreet Partners LLC

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1969

STATISTICS
214 Units
13 Stories
313 Parking Spaces
21,600 SF Retail/Commercial
398,700 GSF

Part of the 27-acre Arlington Downs planned development located in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, this adaptive re-use of the former Sheraton Chicago Northwest to a 214-unit apartment complex offers luxury amenities and close proximity to shopping and recreational venues. Apartments include studio, one- and two- bedroom, and penthouse options for all three, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows in all units. All residents enjoy access to a spacious rooftop lounge, party room with kitchen, and state-of-the-art Penthouse fitness center and 5,800 square foot outdoor deck overlooking the Arlington International Racecourse. First-level retail outlets as well as the adjacent Arlington Downs luxury retail development provide shopping convenience to the entire community. The residence is within walking distance of Arlington International Racecourse, as well as nearby Arlington Park commuter rail station (Metra) and is in close proximity to highway access and numerous off-site recreation and retail amenities within Arlington Heights and the surrounding suburbs. The entire Arlington Downs project also will include a Sheraton Four Points express hotel to the north and west, an expanded water park at the rear of the apartment building, and free-standing restaurants bordering the property.

Luminaire

LUMINAIRE

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Luminaire

STATISTICS
2 Levels Stories
15,000 GSF

The showroom’s interior architecture is conceived as a sequence of interrelated sculptural elements. Spatial relationships, created through dislocation of form and axial alignment, influence customer use of space and clue one into its bi-level organization. These elements, an entry bridge and portal, central stair, and cash counter, establish a decidedly understated and discrete counterpoint to the display of the store’s high style furniture and architectural accessories. Transcending style, the image is modernist, purposely minimal, but precisely detailed.

Metropolitan Tower

METROPOLITAN TOWER

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Metropolitan Properties of Chicago, LLC

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Graham, Anderson, Probst & White

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1924

STATISTICS
242 Units
30 Stories
290 Parking Spaces
36,000 SF Retail/Commercial
710,000 GSF

An ambitious adaptive re-use project transformed an obsolete office building into a mixed-use facility integrating retail, parking spaces and luxury residential condominiums at an important downtown Chicago site overlooking Grant and Millennium parks. While introducing these new uses, the building conversion preserved the limestone-clad facade, the blue lit beehive dome, and the opulent bronze-and-marble lobby. To satisfy residential code, the building required extensive access modifications, including a single elevator serving all floors. In-depth study revealed only one location option which mandated a new freestanding enclosure behind the existing tower, detailed to address landmark district requirements. The conversion also incorporated 318 S. Michigan Avenue, an adjacent seven-story, timber-frame terra cotta-clad structure dating from 1899.

AWARDS
Vision Award, Historic Redevelopment, Urban Land Institute Chicago

Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence, Commission on Chicago Landmarks, City of Chicago

Best Adaptive Re-use Award, Friends of Downtown (Chicago)

Arc at Old Colony

ARC AT OLD COLONY

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Campus/MCJ Development JV, LLC

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Holabird and Roche

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1894

STATISTICS
137 Units
17 Stories
7,000 SF Retail/Commercial
187,000 GSF

Built in 1893, the 17-story building is a pioneering Chicago skyscraper of skeletal construction with a supported masonry enclosure and floors resting on spread footings. It was designed by Holabird & Roche over a single weekend charette with the Monadnock Annex, Marquette and Chaplain Buildings. When the renovation started, the building had a 60% vacancy rate, 4 of six elevators non-operational, terra cotta facade condition problems, 653 non-functional monumental wood windows, a failed roof and one open stairwell for the only interior fire exit. The 198ksf renovation has 137 dwellings with ground level retail. A Penthouse facility with terrace were added and compliment the 2nd floor restored banking offices, now used for administration and gathering space. Two fire escapes were removed from the east facade. A second interior enclosed stair from Basement to Roof was added. Other life safety improvements include a fire alarm and sprinkler system, diesel emergency generator, and emergency lighting and voice communication systems. Historic corridor windows and glass doors were upgraded with a fire rated overlay to separate the dwellings and stairs from the corridor. Elevators were repaired using original bronze and iron grilles.

Chicago Landmark Building
National Register of Historic Places

AWARDS
J. Timothy Anderson Awards for Excellence in Historic Rehabilitation, from the National Housing & Rehabilitation Association

Preservation Excellence Award, from the Commission on Chicago Landmarks

Silver Award, Reconstruction Awards, Building Design + Construction Magazine

Merit Award, Adaptive Re-use, Chicago Building Congress

Finalist, Vision Awards, Urban Land Institute Chicago

Nominated, UNESCO World Heritage Site

116 South Michigan Avenue

116 SOUTH MICHIGAN AVENUE

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Horwitz & Company

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Jenney, Mundie & Jensen

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1906, 1912

STATISTICS
17 Stories
27,000 SF Retail/Commercial
100,000 GSF

Originally known as Chicago’s Municipal Court Building (aka The Lake View Building), the structure was designed by Jenney, Mundie & Jensen and built in 1906 at twelve stories high, on caissons. Five additional stories and a vaulted lobby ceiling were added in 1912 in a bid to attract new tenants. The building was renamed the 116 S. Michigan Avenue Building and converted for modern first-class office space in 1986. Extensive rehabilitation brought the building back to its original turn-of-the-century grandeur, with complete restoration of the ornately decorated marble lobby and two wrought iron staircases. Other major improvements include new high speed passenger elevators, a new freight elevator, new bathrooms for each floor, thermopane windows, a new energy efficient HVAC system, and upgraded electrical and plumbing systems. On the facade of the narrow, glazed terra cotta building, two new columns are placed to visually support the structure and relate it to the existing streetscape, while a new store front and entry are detailed in a manner sympathetic to the original construction.

National Register of Historic Places

Pullman Bar & Diner

PULLMAN BAR & DINER

LOCATION
Iowa City, Iowa

CLIENT
Pullman LLC

STATISTICS
1,400 GSF

This adaptive re-use/renovation of a small 1,400 sq. ft. downtown retail space into a cozy, 49-seat diner draws inspiration from the days of the Pullman railway dining cars. The design for the long, narrow space utilizes an arched ceiling to enhance a railcar feel. The restaurant is anchored by a long lunch counter and bar, and features an open kitchen, where the exposed operations of the cooking staff serve to further engage patrons and add to the intimacy and nostalgia of the environment. Traditional diner fare is reconceptualized for Pullman’s menu, at once pushing the envelope while keeping things familiar. Additionally, the owners have partnered with Englert Theatre Director Andre Perry to curate a music playlist befitting the diner ambiance.

The Edge

THE EDGE

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Adams-Des Plaines L.L.C.

STATISTICS
48 abd 176 Units
5 and 16 Stories
279 Parking Spaces
13,000 SF Retail/Commercial
353,000 GSF

This renovation/new construction project merges two separate building components: an existing concrete industrial/office building and a new residential tower construction. A five story, L-shaped portion of the existing structure is maintained and renovated for lofts while approximately fifty percent of the rear of the building is demolished and replaced with a new parking structure. The original building functions as a “base” for the new contemporary tower, and also serves to mask the parking garage. The newly transformed complex both respects its historic antecedents and presents a dynamic corner presence that contributes to the evolving fabric of the surrounding neighborhood.

Source, Inc.

SOURCE, INC.

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Source, Inc.

STATISTICS
3 Stories
14,000 GSF

This office and studio space for a prominent product and packaging design firm is located in the top three floors of a renovated sixteen-story vintage Michigan Avenue office building. Consideration for the duality of the business versus creative aspects of this company and the ease of communication between floors prompted its architectural solution. Sophisticated corporate imagery meets “loft” like studio space with a common theme of white translucent panels in an industrial metal frame. Two new stairways of open steel construction provide dramatic counterpoints and lead users and visitors to mystical “idea rooms” situated beneath skylights thrusting through the roof.

1800 North Clybourn

1800 NORTH CLYBOURN

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Horwitz-Matthews

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
c. 1910

STATISTICS
3 Stories
150 Parking Spaces
190,000 GSF

This dramatic renovation of seven interconnected heavy timber industrial loft buildings into a unique shopping and entertainment mall utilizes the monochromatic but varied compositional character of existing background structures while new architectural devices draw the user through a variety of spatial and visual experiences. Placed within a 3-level core distinguished by a skylight truss roof, retail becomes theater through the playful use of ramps, stairs, bridges, pavilions, water, sound, landscaping, color and other materials juxtaposed within the quiet background of the original structures.

The Richelieu Flats

THE RICHELIEU FLATS

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
Metropolitan Properties of Chicago, LLC

ORIGINAL ARCHITECT
Hessen- Mueller & Meldahi

ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION DATE
1885

STATISTICS
5 Units
8 Stories
10,600 SF Retail/Commercial
26,000 GSF

The Richelieu’s contiguity with the historical Michigan Avenue Streetwall commanded a painstaking restoration of the building’s terra cotta façade and partial preservation of the original timber-framed structure. Sited on a deep lot which is not conducive to full residential use, the rear two-thirds of the structure was demolished and re-built as a concrete parking structure available to both the Metropolitan Tower and Richelieu Flats. The front one-third of the original structure facing Grant Park was rehabilitated for use as a two-story retail space on ground level, luxury residential flats on floors 3-6, and a luxury duplex dwelling on the 7th and new 8th Floor. The new 8th floor, which serves the top level of the duplex penthouse unit, is a contemporary steel and glass structure set back from the building’s original façade. This setback offers a large private terrace overlooking Grant Park, and preserves the building’s original cornice line.

BMT Design 2

BMT DESIGN 2

LOCATION
Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT
BMT Design

STATISTICS
1 Stories
18,000 GSF

Originally used as a commercial photography studio, the existing bowstring truss building offered a large, open and light-filled space for the playful and inventive build-out for preeminent toy designer, Big Monster Toys (BMT). Entered through a large translucent glass door, a galvanized steel clad “egg” shaped presentation room illustrates the key function of the company as an incubator of ideas. Inside the “egg”, a round conference room table anchors one end of the room where projects are demonstrated for clients. The glass-enclosed partner offices ring the perimeter of the open studio space, enlivened by an eclectic mix of elements and finishes, including a full size mock-up of a caboose that functions as a kitchenette, a suspended model train, stained concrete floors and custom workstations that are festooned with the designers’ inventions.