Development stories in Chicago

Northlight Theatre, 1012 Church St., is ready for its closeup. The official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Tuesday morning, July 28. All the special groups honored join in for the Northlight Theatre ribbon cutting Credit: Joerg Metzner Speakers included Northlight’s Executive Directo

LOGAN SQUARE — Work has started on Logan Square’s newest public plaza — more than a month after the city fenced off the property in June and forced a small number of residents of a homeless encampment to move. The plaza at 2550 N. Milwaukee Ave. — which has been in the works since at least

Cicero officials are concerned about plans for a data center to replace the recently closed Hawthorne Race Course. Despite no official announcements, local trustees are set to consider resolutions opposing such developments due to their potential negative impact on the community.

LINCOLN SQUARE — Neighbors want the developer pitching the construction of a five-story apartment building in Lincoln Square to consider adding more units for families and to prioritize bicycle parking amenities over spots for cars.   Developer MLV Properties, LLC needs a zoning change to co

In 2024, the University of Chicago paid approximately $2.1 million in property taxes to the City of Chicago. Endeavor Health’s Evanston Hospital paid more than $600,000 in property taxes in 2024. Northwestern University paid $0. Nothing. Northwestern’s state-granted property tax exemption i

Part 1 begins with the establishment of the city’s earliest moving picture theaters on Davis Street and the construction of the city’s first proper movie theater, the Evanston Theater, built in 1911. It recounts the theater owners’ effort to establish a “Jim Crow” seating policy at the new theater a

Hawthorne Race Course in Stickney will close following a sale to a developer, as approved by a bankruptcy judge. This marks the end of an era for the historic venue.

DePaul University has begun demolishing historic row homes and apartment buildings in Lincoln Park to construct a new $50 million basketball practice facility. While the university aims to enhance its athletic programs, preservationists argue that this project will irreversibly alter the neighborhood's character.

Solutions to gun violence often focus on laws, public safety and politics. However, a group of Chicago teenagers are using their voices to focus on the power of peace. They held a peace walk in the Bronzeville neighborhood to empower youth, bring community members together and encourage meanin

The northwest corner of the under-construction Ryan Field is seen in May 2026. Credit: Alex Harrison Evanston voters could once more weigh in on the city’s age-old conflict with Northwestern University over its property tax exemption, as three councilmembers are moving to add an advisory re

The Ryan Field Foundation announced a new program Thursday that offers local restaurants a chance to serve up their food to fans at the stadium on game day. Restaurants must apply by July 31 to be considered for the pop-ups under the program, called Evanston and North Shore Favorites. “W

Chicago Public Schools’ financial woes might be worse than originally thought as the school district says it is a quarter billion dollars short on what it is owed from Cook County – and that’s on top of a $730 million budget gap for next year. It all stems from ongoing troubles the county has ha

From left, Deputy City Manager Carina Sanchez and Michael Rivera, the city’s interim administrative services director, present some facts about the city’s parking system in a report to the city’s Economic Development Committee on Wednesday. Credit: Bob Seidenberg Establishing free parking

Northwestern Athletics and Recreation and Northwestern University’s Office of Neighborhood and Community Relations will host a free showing of The Goat on Tuesday, July 28 as part of the annual Community Movie Night. This event will be held at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.

The historic Leahy Building in River North, home to the Sound Bar, will be transformed into a 70-unit apartment complex. Sound Bar is expected to operate for about eight more months before construction begins, with completion anticipated by spring 2028.

The Chicago Park District is undertaking significant restoration projects for the Garfield Park bandstand and Jackson Park's Statue of the Republic. These efforts aim to preserve the city's architectural heritage and enhance community spaces.

The latest Crain’s Daily Gist podcast discusses the competitive housing market in Elk Grove Village, where residents are entering a lottery for new homes. Additionally, the podcast covers significant developments including MHub's new campus plans and Roseland Hospital's financial struggles.

MHub is negotiating to acquire properties for a new 72-acre industrial campus, M+, near its existing incubator on the Near West Side. This expansion aims to enhance the region's advanced manufacturing sector and support economic growth.

BRONZEVILLE — There’s no space for joy in the story of the brutal, unpunished lynching of Emmett Till, a child killed for being Black. But Till’s story neither begins nor ends with that 1955 lynching — and it’s a radical act to celebrate the story’s many layers, said local

A new condo building in Wilmette is launching sales with a record asking price of nearly $4.6 million, surpassing previous suburban highs. The Optima Lumina project could cater to affluent buyers looking for multimillion-dollar units, potentially reshaping the North Shore real estate market.

Chicago is exploring its next transformative civic project, following the legacy of Millennium Park. Six finalists have been selected to propose innovative ideas that could reshape the city's public and cultural spaces.

Members of the Housing and Community Development Committee at a February meeting. Credit: My Ly The city’s Housing and Community Development Committee discussed expanding eligibility for a federally-funded building rehab program to include projects in multifamily apartment buildings at its

Evanston Township High School announced Monday that the cybersecurity attack it suffered this summer has also affected its parking lottery system, which allocates spaces on school property to eligible students. “The student parking lottery process for the 2026-27 school year was delayed due

The Leahy Building, previously home to Sound Bar nightclub, has been sold to Concord Capital for $4.1 million and will be converted into 70 apartments. The nightclub is set to vacate in eight months as part of the redevelopment plan.

Six men have been accused of running a prostitution ring and brothels in the western suburbs following a 15-month investigation, authorities said. The Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office in a news release said the men used false names to rent apartments associated with brothels in A

ROGERS PARK — Loyola University’s plan to bring student housing to a shuttered school could free up apartments in the neighborhood, while a shelter planned for the church campus next door could help fill a gap in Spanish-speaking services, officials behind the proposal said Monday. Loyola U

Evanston Township High School will move a two-story home on Aug. 3, beginning at 9 a.m. from ETHS. The project is part of the “Geometry in Construction” course in collaboration between ETHS, the City of Evanston and Community Partners for Affordable Housing. It provides students the o