Pilsen, Chicago Construction Overview
This time, we’re taking a good look at planned construction in Pilsen, one of Chicago’s most popular neighborhoods. The area is teeming with attractions and entertainment, whether that be top-tier restaurants, a variety of music venues, and its can’t-miss murals, which seem to cover and highlight the entire neighborhood.
As you might guess from the murals and extensive street art, Pilsen is one of Chicago’s premier artistic hubs. Beyond regular nightlife in the area, art galleries open themselves up to the public for free on the second Friday of each month.
Although Pilsen is now well-recognized as a Latino cultural center in the Windy City, that wasn’t always the case. In the 19th century, the neighborhood was home largely to Eastern European immigrants, primarily Czechs. As such, Pilsen takes its name from the Czech city Plzen. Pilsen saw rapid growth in its Hispanic population in the 1960s after that same population was displaced from the nearby area now occupied by the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC).
The projects in this article are listed in order according to estimated project value and include projects both in planning and already under construction. All project information is from BuildCentral’s ConstructionWire.
Planned Construction in Pilsen
Screenshot from ConstructionWire of Pilsen using Geospex’s Custom Boundary Area tool
Above is a screenshot from BuildCentral’s ConstructionWire of Geospex’s mapping tool. Using Geospex’s Custom Boundary Area tool, we outlined the Pilsen neighborhood with boundaries of West 16th Street, West Cermak Road and South Blue Island Avenue, Western Avenue, and South Union Avenue in mind. Not only does this tool allow us to isolate only those construction projects that fall within the Pilsen area (or any area that you want to define), but it also provides us with construction and demographic data about the bounded region.
Below, for example, are Pilsen’s construction and demographic data, courtesy of ConstructionWire and Geospex.
Screenshot from ConstructionWire of Pilsen’s planned construction data sourced from Geospex’s Custom Boundary Area tool
According to the counts above, as of this article’s writing, Pilsen currently has eight projects either in planning or under construction, per ConstructionWire. Additionally, you can see estimated total values for those projects.
Screenshot from ConstructionWire of Pilsen’s demographic data sourced from Geospex’s Custom Boundary Area tool
Now for some of Pilsen’s projects in planning and under construction.
Casa Durango
Rendering of the 37-unit portion of the Casa Durango project at 1850 South Racine Avenue (Courtesy Block Club Chicago)
The Casa Durango project, which was spent two years in the making under the leadership of The Resurrection Project, had a groundbreaking event in September 2021. Completion of the project, which includes two separate apartment complexes, is anticipated for fall 2022.
| Project Type/Size: | MultiFamily (53 units), Retail (< 10,000 sq-ft) |
| Construction Type: | New |
| Estimated Value: | $20 million |
| Sector: | Private |
| Location: | Chicago, IL 60608. 1850 S Racine Avenue |
| Details: | Plans call for the construction of a six-story affordable housing complex with 53 units. The complex will include retail on the ground floor and 31 parking spaces. |
| Stage: | Early Construction |
| Construction Start: | Q3/2021 |
| Construction End: | Q4/2022 |
| Bid Due Date: | N/A |
Mural Park
The Mural Park office space in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood (Courtesy Mural Park)
The Mural Park project in Pilsen is recently completed, and still has much of its office space unfilled. It features a roof deck, food service, and a location along Pilsen’s new four-mile bike path, El Paseo, among other things.
| Project Type/Size: | Retail (10,000-24,999 sq-ft), Retail/Restaurants (10,000-24,999 sq-ft), Office (50,000-99,999 sq-ft), Mfg./Industrial/Warehouse (50,000-99,999 sq-ft) |
| Construction Type: | Renovation |
| Estimated Value: | $5-$25 million |
| Sector: | Private |
| Location: | Chicago, IL 60608. 1911 South Sangamon Street (View Map) |
| Details: | Plans call for the conversion of two vacant loft warehouses. The 200,000-square-foot redevelopment will include retail, office and light manufacturing space and boast a restaurant, cafe, rooftop deck and bicycle storage. |
| Stage: | Completed |
| Construction Start: | Q3/2017 |
| Construction End: | 10/2021 |
| Bid Due Date: | N/A |
Mural Park Parking Garage
The Mural Park project in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood features 200,000 square feet of office space
With the primary portion of the Mural Park project recently completed, a parking garage is in the works to accommodate workers and visitors to the new site. Construction is already underway on the project, according to a representative from REX Construction Services. The project is set to be completed in fall 2022.
| Project Type/Size: | Parking Structures |
| Construction Type: | New |
| Estimated Value: | $1-$5 million |
| Sector: | Private |
| Location: | Chicago, IL 60608. 1928 S Jourdan Court (View Map) |
| Details: | Plans call for a parking garage with thirty-four parking stalls to serve an office building. |
| Stage: | Groundbreaking |
| Construction Start: | Q4/2021 |
| Construction End: | Q3/2022 |
| Bid Due Date: | N/A |
Health Care Service Corporation Build-Out
Geospex screenshot of the Health Care Service Corporation Build-Out project
For this project, a building permit was issued in early October 2021.
| Project Type/Size: | Office (10,000-24,999 sq-ft) |
| Construction Type: | Renovation |
| Estimated Value: | $8 million |
| Sector: | Private |
| Location: | Chicago, IL 60608. 920 W Cullerton St |
| Details: | Plans call for office tenant build of Health Care Service Corporation insurance company on floors 1-4 in an existing four-story building. |
| Stage: | Groundbreaking |
| Construction Start: | Q4/2021 |
| Construction End: | Q4/2022 |
| Bid Due Date: | N/A |
National Museum of Mexican Art Upgrades
National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood (Courtesy NMMA)
This project to renovate and upgrade the National Museum of Mexican Art is classified as a flash project, meaning that its construction should take place relatively quickly and it involves relatively small square footage.
| Project Type/Size: | Cultural/Social (10,000- 24,999 sq-ft) |
| Construction Type: | Renovation, Flash Projects |
| Estimated Value: | < $1 million |
| Sector: | Private, Public |
| Location: | Chicago, IL 60608. 1852 W 19th St |
| Details: | Plans call for renovations and updates to the National Museum of Mexican Art. |
| Stage: | Early Construction |
| Construction Start: | Q3/2021 |
| Construction End: | Q1/2022 |
| Bid Due Date: | 6/23/2021 |
Pilsen’s got it all, and as such is one of Chicago’s hottest neighborhoods. In the area, you’ll find a wholly unique community that prides itself on its Latino roots and immigrant past. Its artistic and cultural exploits and products are unmatched, and with much of the neighborhood’s art being public in the form of murals and street art, it’s free to see! What’s more is that Pilsen is centrally located, with Chicago’s downtown bridging Pilsen to the city’s lakefront.
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