It was an open secret that Vermilion Development and the University of Chicago were trying to bag another high-end grocer for Hyde Park, and now it's official. David Roeder reports that the developers of Harper Court are courting Whole Foods to anchor the retail space, and they're also interested in bringing in a Second City comedy club. (A second Second City club?) Whole Foods seems a funny choice, considering that Hyde Parkers have been groaning about the prices at Treasure Island since it opened two years ago. At a public TIF meeting last week, developers announced that they were in "advance negotiations" with four major retail tenants, and that they were seeking a marquee restaurant with high-profile chef to join them. Phase 1 of the development will be a 12-story, 150,000-square-foot office building that will "take a cue from the language" of the Hyde Park Bank across the street, as Sophie Bidek from Hartshorne Plunkard explained last week. Phase 2 will include a high-rise with 395 apartments and condos. Construction on phase 1 is set to begin late next year and wrap up in mid-2013.
· Developer picked to replace Harper Court [Sun-Times]
· Harper Court To Be "More Like a Beacon Than a Solid Element" [Curbed Chicago]
Filed under:
Loading comments...