After taking a look at the forthcoming 75,000 square foot West Lakeview Whole Foods flagship store, we're left with one question: is that the whole thing? It's certainly enough space to accommodate in-store restaurants, bulk groceries and the bougie practice of shopping and sipping wine, and will more than double the size of the current neighborhood location at 3300 North Ashland Avenue, which will close when this new store opens. But considering this planned new supermarket at Ashland, Lincoln and Belmont will replace the LaSalle Bank building and the Art Deco Medic Building, the later a focus of failed preservation efforts, and initial plans called for 80 to 160 residences above the retail space, this seems a first glance to just be a big box. So what happened to the apartments?
Novak Construction Co. is expected for finish the project by early 2017. Whole Foods has been on a local expansion spree, having just added a new Streeterville location. A West Loop and DePaul location will also open in the next few months, and the chain also has plans an Englewood location that will anchor a retail development many are looking at to catalyze neighborhood development.
·Lakeview Whole Foods To Double, Become City's Second-Largest [DNAinfo]
·Lincoln/Belmont/Ashland Project to Include New Whole Foods? [Curbed Chicago]
·The Old LaSalle Bank Building on Belmont Is Now Demolished [Curbed Chicago]
·New Retail, Residences Coming to Belmont, Ashland & Lincoln [Curbed Chicago]
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