Construction crews are busy at work on a number of developments both big and small in Chicago’s booming West Loop. As Chicago’s downtown continues to heat up and spread its tendrils westward, the neighborhood has emerged as one of the Windy City’s most desirable area to live, dine, and innovate.

Following a trend set by Google, companies such as McDonald’s, Glassdoor, and Dyson are preparing to make the move to the rapidly changing neighborhood. The West Loop has two hotels containing nearly 300 combined guest rooms currently under construction with a third, 170-room project currently preparing to break ground soon.

Meanwhile the total number of apartment and condo units under consturction easily exceeds 1000. With many more waiting to break ground or gain city approval, the figure is expected to grow manifold.

Here’s a quick look at eleven of the larger Fulton Market/West Loop projects under construction right now:

↑ 727 West Madison

At 44 stories, this cylindrical apartment tower is poised to make a major impact and extend Chicago’s skyline westward. Previously known as One South Halsted, the project from co-developers Fifield Companies and F&F Realty will rise nearly 500 feet and contain 492 rental units, 9,500 square feet of ground floor retail, and 375 parking stalls. The project replaces the lot of the adjacent Crown Plaza and will share its garage with its hotel neighbor. With foundation work wrapped up, the next step will be erecting the tower’s construction crane.

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↑ 625 West Adams

While technically east of the Kennedy Expressway in the so-called “West Loop Gate,’ the 20-story office tower at 625 W. Adams seems too large not to include. Replacing a surface parking lot owned by Old St. Patrick’s Church, the 432,000-square-foot building comes from architect Solomon Cordwell Buenz. It features a two-story lobby, ground floor retail, five levels of parking, and a rooftop terrace for tenants. Development partners White Oak Realty and CA Ventures are betting on continued West Loop office demand as they are building 625 W. Adams “on spec”—or without first securing an anchor tenant.

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↑ McDonald’s HQ

If Google’s choice to move to Chicago’s West Loop lit the fuse on the area’s real estate boom, the announcement that McDonald’s would relocate its corporate workforce to the neighborhood certainly turbocharged it. Currently rising at 110 N. Carpenter at the former location of Oprah’s Harpo Studios production company, the 600,000-square-foot future home of the global fast food giant comes from developer Sterling Bay and design architect Gensler.

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↑ CA Washington

Located at 27 N. Aberdeen and just across the street from the future MickyD’s HQ, this 69-unit condo development is starting to come together. Known as CA Washington, the sold-out project from Belgravia Group consists solely of 2,000-square-foot three-bedroom, three-bathroom residences starting around $800,000. Designed by Sullivan Goulette & Wilson, the building features 78 parking spaces on its lower level but forgoes any retail offerings.

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↑ Landmark West Loop

Towering over the Eisenhower express way at 1035 W. Van Buren, the 30-story apartment tower known as “Landmark West Loop” is racing towards a planned August opening. The 300-unit project features a textured, industrial-inspired facade and full suite of tenant amenities. Landmark is the first Chicago project from NY-based architect Morris Adjmi.

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↑ Hoxton Hotel

Morris Adjmi’s architectural firm is also behind the design of a Fulton Market hotel slated for the northwest corner of Lake and Green streets. The upcoming 11-story building will be occupied by the boutique London-based Hoxton Hotel and contain a rooftop terrace and around 170 guest rooms. Previously an auto shop and meat packing business, the site has been cleared and is awaiting construction permits.

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↑ Ace Hotel

Meanwhile, the Ace Hotel at 311 N. Morgan Street is preparing to welcome its first guests. The GREC-designed Bauhaus inspired building will feature 159 guest rooms, a rooftop bar, and 30 below grade parking stalls. The ground level retail spaces will contain a yet to be named restaurant concept and the Midwest’s first Stumptown Coffee Roasters location.

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↑ Nobu Hotel

Though one of the West Loop’s most anticipated developments, Chicago’s Nobu Hotel has taken a while to get going. With foundation work finally underway, it won’t be long before the 11-story building begins to go vertical. Designed by Modif Architecture, the finished hotel is expected to contain 119 guest rooms and a 10,000-square-foot Nobu restaurant from namesake star chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Plans also call for an indoor pool, event space, and—you guessed it—a rooftop lounge.

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↑ Fulton West

Developer Sterling Bay took over this partially-completed building left abandoned by a defunct consulting firm at 1330 W. Fulton. Dubbed “Fulton West,” the nine-story office project will soon provide tenants such as Glassdoor and Dyson with 290,000 square feet of office space, private balconies, and yet another rooftop terrace.

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↑ The Aberdeen

Located at 171 N. Aberdeen, this eleven-story mixed-use project from MCZ Development is nearly topped out. Designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architects, the masonry and glass building will feature 15,000 square feet of ground floor retail topped by two levels of parking, 40,000 square feet of office space, and 75 apartment units. MCZ recently unveiled plans for a 20-story apartment tower across the street at 166 N. Aberdeen.

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↑ Illume

Originally proposed as a 205-unit rental apartment development, the project at 111 S. Peoria was shorted and reprogrammed to instead feature 79 condos after facing criticism from nearby residents. The changes obviously weren’t enough to satisfy some neighbors who sued to block the project. The lawsuit has apparently done little to slow LG Development who broke ground on the building earlier this year.

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• Chicago Construction Archives [Curbed Chicago]
• Previous West Loop coverage [Curbed Chicago]