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Mapping the West Loop’s development boom

What’s next for Chicago’s hottest ‘hood

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Chicago’s West Loop and Fulton Market District have quickly evolved from a hub for meatpackers and food wholesalers into the city’s busiest area for new development. The neighborhood west of the Kennedy Expressway is teeming with chef-driven restaurants, boutique hotels, luxury apartment towers, and offices for companies like Google and McDonald’s—and it’s transformation only getting started.

The rapid pace of development has not been without growing pains. The once-gritty atmosphere of West Loop has undoubtedly changed, and some residents have sought help from city officials to minimize disruption from so much construction. Meanwhile, rising commercial rents have prompted some city officials to push for affordable retail spaces in addition to city-mandated affordable housing.

For as much as the area has changed, there’s still so much more to come. Here’s a look at the dozens of buildings that are currently under construction or on the drawing board for the West Loop.

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167 N. Green

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Status: Under construction
At the corner of Lake and Halsted, work is underway on a 17-story, 725,000-square-foot office complex known by the address of 167 N. Green Street. Shapack Partners and Focus Development tapped Gensler to design the building which features 129 parking spaces and a retail-lined pedestrian “mews” that runs beneath the building between Halsted and Green.

A reflective glass tower with a cantilever portion with a gridded facade supported by tall columns. A pedestrian and retail plaza runs below. Gensler

800 W. Fulton Market

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Status: Under construction 
New York-based developer Thor Equities is hard at work on this 18-story, staircase-like office project at the former site of the John R. Morreale Meat warehouse, Isaacson & Stein Fish Company building, and The Mid nightclub. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, 800 W. Fulton Market pushes skyward with multiple setbacks and landscaped terraces for a much slimmer profile when viewed from the east and the west. A below-ground garage provides 36 parking spaces.

A brick and glass building stepping up from the street like a staircase. At each step there are trees and bushes. The side of the building has metal X-braces. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

330 N. Green

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Status: Approved
Currently occupied by the former Coyne College building, the site at 330 N. Green will eventually give way to a 20-story office tower from developer Sterling Bay and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. The glassy design boasts an elevated “porch” amenity deck with paddle tennis and swinging benches. 330 N. Green could break ground as soon as this year.

A 20-story office building with a three-part facade with vertical columns that get less numerous as the building rises. The middle segment is set back, providing space for a landscaped deck and seating. SOM

360 N. Green

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Status: Approved
Sterling Bay’s plan for this vacant parcel calls for a 26-story building with 450,000 square feet of office space. Designed by Gensler, the glassy tower is the third high-rise commercial building the developer is planning for the 300 block of North Green Street.

Gensler

345 N. Morgan

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Status: Site prep
Sterling Bay originally envisioned a nine-story movie theater and parking garage development at 345 N. Morgan Street, just north of the Ace Hotel. The developer changed its mind and is instead building an 11-story, 178-foot-tall office project. Designed by Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, the dark brick structure is linked to Google’s Chicago expansion.

A gray brick commercial building with large arch shaped windows just above the first floor and broad rectangular windows above. The arched design is repeated on the top floor as well. Eckenhoff Saunders Architects

320 N. Sangamon

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Status: Under construction
This 13-story office project comes from veteran Chicago real estate firm Mark Goodman & Associates, New York-based partner Tishman Speyer and architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz. It broke ground at the site previously occupied by the AmeriGas propane fueling facility and will open in 2021. The development contains 225,000 square feet of office space, ground-floor retail, and a 47-stall parking garage.

A 13-story office building with a brick and glass facade and a rooftop terrace. SCB

Fulton East

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Status: Under construction 
This 12-story office project from developer Parkside Realty and Chicago architecture firm Lamar Johnson Collaborative replaces a parking lot. Dubbed Fulton East, it calls for 5,000 square feet of ground-floor retail topped by 54 parking spaces, 85,000 square feet of office space, and a landscaped rooftop amenity deck. Fulton East will open for business in 2020.

A narrow brick, metal, and glass office tower with a lobby and retail space along the sidewalk. Bronze metal panels cover the second and third floor parking garage below glass-clad office levels. Lamar Johnson Collaborative

1000 W. Carroll

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Status: Approved

Sterling Bay also plans to build this 288-foot, 18-story office tower at the site of Pioneer Wholesale Meat, just north of Google’s HQ at 1K Fulton. The contemporary glass and metal design from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill resembles a series of stacked boxes. Roughly 180 parking spaces will be spread out across 1000 W. Carroll and its proposed neighbor at 345 N. Morgan.

The corner of modern glass building with vertical metal slats, a ground-floor lobby, and an inset wrap around balcony. The street is lined with trees. Sterling Bay

942 W. Fulton Market

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Status: Approved 
A collaboration between Thor Properties and HPA will see the existing three-story Columbus Meats building at 942 W. Fulton renovated and vertically expanded one level. The mixed-use project will contain office space and retail storefronts.

A traditionally-looking beige three-story building with a pronounced dark cornice and set-back fourth level. The ground floor has a storefront for retail. HPA

905 W. Fulton Market

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Status: Under construction 
Thor and HPA are teaming up again on a project that combines two existing historic buildings on the southwest corner of Fulton and Peoria, and a new structure that replaces an existing one-story building. The result is a single, five-story commercial building behind three distinct facades. International snack-making company Mondelez is moving its HQ and more than 400 employees to the development in mid-2020.

A collection of three different low-rise, industrial style brick buildings with office space inside. The buildings are merged into a single structure with a new, set-back fifth floor above. HPA

310 N. Peoria

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Status: Under construction
This boutique hotel project reuses the existing four-story brick building at 310 N. Peoria and adds a single-story vertical expansion. Designed by architect Hirsch Associates, the development will contain 3,000 square feet of ground-floor commercial space—most likely occupied by a restaurant—topped by a maximum of 28 hotel rooms. It landed its construction permit in spring 2019.

A long, wide four-story tan brick warehouse building with new windows and fifth floor addition. An awning runs along the side of the structure. Hirsch MPG

900 W. Fulton Market

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Status: Proposed
The proposed redevelopment of the Nealey Foods property at 900 W. Fulton Market would preserve and incorporate some of the exterior brickwork of the existing wholesale complex into a new 11-story building with ground-floor retail topped by office use. The scheme—which still needs to secure city approval—comes from Shorewood Development Group and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture.

Chicago City Clerk

375 N. Morgan

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Status: Proposed
This 10-story office building at 375 N. Morgan Street was announced by Latsko Interests in 2017. Envisioned for a vacant lot along the train tracks, the conceptual design features a stepped layout with a setback at each level, providing tenants with private outdoor amenity spaces.

A long boxy building with warehouse style windows and a series of stair-like setbacks covered with trees. The side of the building is covered with colorful street art. Latsko Interests

Fulton Labs

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Status: Proposed
The first major commercial development pitched north of Kinzie Street, this 16-story project from Dallas-based developer Trammell Crow would bring roughly 400,000 square feet of land space dedicated to life sciences, 165 parking spots, and streetscape improvements to the area. The glassy design from ESG Architects includes curving corner balconies alternating every two floors.

ESG Architects

318 N. Carpenter

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Status: Under construction
This eight-story retail and office development recently broke ground at the corner of Carpenter Street and Carroll Avenue. The project comes from Murphy Development Group, Creek Lane Capital, and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture. The 100-foot-tall, brick-clad structure will feature 27 on-site parking spots and a rooftop amenity deck.

A rendering of a warehouse-inspired office building, rising eight levels. The exterior brickwork is patterned and shifts part way up the building to make room for large inset central balconies. HPA

1032 W. Fulton Market

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Status: Under construction
Developer Summit Design+Build plans this five-story boutique office building on the surface lot located at 1032 W. Fulton. The project would also renovate the adjacent three-story existing building that currently serves as Summit’s office. HPA is serving as lead designer.

A contemporary five-story buildings with a simple brick facade and large rectangular windows. The street level has a retail space with an outdoor cafe. HPA

1043 W. Fulton Market

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Status: Approved 
This two-part development at the corner of Fulton Market and Carpenter Street calls for a six-story office building and a 12-story hotel. Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, which currently has its offices on the site, is designing both buildings and will own and occupy the office portion of the project. The 200-room hotel structure will be operated by California-based Montage Hotel’s Pendry brand, reported Crain’sThe transit-oriented development (TOD) includes parking for 15 vehicles.

A skyline rendering of a 12-story hotel building with two boxy volumes and different brick and glass facades. There is a retail and lobby space on the ground floor and an elevated terrace part way up the building. Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture

1100 W. Fulton Market

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Status: Under construction

Furniture company Herman Miller intends to occupy all 45,000 square feet in this upcoming complex which includes the renovation of an existing two-story brick building plus a new five-story structure next door. The 1100 W. Fulton project comes from developer Fulton St. Companies and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture.

An aerial image of a old brick meating-packing building with a new glass and metal addition on top with a roof deck. It connects to a taller metal and glass, industrial-looking building next door. HPA

City Technology Center

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Status: Proposed

This unusual proposal for at 1111 W. Carroll calls for a technology incubator, office space, display galleries, a hotel, and a 300-seat auditorium. The project would be “owner occupied” and built by a joint venture of TechNexus, Ocean Tomo, and Cogent Management Group, rather than a traditional real estate developer. Rising 18-stories or roughly 300 feet, the City Technology Center features a more traditional-looking base topped by a glassy tower designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners. Neighbors opposing the proposal launched a website and petition titled “Save Fulton.”

A mixed-use high-rise with a brick base, glassy upper floors, and a rooftop deck. Pappageorge Haymes Partners

1155 W. Fulton Market

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Status: Under construction

This adaptive reuse development from Domus and Barnett Capital combines a pair of existing three-story warehouse buildings at 1133 and 1155 W. Fulton Market into a single structure and adds a new fourth floor. WeWork has agreed to a lease for 89,500 square feet in the Space Architects-designed project.

An aerial view of a long brick vintage warehouse buildings with a more contemporary dark metal fourth floor addition. Taller buildings are visible on the horizon. Space Architects + Planners

213 N. Racine

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Status: Proposed

Around the corner from 1155 W. Fulton Market, Domus and Space Architects are planning to build a new six-story commercial building at the site of a parking lot at 213 N. Racine. The plan incorporates offices and retail as well as ground floor parking for 30 cars.

A presentation slide showing a six-story building with a brick facade and all-glass corners. There are trees on the sidewalk in front. West Loop Community Organization

Axis West

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Status: Proposed
At nearly 700,000 square feet in size, this mixed-use development slated for 1200 W. Fulton Market is one of the largest proposals in the area. It calls for a pair of 300- and 240-foot towers containing over 600,000 square feet of office space, 100,000 square feet of retail, two public plazas, and parking for 335 cars. Co-developers the Ryan Companies and IBT Group and architecture firm CallisonRTKL still need zoning approval but hope to break ground on Axis West this fall.

CallisonRTKL/Ryan Companies/IBT Group

1200 W. Carroll

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Status: Proposed
Another Sterling Bay office project is in the works at 1200 W. Carroll. Here, the developer filed a recent zoning application for a 14-story commercial building designed by Gensler. The project will top out at 227 feet and contain retail and office space plus 90 parking spaces, according to the filing.

Gensler

1325 W. Fulton

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Status: Proposed
Details are slim regarding Sterling Bay’s future plans for the large vacant lot at 1325 W. Fulton. There is a single rendering on the developer’s website, which describes the office proposal as offering “one of Fulton Market’s biggest floor plates.” Such a development will require city approval to move forward.

Sterling Bay

West End on Fulton

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Status: Under construction 
Replacing a parking lot along Ogden Avenue, this 14-story office development is another collaboration between developer Trammell Crow and ESG Architects. The project features a rooftop deck for tenants and 115 parking spaces. A portion of the 15,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space will be offered at an affordable rate. West End on Fulton opens soon.

A contemporary white, beige, and gray office building along a grassy boulevard. The structure gets narrower as its rises and has retail space on the first floor. ESG Architects

1132-57 W. Lake Street

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Status: Approved

This 33-story, transit-oriented apartment tower will rise 330 feet at the corner of Lake and May streets. With 555 units, the project is one of the largest rental developments in the rapidly changing neighborhood. It comes from LG Development and the architects at Gensler.

Gensler

1150 W. Lake

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Status: Approved

LG’s zoning application for the apartment plan at 1132-57 W. Lake also includes an office project slated for the neighboring vacant lot at 1150 W. Lake Street. Also designed by Gensler, the glass and metal building will rise 11 stories and includes below-ground parking.

Gensler

210 N. Aberdeen

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Status: Proposed

LG Development is seeking approval to build a 21-story office tower at the corner of Lake and Aberdeen and a 17-story hotel mid-block along May. The NORR-designed project also includes a food hall as well as the renovation of the older Arthur Harris building—a contributing structure in the Fulton Market landmark district.

920 W. Lake

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Status: Proposed

The 245-foot-tall brick and glass hotel development would replace a parking lot at the corner of Lake and Sangamon streets. Developed by F&F Realty and designed by FitzGerald Associates Architects, the 20-story plan includes 199 guest rooms and parking for 43 vehicles. Unlike the neighborhood’s boutique offerings such as the HoxtonAce, and Soho House, the upcoming project would house a more affordable Marriott franchise.

A street-level view of a 20-story rectangular building with a brick base and blue glass top rises near the Morgan CTA station. FitzGerald Associates Architects

800 W. Lake

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Status: Approved

This proposed 21-story high-rise hotel project would take out two small parking lots and a cluster of low-rise structures at the corner of Lake and Halsted. Here, developer North Park Ventures and GREC Architects envision pair of hotels with a combined 476 guest rooms. The ground level would contain lobby space, restaurants, and a vehicular drive connecting Lake to Halsted.

GREC

Bridgford Foods Redevelopment

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Status: Approved
Long-time Fulton Market neighbor Bridgford Food has plans to eventually redevelop its production facility into a mixed-use building at the southwest corner of Lake and Green. Designed by HPA, the 17-story tower will contain ground floor commercial space topped by 250 parking spaces and 314 rental units.

An L-shaped mixed-use building with a brick storefront base and two rectangular glass and metal masses above. There are numerous balconies and rooftop terraces with trees. HPA

Nobu Hotel

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Status: Under construction
After some lengthy delays, Chicago’s 12-story Nobu Hotel is on track to finally open in early 2020. Designed by Modif Architecture and featuring interiors by local West Loop firm Studio K, the building sports 115 guest rooms, two ballrooms, a mezzanine-level restaurant from Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, a ground-floor sushi bar, and a rooftop lounge with indoor and outdoor seating.

A dark brick hotel stands on a street corner it has a grid of oversized warehouse style windows, pronounced vertical piers, and a extra-height ground floor. Modif Architecture

932 W. Randolph

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Status: Proposed
Replacing a bank building at the northwest corner of Randolph and Sangamon, this commercial project comes from L3 Capital. The development offers five retail spaces ranging from roughly 2,800 to 10,000 square feet in size, according to a marketing flyer.

L3 Capital

1020 W. Randolph

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Status: Proposed
L3 has plans to redevelop a second bank property at 1020 W. Randolph Street into a commercial building with nearly 20,000 square feet of retail and office space.

L3 Capital

1100 W. Randolph

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Status: Proposed
This three-story proposal from L3 replaces a demolished structure that was once home to the cast of MTV’s The Real World. The new building will offer 13,800 square feet of retail and office space, according to the developer’s website.

L3 Capital

906 W. Randolph

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Status: Approved
The 43-story tower envisioned for 170 N. Peoria could be an architectural game-changer when it comes to tall buildings in the heart of Fulton Market. Designed by New York-based Morris Adjmi Architects, the slender 495-foot-tall high-rise is co-developed by Related Midwest and Tucker Development. It will bring 300 rental units, 75 parking spaces, and active street-level retail to the site.

Morris Adjmi Architects

166 N. Aberdeen

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Status: Approved 
Slated to replace the Fabbri Sausage plant, this 20-story project from MCZ Development would contain 236 rental units, 3,900 square feet of retail, and 70 parking spaces. The transit-oriented development is designed by architect Solomon Cordwell Buenz and would also feature a tenant pool deck and 13th-floor “sky lounge.”

A four-story red brick base supports a glassy apartment tower rising 20 stories. The upper levels have inset balconies that follow a zig-zag pattern up the building’s side. SCB

Standard Hotel

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Status: Approved

A joint venture between New York-based developer DDG and Chicago-based Marc Realty plans a 16-story 259-room Standard Hotel at 1234 W. Randolph Street, replacing a dairy facility. The L-shaped design comes from NORR Architects and New York-based James Carpenter Design Associates and features a rooftop pool and bar, a 2,500-square-foot restaurant space, and a small public plaza along Randolph.

An L-shaped mid-rise building at dusk along a tree-lined boulevard. It has a third-floor deck and rooftop terrace. NORR/JCDA

1400 W. Randolph

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Staus: Approved

Slated for the former site of the BellyQ and Urbanbelly restaurants at 1400 W. Randolph Street, this proposal from Naperville-based developer Marquette Companies would rise 25 stories. The Brininstool + Lynch-designed tower would contain 281 apartments, 108 parking spaces, and ground-floor retail.

Brininstool + Lynch

1440 W. Randolph

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Status: Approved

Marquette and Brininstool + Lynch are teaming up again to redevelop a low-rise commercial building and parking lot at 1440 W. Randolph, across from Union Park. Here, the developer wants to construct an 11-story apartment project with 243 units and parking for 85 cars. The Randolph Street frontage would feature a lobby lounge, fitness center, dog park, and bike cafe.

Brininstool + Lynch

1123 W. Randolph

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Staus: Proposed

This modest six-story, nine-unit condo development is slated for the parking lot at the corner of Randolph and May. The transit-oriented proposal comes from 1123 Randolph LLC, which includes Interra Realty, and designer HKS Architects. It includes ground-floor retail space and no parking.

A black and white perspective drawing of a boxy two-story base topped by four more traditional looking brick warehouse-inspired floors. The are large metal framed windows and corner balconies. Chicago City Clerk

732 W. Randolph

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Status: Approved

This slender, eight-story boutique office development would replace a small parking lot at 732 W. Randolph Street, along Restaurant Row. Chicago-based firm Hirsch MPG Architects designed the brick structure as a “contemporary take on a turn-of-the-century building,” according to Neighbors of the West Loop.

A perspective rendering of an eight-story brick building designed to look like an older industrial building rising. The new structure fronts a busy boulevard has a low-rise building on the left and a similarly sized buildings on the right. Hirsch MPG

725 W. Randolph

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Status: Approved
Across the street, Related Midwest plans a mixed-use high-rise rising 550-feet and a 250-foot office tower. Designed by Connecticut-based design firm Roger Ferris + Partners, the two-tower plan includes a 240-room Equinox hotel, 370 rental units, a 30,000-square-foot Equinox health club, and 5,000 square feet of restaurant space.

Roger Ferris + Partners

19 N. May

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Staus: Proposed

The vacant lot 19 N. May Street was originally designed as an identical twin to the nine-story, 28-unit Hayden West Loop condo building. The latest zoning application, filed in 2018, showed an 18-story building containing 73 residences.

An elevation drawing of a 18-story residential building. A line of balconies runs up the middle of the structure. There are townhome style residences fronting May Street. Lamar Johnson Collaborative

1230 W. Washington

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Status: Approved

Developed by RCG Longview and CLK Properties and designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, 1230 W. Washington will incorporate an existing 1920s-era loft building at the corner of Washington and Willard into a nine-story, 160,000-square-foot office complex. Plans dictate a new retail space along Washington Boulevard and parking for 59 cars.

A vintage brick and stone in warehouse building is topped by a modern, glassy office floors. The upper portion is set back from the street and features a dark metal grid around the windows. HPA

Status: Under construction

Known as “Eveq,” this five-story condo building is rising at 14 N. Bishop Street—previously a vacant lot owned by the adjacent Chicago Pipefitters Local Union 597. Designed by Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson, the development features street-level retail topped by 32 for-sale residences offered in three- and four-bedroom floorplans. Pricing starts at around $795K.