Author: kate hawley

Chicago deal of the day: up to $8,000 at McKinley Park Lofts
Buyers at McKinley Park Lofts, 2323 W Pershing Rd (pictured here during much better weather), get up to $8,000 in incentives, according to Sales Dir [...]
Bush, mortgage industry agree on rate-freeze plan
The Bush administration and the mortgage industry have agreed on a plan to freeze interest rates for up to five years for some of the two million home [...]

Chicago deal of the day: Free parking at eco18
Condo buyers at eco18, a 12-story green building planned for the South Loop, can for a limited time get a free parking space valued at $18,900 - a p [...]

Chicago deal of the day: Free upgrades at Metro Place
MCL Companies is once again offering free upgrades at Metro Place, a community of 78 condos and eight single-family homes under construction in Lawn [...]

Cue soulful trance music: Waterview Tower out of the ground
This pastiche of still photos shows the progress of construction on Waterview Tower up until Dec 1, accompanied by the musical stylings of Chicane, [...]

Saved from the wrecking ball: Lake Shore Athletic Club
Remember the flap about the Lake Shore Athletic Club? Fifield Companies' proposal to tear it down and build luxury condos on the site sparked protes [...]
Quote of the day: For the housing market, echoes of 1929
"This is the most serious housing downturn since the Great Depression."
- Mark Zandi, of Moody's Economy.com, quoted in today's Chicago Tribune. Zand [...]

Sales update: 1 left at Pointe 1900
Back in February, we reported that nine units were left at Pointe 1900 On State, Dynaprop Development's 131-unit mid-rise at 1900 S State St. Now ju [...]
Quote of the day: the senseless rise of home prices
"The run-up of home prices made even less sense than the dot-com bubble - I mean, there wasn’t even a glamorous new technology to justify claims that [...]
Ripped from the headlines: Mandarin Oriental past due on bills
Mandarin Oriental past due on bills Crain's
Fire inspection delays Trump hotel opening AP (via Daily Herald)
Eminent domain meeting set for Dec 5 [...]

Work in progress: first occupancy near at Odyssey Lofts
We're longtime fans of Odyssey Lofts, W Developments, LLC's conversion of a storage and office building at 775 W Jackson Blvd, right along the main [...]
Lincoln Square businesses to fight eminent domain
An eminent domain battle is brewing - read about it at Save Lincoln Square. [...]
Ripped from the headlines: London officials advise Chicago to take the long view in Olympic bid
London: Chicago 2016 should take long view Crain's
5 tenants signed on at Block 37 Trib
Roundy's planned for Webster and Ashland Inside
Beautiful [...]
New retailer, restaurant for Block 37
A Club Monaco clothing store and a new Lettuce Entertain You restaurant are among the latest tenants to sign deals at 108 North State Street, Joseph F [...]

A gray day in Avondale
Before he departed for sunnier climes, our fabulous intern Lou took to the streets of Avondale to capture something of the neighborhood's character:
[...]

Chicago deal of the day: free closing costs and plasma TV at 1343 W Winona
The developer of 1343 W Winona St, a conversion in Uptown just south of Andersonville, will for a limited time pay closing costs up to $4,000 and th [...]
Ripped from the headlines: Neighbors hit Spire with lawsuit
Neighbors hit Spire with lawsuit Crain's
Lofts planned on Milwaukee in Bucktown Chicago Journal
Group's mission: save side yards Chicago Journal
[...]

New book takes on Chicago's changing downtown
Downtown junkies, take note: a new book chronicles the changing face of the greater Loop area. Downtown Chicago in Transition, by Eric Bronsky and [...]
Chicagoland deal of the day: 10 cans of food for a $5,000 discount on a home
Park Ridge-based Norwood Builders is offering a deal with a charitable twist. For every non-perishable food item you donate, you get $500 off a new ho [...]

600 North Lake Shore Drive scores on glass, not on fake balconies
We're a little obsessed lately with parking podiums - ie, why developers of high-rises so often hide parking behind walls of brick, stone or concret [...]