When Joe Zekas asked Belgravia Group‘s Buzz Ruttenberg to talk about the state of the Chicago’s new construction market, he didn’t expect the veteran developer to focus on the potential of neighborhoods like Logan Square.
Ruttenberg, whose father pioneered Chicago’s west (back in the days when that meant anything beyond Clark Street), likes what he calls “neighborhoods that are a little too far west today from where your mother would feel comfortable coming to visit you.” These areas “have the infrastructure for public transportation” and “great bones — that is, the buildings out there look good but need some TLC,” he says.
Watch the video for a sophisticated take on why the west is best from a developer with a long and successful track record in Chicago real estate.
Sorry, I cant listen to this. Buzz’s whole generation of builders where shysters who threw up crap and charged a fortune. I cant fault the guy for taking advantage of stupidity but his buildings are just a slightly better grade of crap from what you get from the 2 Polish guys and a truck. Just a matter of larger scale of crap. When the market allows for honest, decent builders to make a buck developing lot by lot, the way the city was built, then we will see progress on the west side. Until then, be wary of anyone who never picked up a hammer in their lives calling themselves a builder.
Taylor,
Belgravia Group is one of the best builders you’ll find anywhere. Buyers understand that, and its projects have stood the test of time.
Yes, Belgravia’s a client of ours. But you don’t see me saying this about every client.
Do you have any awareness of how foolish you seem?