Top 5 Lincoln Park Real Estate Neighborhood News Stories - January 2020
/1) Lincoln Park Zoo Lion House Expansion
Lincoln Park Zoo, one of Chicago’s treasured attractions in the heart of Lincoln Park, initiated its update and expansion project of its lion house exhibit space in December 2019. The project was made possible thanks to a $15 million donation from the Pepper family. Once completed, the updated facilities will be named after the Pepper family and the expanded exhibit space will allow for more behind-the-scenes viewing opportunities. Also in December, Lincoln Park Zoo announced the hatching of an endangered African penguin chick. The zoo’s Robert and Mayari Pritzker Penguin Cove thrilled when it opened in 2016, and this new addition to the zoo’s penguin colony is another cause for celebration.
Lincoln Park Zoo New Lion House
2) Lincoln Yards Development Forges Ahead
News surrounding the Lincoln Yards development project continues. This site had some major environmental issues to rectify before the site could be used for public green space. Sterling Bay, the developer behind the project, worked with RW Collins, to remediate the 100-year-old steel plant site and prepare it for its planned build out which will include mixed use buildings. This six-month remediation process included the removal of 30 concrete, underground storage tanks, And the removal of more than 25,000 tons of contaminated soil. In anticipation of further work at the Lincoln Yards development site, Sterling Bay will also be convening soon with a new community advisory council formed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot. Real estate development projects like that of Lincoln Yards can prove to be challenging for some communities. As Sterling Bay works through these stages of community engagement in its push to complete Lincoln Yards, the developer has agreed to keep Fleet Fields, a public soccer field which it owns along the 55-acre Lincoln Yards site, open through winter and spring in response to the community’s desire to use the space for continued programming.
Fleet Fields Lincoln Yards
3) Foodies Delight - Dining Fest Hits Lincoln Park in February
Savor Lincoln Park 2020
Chicago’s two week winter dining event, Chicago Restaurant Week (January 24-February 9) is just around the corner. More than 20 Lincoln Park neighborhood dining spots will be among the participants this year offering prix fixe menus.
But even after Chicago Restaurant Week ends, Lincoln Park residents and foodies can extend the festivities with Savor, a one night foodie festival highlighting some of Lincoln Park’s top restaurants. Savor, organized by the Lincoln Park Chamber of Commerce, will take place on Wednesday, February 19 at Theater on the Lake (2401 N Lake Shore Dr.) and the cost for general admission is $40.
4) New Lincoln Park Neighborhood Dining Spots for the Winter
Verve Wine Lincoln Park Chicago
It may be cold outside, but that’s usually the best time to check out some new restaurants and bars. Here are some of the latest Lincoln Park neighborhood restaurant openings.
Verve Wine (2349 N. Lincoln Ave.), a popular New York wine bar, will be opening its first Chicago location in Lincoln park at one of the retail spaces in the Lincoln Commons mixed-use condo building site. Once it opens come spring 2020, the 4000 square-foot retail space will be both a wine bar, a retail shop, and a place for tastings, classes and events.
If 10 different varieties of tacos piques your interest, then you’ll be excited about the opening of Takito Street (2423 N Lincoln Ave.). Concept comes to the Lincoln Park neighborhood by way of the same owners behind Bar Takito and Takito Kitchen.
Love Street Cocktail Bar Lincoln Park
More Latin American flavors will be celebrated among Lincoln Park neighborhood dining scene. Coming later this winter, Mundano is set to open its doors (1935 N. Lincoln Park West). Helmed by Chef Ross Henke, formerly of Quixote in Logan Square, the restaurant will serve up dishes that are “new American food rooted in Latin American cuisine.”
Lincoln Park neighborhood residents seeking a new, cozy place to sip a few cocktails will want to check out Love Street (1325 W Wrightwood). This new bar, which opened in late summer of 2019, is the sister bar to Victor Bar in North Center by the Fehr brothers. Apart from drawing patrons in with its cocktail menu listing 20 signature drinks, including three varieties of Old Fashions, Love Street also lavishes a dim, warm and welcoming ambiance on its guests.
5) Adaptive Reuse Condo Building to Expand Lincoln Park Real Estate Inventory
1425 Fullerton Condos Lincoln Park - Photo Credit: Dennis Rodkin
Adaptive reuse spaces continue to make their mark on Chicago’s real estate market, and the same is true for the Lincoln Park neighborhood. A 1920s building at 1425 W. Fullerton Ave., designed by architect Karl Vitzthumthat in the classical Revival Style that was originally a bank, will now become an 8-unit condo building. The building remained vacant since 2013, and the last occupant was a clothing company that provided clothing for burials. Located near Fullerton Ave and Southport Ave., this new condo building project is expected to have designs and pricing for each condo unit complete by early 2020. The most expensive units will be the ground floor units, which will span two levels across 4,000 square feet of space.
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MICHAEL SAMM | LINCOLN PARK REALTOR®
KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY CHICAGO-O’HARE
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