Chicago Real Estate Blog - June, 2015

New, Bigger, Better Ferris Wheel Coming to Navy Pier in 2016

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 30th, 2015

In case you missed it, Navy Pier has announced plans to install a brand new Ferris wheel. Although initial plans called for a wheel reaching 300 feet high, Mayor Rah Emanuel has made it official that Navy Pier Inc. will put in a new 196-foot wheel before May 2016, just in time for the pier’s centennial birthday.

The cost of the new Navy Pier Ferris Wheel is expected to be around $26.5 million, which will include construction and landscaping. And although that sounds like a lot—and it certainly is—the new wheel will feature 42 encapsulated gondolas that hold up to 10 passengers, padded seats, TV screens and speakers, heat and air conditioning, and will be quite a bit faster—allowing for riders to make three full rotations instead of just one.

Because of…

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Chicago's Near North Side Tops Sales Numbers for the Month of May

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 30th, 2015

As we get deeper into the summer season, numbers are being released for one of the busier spring months of the year—May. According to reports, Chicago’s top-selling neighborhood for the month of May was the Near North Side, a neighborhood we know all too well.

Given the Near North Side—which includes neighborhoods like River North, the Gold Coast, Streerville and Old Town—has a substantial inventory and a high concentration of condos for sale, it’s hardly a surprise to see it rank as highly as it did.

What is surprising, however, is that West Town held down the 2nd highest sales total with 195 sales compared to the Near North Side’s 280 sales, while Lincoln Park came in with the 3rd highest sales total at 157 sales.

Taking condos out of the equation,…

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Loews Hotel Chicago Opens Largest Outdoor Terrace in Chicago

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 28th, 2015

For some of the best views in Downtown Chicago, do not miss the new Loews Chicago Hotel terrace.  This newly opened third-floor terrace includes a lounge, offering up interesting views of the city’s skyline as well as the lake.  It also bills itself as the largest outdoor rooftop terrace in the entire city.

Streeterville Social is unique even for Chicago, with two bar areas, cabanas and a grassy area with greenery, lounge chairs, birdcage chairs, and the occasional game of croquet.  The location also includes a large, custom-made Jenga set for a fun late afternoon in the sun or a place to grab a drink or two after work.

The menu includes cocktails like the custom-made Streeterville Mai Tai, or one of the selections from the Pink Page, a drink menu dedicated…

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NoCa: A New Neighborhood Coming to Chicago?

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 27th, 2015

A new neighborhood is coming to Chicago, this one borrowing its name more from New York-style neighborhoods than Chicago ones.  NoCa is the name coined for the area to the north of Chicago Avenue.  Chicago Avenue, Wells, Halsted and Division Streets on the Near North Side border it.

Already several residential developers are at work in the area, and hoping to use the new name to promote a trendy new area of the city for residents to call home.  Along with this, several new developments are already underway.  One of these includes a new tower under construction on Chestnut that will eventually include nearly 350 units.  It should be finished by early 2017.  In addition, several dozen two- and three-bedroom condominiums are also planned at Locust and…

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What to Do in Chicago This Weekend: June 26th - 28th

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 26th, 2015

Although the weather hasn’t been cooperating as of late, it’s still summer in Chicago, meaning street fairs, festivals, and parades are in full swing. Like most weekends in June, July, August, and even September, there’s a whole lot going on around Chicago over the next few days and here’s a quick glance at just some of the events and happenings that might be worth checking out:


Logan Square Art Festival

Formerly the Milwaukee Avenue Arts Festival, the Logan Square Arts Fest is a 3-day extravaganza that includes local art, music, food, drinks, and more! A number of local venues will be hosting art shows all weekend, while a stage will also be constructed of live music and performances. The Logan Square Arts Festival is happening at the Logan Square…

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A Look at Some of Chicago’s Hottest New Restaurants

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 19th, 2015

Chicago is world famous for some of its landmarks plus its variety of fantastic restaurants.  To add to the mix, we uncovered some of the city’s hottest new dining locations.

Boeufhaus

One of the hottest new restaurants is Boeufhaus on North Western Avenue.  Open for brunch, lunch and dinner on select days, Boeufhaus has a small dining room with a seasonal menu.  The restaurant focuses on serving grass fed beef like Filet Mignon and New York Strip, but also serves fresh seafood, duck and pork.

The Angry Crab

If seafood is what you are craving, do not miss out on The Angry Crab.  There’s usually a long line to eat at this casual seafood shack where live crawfish is served up by the pound.  Located in West Rogers Park, The Angry Crab is the place to go for fish…

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Wanda Vista One Step Closer to Becoming Chicago's Next Supertall Tower

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 15th, 2015

Back in late 2014, plans for a new, super-tall residential tower called Wanda Vista were revealed, however, not much else has been mentioned about this skyline-changing development since—until now that is.

Reports are now surfacing about a possible sales center making its way to the New Eastside neighborhood, as renovation permits have apparently been issued for a 10,000 square foot space inside Coast at Lakeshore East, a high-end new rental building located nearby the development site.

Wanda Vista is being designed by Chicago-based Studio Gang Architects, and as it stands, will stand 93 stories high and is expected to cost developers almost $1 billion. When finished, Wanda Vista will house 405 condominiums and 169 hotel rooms, but not official word…

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Lavish No. 9 Walton Condos Now Listed on MLS®

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 8th, 2015

It was only a few short months ago that plans for the new “No. 9 Walton” development were first released, and with things moving faster than ever on Chicago’s luxury real estate market, units have already hit the MLS for what will be one of Chicago’s most exclusive new construction condo buildings to hit the downtown market since the housing crash.

Being developed by JDL Development, No. 9 Walton—located at the southwest corner of Walton and State—will stand 34 stories high, but only house 67 very exclusive condominium residences. Inside, units will have an average of 4,400 square feet of living space, certainly helping justify the price tag of between $1.9 million to over $12 million for the building’s extravagant 7,100 square foot, full-floor condo…

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LOOK: An Exclusive Sneak Peak at Aerial Shots From Iwan Baan's Upcoming Exhibit During the Chicago Architecture Biennial

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 6th, 2015

There’s something magical about aerial photography, especially when it comes to urban areas in which we live, work, and play. With the growing popularity of personal drones, the art of aerial photography has become increasing popular among the general public, not to mention much easier to do.

But like anything, when aerial photography is left to the professionals, it’s usually even more stunning than one can expect. As documented by Chicago Magazine, the Chicago Architecture Biennial commissioned Iwan Baan to photograph the Windy City’s skyline for an exhibit that will be on display from October 3rd to January 3rd. And for those of us who can’t wait to see some of his breathtaking shots of our great city, they provided us with an exclusive sneak peak of…

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River North’s Best Steakhouses

Posted by Helaine Cohen on June 3rd, 2015

Chicago is full of great restaurants, and the River North neighborhood is no different.  In fact we found some of Chicago’s best steakhouses in this part of town.

Chicago Cut Steakhouse

With incredible river views, Chicago Cut Steakhouse really packs in the crowds.  Open every day of the week from morning until late at night, the restaurant even features its own dry-aging room and butcher on-site.  While the location mostly serves steak, Chicago Cut Steakhouse also serves fresh seafood and includes an extensive wine list.   

Fogo de Chao

For a unique twist, head over to Fogo de Chao, a Brazilian steakhouse famous for its gaucho chefs and skillfully carved portions.  Expect to taste such delicacies as beef ancho, picanha and costela.  With unique…

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