Grafft Real Estate

Grafft Real Estate We help others sell, buy, rent, and invest in real estate in the following neighborhoods:

Lincoln P Finding the best property every time.

We specialize in the following neighborhoods:

Lincoln Park
Lakeview
Old Town
River North
Streeterville
Gold Coast
West Town
Ukrainian Village
Eckhart Park
Noble Square
East Village
Wicker Park
Bucktown

07/10/2026

Bridgeport Crossing is officially moving forward after receiving City Council approval for a roughly $100 million mixed-use development at 3301 S. Justine in McKinley Park.

Led by local developer and Realtor Sharon Wong and designed by Kennedy Mann, the project will transform a former Stainless Steel Corp. property into a new neighborhood with 208 homes, including 42 affordable units, nine townhomes, two condominium buildings, 14,300 square feet of retail space, a public plaza, and a neighborhood park. Construction is expected to begin this summer, with the retail building and townhomes planned as the first phase.

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Source: Urbanize, Chicago YIMBY

Image Source: Kennedy Mann

07/09/2026

Chicago City Council has approved a new residential development at 1201 West Kinzie Street in the West Loop, near Racine Avenue.

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The $25 million project from local developer LG Group will bring 66 apartments to the eastern end of a large vacant lot near the Metra tracks, with 15 percent of the units set aside as affordable housing.

Dirk Denison Architects designed the five-story building with a green glazed brick exterior, inset gardens, a shared rooftop deck, two large amenity spaces, 55 bike parking spaces, and a 14-vehicle garage accessed from Racine.

The unit mix is planned to include studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms, three-bedrooms, and four-bedrooms, which gives this West Loop apartment project a wider range than many smaller infill developments.

Now that City Council has approved the project, it can move toward permits once funding is secured, with estimated delivery in 2028.

Source: Chicago YIMBY

07/01/2026

952 n Crosby for sale

06/30/2026

A five-story, 40-unit apartment development is now permitted to move forward at the former Stage 773 site along Belmont in Lake View.

The project from JAB Real Estate and Moth Architects includes all two-bedroom rental layouts, eight affordable units, ground-floor retail space, a rooftop deck, balconies, bike parking, and parking for 24 vehicles.

The development sits within walking distance of the Belmont Red/Brown/Purple Line station, multiple CTA bus routes, and a Divvy station, continuing a larger pattern of mid-rise housing growth along transit-connected North Side corridors.

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Source: Chicago YIMBY

06/29/2026

Mavrek Development and Acres Capital are proposing to convert the office building at 209 W. Jackson Blvd. into approximately 180 apartments.

The 12-story building was originally constructed in 1896 and is currently about 70% vacant. The project is expected to cost roughly $90 million and could be completed in 2029.

The development joins a growing list of Chicago office conversion projects, including 65 E. Wacker Place, as developers respond to high downtown apartment demand and elevated office vacancy rates.

Projects like this, along with the LaSalle Street Reimagined initiative, are adding hundreds of new residential units to downtown Chicago and reshaping the future of the Chicago Loop.

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Source: Crain’s Chicago Business
Image Source: CoStar Group

06/28/2026

For years, the conversation around downtown Chicago real estate has focused on office vacancies, declining valuations, and whether the Chicago Loop can recover.

But a different story is emerging.

Investors like Mike Reschke are acquiring major Chicago office buildings at prices that would have been unimaginable a decade ago. The proposed acquisition of 55 W Monroe, reportedly for around $25 million after selling for more than $243 million in 2014, is one of the clearest examples yet.

At the same time, owners are investing heavily in repositioning assets like the historic Jewelers Building. New restaurants, rooftop amenities, wellness concepts, coworking space, and upgraded tenant experiences reflect a broader trend across downtown Chicago: office buildings are being forced to compete differently than they did before the pandemic.

The question is no longer whether Chicago’s office market has changed.

The question is what these buildings become next.

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Source: Crain’s Chicago Business

06/27/2026

Illinois is short roughly 142,000 housing units.

To address it, Governor Pritzker introduced the BUILD package, a sweeping set of housing reforms designed to make it easier, faster, and less expensive to build new homes across the state.

It never made it to a vote.

The proposal would have allowed more housing near transit, reduced parking requirements, streamlined permitting, and expanded the types of housing that could be built in many communities.

Supporters argued Illinois can’t solve its housing shortage without changing the rules that make housing difficult to build.

Opponents, particularly suburban municipalities, argued the legislation would override local zoning authority and take planning decisions out of the hands of local governments.

The state budget ultimately included $250 million for housing initiatives, but the reforms that would have changed what gets built and where were left behind.

Illinois has a housing shortage.

The question remains: should the solution be decided locally, or statewide?

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06/26/2026

A major new Chicago River restaurant is coming to River North.

The Carlyle Club is set to open in August at 316 N. Clark Street inside the historic Reid Murdoch Building, taking over the former Kitchen American Bistro space along the Chicago River.

The new restaurant comes from the team behind DÄ“liz Italian Steakhouse in Wicker Park and will feature a 72-seat riverfront patio, floor-to-ceiling double doors, and views of the Chicago skyline from nearly every seat.

Chef Jakob Peterson, whose background includes Acadia and Etta, is creating a menu centered around classic American favorites including steak, pasta, burgers, and French dip sandwiches, alongside sushi, seafood from Japan, and Australian wagyu.

Guests will also find a six-seat sushi bar, private dining space, and even boat access directly from river level.

The opening is part of a larger transformation happening along the north bank of the Chicago River, where several new restaurants and renovated dining destinations are reshaping one of Chicago’s most recognizable waterfront corridors.

rivernorth chicagoriver chicagoeats chicagofoodie newrestaurant rivernorthchicago chicagodining chicagofoodscene

Source: Crain’s Chicago Business

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Source: Crain’s Chicago Business

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06/25/2026

Chicago’s south lakefront could be headed for its biggest transformation in decades.

The developer behind One Central is exploring a role in the stalled Michael Reese redevelopment as lawmakers debate new incentives aimed at jump-starting megaprojects across Illinois.

If these pieces come together, thousands of homes, new infrastructure, and major investment could reshape a large stretch of the Near South Side.

The bigger story is that some of Chicago’s most ambitious developments may no longer be competing. They may be moving toward the same future.

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Source: Crain’s Chicago Business
Image Source: Steven Vance/Flickr

06/24/2026

The planned tower at 725 West Randolph Street has moved closer to reality after Sidley Austin emerged as the anchor tenant. The project by Related Midwest and Kohn Pedersen Fox is expected to break ground in 2027 and open to tenants in 2030, pending final approvals and financing.

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Address

2350 N. Lincoln Avenue, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL
60647

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