Height:
Floor count: ~30 / 11 / 6
Location: 53rd & Lake Park
Neighborhood: Hyde Park
Construction end:
Architect: N/A
Developer: Vermilion Development


Phase 1
Office building - 11 floors
http://imageshack.us/m/268/1646/hc1v.jpg


Hyatt Hotel - 6 floors


Residential Building (Phase 2)
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/6083/harpercrt1.jpg



http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg
Phase I
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg
Future phases
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg

115k sf of retail (no movie theater/ multistory retail center now)
150k sf of office
157 apartments
264 condos
150 room hotel
Parking is now partly underground

Planned groundbreaking for phase one in late 2011

TIF request: $23.4m
Total project cost: $114m


http://fiftythird.uchicago.edu/?q=node/21

Meet the Harper Court Developer on Feb. 8

The City and the University have selected a developer for Harper Court: Vermilion Development, which put together the best mix of ideas, team and resources to see this ambitious project through to success. Read the official announcement here.

Now you have the chance to hear from Vermilion representatives first-hand. The 53rd St. TIF Council is holding a special meeting at 7 pm Feb. 8, in the gym of Canter Middle School, 4959 S. Blackstone Ave. The only agenda item for the meeting is Vermilion’s presentation of the proposal the developers made to the City and the University.
---

A bit excited and nervous about what they'll present. Vermilion's past projects seem unremarkable, but I believe they've partnered with JFJ so maybe that'll help. The McCaffery/Taxman proposal almost certainly would've been some Antunovich junk so we might be lucky in that regard. Hopefully they'll release the losing proposals as well.

* * * * *

Previous Plans:

And the results are in... :) :D :cheers: :tup: :banana:

I must say that I was totally suprised by what was presented this evening on the redevelopment of Harper Court.

Here are some images from the meeting.

http://images.photo1.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp4336%3B%3Enu%3D3244%3E36%3B%3E27%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D33396%3B7594324nu0mrj

http://images.photo1.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp43447%3Enu%3D3244%3E36%3B%3E27%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D33396%3B7595324nu0mrj

http://images.photo1.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp43372%3Enu%3D3244%3E36%3B%3E27%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D33396%3B%3B%3B37324nu0mrj

http://images.photo1.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp43366%3Enu%3D3244%3E36%3B%3E27%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D33396%3B%3A%3B37324nu0mrj

http://images.photo1.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp43369%3Enu%3D3244%3E36%3B%3E27%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D33396%3B7596324nu0mrj

http://images.photo1.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp43432%3Enu%3D3244%3E36%3B%3E27%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D33396%3B%3A%3B38324nu0mrj

http://images.photo1.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp433%3C9%3Enu%3D3244%3E36%3B%3E27%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D33396%3B7598324nu0mrj

http://images.photo1.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp43433%3Enu%3D3244%3E36%3B%3E27%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D33396%3B%3A%3B39324nu0mrj

http://images.photo1.walgreens.com/232323232%7Ffp43347%3Enu%3D3244%3E36%3B%3E27%3B%3EWSNRCG%3D33396%3B7599324nu0mrj


Okay, now that I have you all panting like dogs, here are a few details. The development is planned to be 2 phases. The first phase could hopefully begin in late 2011 and be completed in 2013.

Phase 1: $150 million
It would consist of a roughly 12 story office building (150,000 sq ft) on the corner of 53rd and Lake Park of approximately the same height as the Hyde Park Bank across the street. There would also be a 5 story retail building of about 146,900 sq ft. The would/could also be a hotel (200 rooms) of about 12-16 stories.

Phase 2: $90 million
This would consist of 3 residential buildings. There is no time frame as of yet other that to wait for market conditions to improve. There would be 2 midrise rental buildings consisting of about 74 units. There would also be 1 condo tower of about 170 units that would be 20+ stories.

Hartshone+Plunkard are the architects.

Shawn can give more information.

^^ Holy sweet jesus. I only know Harper Court from 2003-2007 with its concomitant suburban strip mall style, and this completely blew the top off my expectations. With the university behind it, I hope this essentially guarantees its success.

I'm psyched.

Not bad... maybe a little too heavy on the glass, but not bad. Its nice to see some density being added inland of the lake in that area.

What's the matter with Hyde Park? (http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/features/82894/whats-the-matter-with-hyde-park)

A really great series in Time Out that I've been meaning to post for a while and that I suggest you read. The most fascinating part is the response from various local restaurateurs when asked if they have ever considered opening in Hyde Park.

---
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/1105/xy0758713a2f524922a0fc1.jpg
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/2159/xy479cc747cd3e48928aa28.jpg
http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/1931/xy8e9ef524dc4643af87d3f.jpg
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/1710/xy381ea12319af42fc98afb.jpg
http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/9216/harpercourt1zoom.jpg
http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3359/harpercourt3zoom.jpg

^ WOW.

I really like that development. Nice find!

I feel like Hyde Park could have a building boom independent of the city, and I hope it does.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems like Hyde Park has a microeconomy independent of the city, thanks to the university and the hospital (the same could also be said of Evanston). So I hope they have a tiny real estate boom.

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg
Phase I
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg
Future phases
http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/6351/harpercourtcommun20744c.jpg

115k sf of retail (no movie theater/ multistory retail center now)
150k sf of office
157 apartments
264 condos
150 room hotel
Parking is now partly underground

Planned groundbreaking for phase one in late 2011

TIF request: $23.4m
Total project cost: $114m

Total project cost: $114m

^ For the whole thing? Something seems off..

^ For the whole thing? Something seems off..

Maybe with the economy, GC's are willing to work for peanuts?

Seriously, though, given the diagram, that sounds like a price for just phase 1 (without the tower).

^ For the whole thing? Something seems off..

The $114 MM only includes phase 1 which has 100K retail, 150K office building, 150 key hotel and 333 parking spaces (278 underground and 55 street level). The residential condo tower and other apartments will come in a later phase when the market improves.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/dcd/provdrs/ec_dev/news/2010/sep/cdc_recommends_tifassistancelandsalefornewneighborhooddevelopmen.html

CDC Recommends TIF Assistance, Land Sale For Neighborhood Development Projects

In a move that aims to reinvigorate the heart of Hyde Park, the Commission recommended City Council designate Harper Court, LLC as the successful respondent to the RFP and designate it as developer, while approving the sale of land to Lake Park Associates, a wholly owned entity of the University of Chicago. The University and the City are working together to create a mixed-used development at the northeast corner of Lake Park Avenue and 53rd Street. This site, which will contain commercial, hospitality and residential development, is the future “commercial core” of the Hyde Park community. Roughly half the site is now owned by the University and the other half is a City-owned parking lot. The city is selling its land to the University for $1, for a land write-down of $3,402,000. The CDC also recommended that City Council approve of $20,045,615 in TIF assistance for the project. The development is located in the 53rd Street TIF district.

Some interesting pieces of information from the TIF report:

The University is going to lease the entire office building, as expected. The building will house ~500 full time employees.

The University is providing a debt guarantee to make sure the hotel is built in phase one. The hotel will either be a Hotel Indigo, Hyatt Place, or Hilton Garden Inn and 8-10 floors.

Anchor tenants with advanced letters of intent: Whole Foods (30k sf), XSport or LA Fitness (both ~40k sf)

Advanced discussions with: Chipotle, Panera, Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, Marshalls, Second City, Boulevard Blu, Park 52.

Some interesting pieces of information from the TIF report:

The University is going to lease the entire office building, as expected. The building will house ~500 full time employees.

The University is providing a debt guarantee to make sure the hotel is built in phase one. The hotel will either be a Hotel Indigo, Hyatt Place, or Hilton Garden Inn and 8-10 floors.

Anchor tenants with advanced letters of intent: Whole Foods (30k sf), XSport or LA Fitness (both ~40k sf)

Advanced discussions with: Chipotle, Panera, Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, Marshalls, Second City, Boulevard Blu, Park 52.


^ GREAT NEWS!

It's good to hear that at least one dense, urban project is progressing in the otherwise dismal south side of the city.

http://www.chicagomaroon.com/2010/10/22/developer-restaurants-retail-coming-to-harper-court

Developer: Restaurants, retail coming to Harper Court
By Ella Christoph

...“It’s safe to say that all the Paneras, the Chipotles in the world are sold on Hyde Park,” he said.

However, the prospect of a 24-hour-diner—an idea that had earlier gained traction among both students and project developers—is less certain, he said. While Vermilion has reached out to diners, there has yet to be any serious discussion of a 24-hour diner.

Another earlier vision, of a movie theater in the development, is no longer on the table, due to the financial environment, Dillion said.

^ a movie theater would've been great...

^No movie theater but maybe an Urban Outfitters.

http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/6083/harpercrt1.jpg

http://www.hpherald.com/

Harper heads to City Council
By Sam Cholke

There is only one remaining legislative hurdle for developers of the Harper Court Shopping Center: the City Council.

...Four restaurants have signed on for the project and a fitness center and hotel operator will likely be finalized soon, according to Dillion.

The developer is still interested in a gourmet grocer to fill 25,000 square feet of the development, but Dillion said reports that they were in discussions with Whole Foods were not accurate.

Thanks as always spyguy. Do you have any inkling as to how the City Council will vote, if that hasn't already been discussed?

Its about time hyde park got something going like this
they are kindof like evanston,
this will put the area more on par with downtown evanston.

I agree a movie theatre wouldve been great.
I think this will also make hyde park more of a destination
to stay in the city and to hang out in.

...Four restaurants have signed on for the project and a fitness center and hotel operator will likely be finalized soon, according to Dillion.


Looks like it will be a Hotel Indigo.

^ Great to hear, SG!

So with tenants signed on, looks like the chances have improved that they'll be able to get this project off the ground

The one thing that concerns me is the massing: the tall hotel should be north of Harper Court. As it is, with a taller building to its south, that space will be in shadow for much of the year.

Hotel Indigo is fine, but I would've bet on Hyatt Place instead -- they're in an expansion mode and probably have a lower average rate. Plus, Hyatt Place has limited food & beverage = lower risk, more business for the restaurants, and lower buildout cost. (If I were to choose any one brand for this neighborhood, though, it'd be aloft.) Fresh Market seems like a better fit than Whole Foods, due to its smaller footprint, but it might have substantial product overlap with Hyde Park Produce. I wonder if Village Foods will come back when that site's redeveloped? It serves a very different, and necessary, price point.

http://www.chicagomaroon.com/2010/10/22/developer-restaurants-retail-coming-to-harper-court

However, the prospect of a 24-hour-diner—an idea that had earlier gained traction among both students and project developers—is less certain, he said. While Vermilion has reached out to diners, there has yet to be any serious discussion of a 24-hour diner.


Not even a franchise operation, like IHOP?

Looks like it will be a Hotel Indigo.

I don't think so. It will probably be a Hyatt Place.

I don't think so. It will probably be a Hyatt Place.

Any specific knowledge of this? The only reason I ask is because I saw Intercontinental Hotels Group/Hotel Indigo on the brief bid description. It may very well be inaccurate though.

Anyway, reading through the documents for the IFA bonds (which were approved) revealed some new information about the hotel.

Six floors - 130 rooms
Designed by Legat (that may be a good or bad thing)
Includes a restaurant/wine bar plus 4k sf for another restaurant
They've brought in some companies that specialize in developing and operating hotels near university campuses.

http://www.hpherald.com/

Harper Court Hitting Stride
By Sam Cholke

...Cocagne said a bank has agreed to a term sheet to finance the $114 million project. He said a hotel operator for the project would be announced in February.

He said leases for 60 percent of the retail spaces are being finalized, but declined to name any tenants.

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20110118/CRED03/110119854/in-brief-harper-court-newcastle-buy-hyatt#axzz1BRTam0Xr

In brief: Harper Court | Newcastle buy | Hyatt
By: Staff January 18, 2011

The firm tapped to redevelop Hyde Park's Harper Court shopping center has letters of intent for 60% of the roughly 80,000 square feet of retail space planned and is close to lining up financing for the roughly $100-million first phase, says David Cocagne of Vermilion Development Inc. Mr. Cocagne says the Chicago-based firm has a term sheet with an equity investor and that he hopes to have the same from a lender by April, which would allow construction to get under way later this year. The first phase of the project at 5211 S. Harper Ave. is to include retail along with a hotel and a 150,000-square-foot office building that would be used by the University of Chicago. The development, estimated to cost a total of $240 million, last year was awarded $20-million in tax-increment financing from the city and also obtained necessary zoning approvals.
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/8669/harpercrtoffice.jpg

http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20110303/CRED03/110309946/hyatt-place-planned-for-hyde-park-neighborhood

Hyatt Place planned for Hyde Park neighborhood
By: Eddie Baeb March 03, 2011

A Hyatt Place hotel is on tap for Hyde Park.

Two out-of-state firms plan to build a Hyatt Place with about 130 rooms at the University of Chicago-owned Harper Court shopping center, as part of the ambitious redevelopment plan for the property at Harper Avenue just north of 53rd Street.

^ Great news!

Will having a nice hotel finally make regular cab service a reality in Hyde Park? That was one of my biggest frustrations when I lived down there..

It's all coming together. We are witnessing the genesis of downtown Hyde Park.

It's all coming together. We are witnessing the genesis of downtown Hyde Park.

There will also be a five screen (fine arts/first run) movie theater. It will be located in a renovated Hyde Park Theater building. The building is located just west of the proposed new development (west side of Harper Avenue). Five Guys is also opening a store ajacent to the theater(fronting on 53rd Street). Also other restaurantuers are being courted.

http://www.hpherald.com

Hyatt snared for Harper Court
By Sam Cholke

The developers of Harper Court announced March 3 they have partnered with Smart Hotels and Olympia Chicago to build a 130-room Hyatt Hotel.

The hotel, currently called Hyatt Place at Hyde Park, will include a restaurant, wine bar, pool, fitness facilities, meeting space and underground parking garage for guests.

...The hotel will be the second of Hyatt’s Gem Two properties, which frees the developers to be more creative with the interior and exterior design.
The building will be six stories and covered in large zinc and brown panels of alternating hues, according to Allen Bombick of Legat Architects. The south west corner of the building will rise in a tower of suite windows that illuminate the street below in the evenings.

^ Awesomeness! :dance2:

Wow....wow wow wow....few developments impress me as much as this one.

This one's got it all:


beautiful modern architecture (and as a preservationist, I'm absolutely thrilled that it's not replacing a pre-WWII building)
it will replace a strip mall and parking lot (LOVE IT)
it will be street-friendly, because it looks just as good from the street as it does from the air, and will have a vibrant and welcoming first-floor dedicated to retail (awesome!)
it's a mixed-use development
brings badly-needed development into Hyde Park


pluses, all around. Great development, can't wait til it's done.

Lake Park Avenue and 53rd will now look amazing with this new development right across the street from the gorgeous beaux-arts Hyde Park Bank building (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyde_Park_Bank_%28Chicago%29).

What's the matter with Hyde Park? (http://chicago.timeout.com/articles/features/82894/whats-the-matter-with-hyde-park)

A really great series in Time Out that I've been meaning to post for a while and that I suggest you read. The most fascinating part is the response from various local restaurateurs when asked if they have ever considered opening in Hyde Park.



Thanks for sharing that article. Hyde Park has so much potential, and it's disappointing that it doesn't use its full potential. I too have noticed the small number of restaurants and bars in Hyde Park. A girl I once worked with, who lived in Hyde Park, told me that local residents are very NIMBYish when it comes to nightlife businesses, because they just don't want Hyde Park to become like Lincoln Park/Lakeview/Bucktown/Wicker Park. They want HP to be quiet, but this article doesn't say that. According to the article, HP just doesn't have the population to sustain more nightlife businesses. Interesting.

http://www.hpherald.com/

Harper Court project on schedule
By Sam Cholke

The redevelopment of the Harper Court shopping center is on schedule with more demolition coming soon.

At a April 19 meeting with the Hyde Park Chamber of Commerce, developers said they were still finalizing leases and financing for the project, but would be moving forward with clearing the site in coming months. The building west of Harper Avenue, the former home of the Hyde Park Animal Clinic and state Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-13), will be demolished this summer. The cleared site will be the major staging ground for the rest of the project, which will include a hotel, retail and an office tower.
----

Apparently the gym will now be smaller than expected, the retail facing the new streets will be mostly restaurants with a high end restaurant for the corner, and they're trying to get clothing stores on Lake. The Harper side of the hotel will feature a wine bar while the opposite side will have retail.

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/3340/harper1.jpg
http://img852.imageshack.us/img852/8630/harper2o.jpg
http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/7783/harper3.jpg
http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/5608/harper4.jpg
http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/6982/harper5.jpg

The design seems to be catching a lot of flack around the web but I think it's alright. Better than what I expected after seeing a B&W version of the aerial rendering.

Not technically Harper Court (but across the street) and obviously not fine dining, but a great addition that will add life to Hyde Park 24/7.

http://news.uchicago.edu/article/2011/05/02/uchicago-lands-clarke-s-24-hour-restaurant-53rd-street

UChicago lands Clarke’s 24-hour restaurant on 53rd Street

The University of Chicago is bringing Clarke’s restaurant, a 24-hour Chicago-area diner, to 53rd Street in Hyde Park.

...Scheduled to open later this year, Clarke’s will offer a wide variety of menu choices, including specialty salads, stir-fry dishes, sandwiches and a host of additional breakfast, lunch and dinner items. The restaurant addresses a longstanding interest among students and other community members for more late-night options.

...Clarke’s will occupy 4,000 square feet within the 1451 E. 53rd St. building, which the University purchased earlier this month. T-Mobile occupies the remaining space.

Wow! I became far too familiar with the city's various 24-hour haunts after missing the last #6 bus many Friday nights -- never thought that I could indulge my insomnia right in Hyde Park. Plus, Clarke's is not awful.

Downsizing the gym makes sense; doesn't seem like there's a critical mass of non-university affiliated yuppies nearby to justify a workout palace.

Speaking of wow, Whole Foods will replace Village Foods with a store about the size of its Ashland location.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chibrkbus-whole-foods-to-open-store-in-hyde-park-20110504,0,5678058.story
http://hydeparkprogress.blogspot.com/2011/05/whole-foods-coming-to-51st-and-lake.html

Office tower
http://imageshack.us/m/268/1646/hc1v.jpg
LA Fitness on the second floor
http://imageshack.us/m/190/7397/hc2x.jpg
Retail stump awaiting future condo tower addition
http://imageshack.us/m/88/310/hc3v.jpg
Announced tenants so far include Chipotle and an Apple Authorized Campus Store. I'm not sure what that means in terms of store design, staff, products, etc.
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/1630/hc4a.jpg

LA Fitness and the University of Chicago have officially signed leases for the retail and office portions, respectively.

These renderings are a little old but they might still accurately represent the street level experience.
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/6763/harpercourt1.jpg
http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/6300/harpercourt2.jpg

Better renderings of the Harper Theater redevelopment across the street
http://img842.imageshack.us/img842/529/harpertheater1.jpg
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/4784/harpertheater2.jpghttp://img705.imageshack.us/img705/4894/harpertheater3.jpg

As mentioned earlier in another thread, the University now owns the Borders building across the street and is looking for new tenants. They're also issuing a RFQ to develop housing + retail on the McMobil site further west.

Wow! I became far too familiar with the city's various 24-hour haunts after missing the last #6 bus many Friday nights -- never thought that I could indulge my insomnia right in Hyde Park. Plus, Clarke's is not awful.


lol...Clarke's is a reliable place to eat late on a Saturday night/wee hours of Sunday morning.

Clarke's will be a great addition to the area.

http://www.hpherald.com

Hotel facade changes
By Sam Cholke

Developers have ditched much of the metallic panels originally planned to clad a new hotel at the former Harper Court shopping center.

The revised renderings presented at the Aug. 18 Chicago Plan Commission meeting swapped out the tawny metal panels that dominated the façade with an ochre porcelain cladding.

http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/115/29670816538406687219116.jpg
http://img836.imageshack.us/img836/5563/30038016538410353885416.jpg
Demolition has already begun on the existing buildings.

http://harpercourtchicago.com/node/26

http://harpercourtchicago.com/sites/default/files/IMG_1731.jpg