353 N. Clark St; COST: $440 MILLION
Features; Top Projects Started01 June 2007
Midwest Construction
ISSN: 1522-7294, Volume 14, Issue 6
© 2007 McGraw-Hill, Inc.
Demand for upscale, Class-A office space in Chicago is resulting in the 353 N. Clark St. project in the River North area.
In mid-April, the 46-story tower was 66% pre-leased, says Rux Currin, senior vice president of Chicago-based Mesirow Financial, the developer. Mesirow will also be a tenant and depart its long-time home across the street at 350 North.
Another major tenant is Jenner & Block LLP, a Chicago-based law firm. Other office and retail tenants are being pursued.
The 1.2-million-sq-ft building will hold offices, retail and 220 parking spaces in two below-grade levels, Currin says. The office entrance will be on Upper Carroll Court and the retail entrance on Kinzie Street - appropriately so because of the increasing amount of retail on Kinzie.
"The site slopes 12 to 13 ft, so it gives us an opportunity to separate the entrances for office and retail," Currin says.
The steel-framed building will be dressed in curtain wall.
Construction began in November, and occupancies will start at the end of 2009. Mesirow will move in 2010.