Standing in what will eventually be someone’s living room on the 22nd floor of the condominium tower at Sherman Plaza, you can see pretty much all of Evanston. Maybe even some of Chicago too.
It’s clear from up here that not much sticks up 200 feet in the air. Not much until now.
That’s because these dusty concrete slabs, piles of brick and steel beams are part of an unparalleled development project set to change the face of a town once untouched by commercialism.
“You can probably tell just looking at it that there aren’t that many buildings in town (like this one),” said Justin Pelej, the project manager for Focus Development.
As early as this summer, new tenants and businesses will breathe life into Sherman Plaza, an area located on Davis Street between Sherman and Benson avenues.
At 25 stories, Sherman Plaza is poised to be one of the tallest buildings in Evanston, just five and a half inches shorter than the Chase Building on Davis Street and Orrington Avenue, according to real estate Web site emporis.com. It is the third of Evanston’s major recent construction projects, following Whole Foods Market, 1640 Chicago Ave., and the Church Street shopping area by other developers, according to Jim Klutznick, one of Sherman Plaza’s developers.
“We saw something happening in Evanston that looked very good and we wanted to join in,” he said. “The city is moving very much in the right direction, but needs to go further.”
Sherman Plaza is referred to as a “lifestyle center” because of its mix of retail and condominium space. Developers also paired up with the city to build a parking garage, which will open in May. The first tenants will move into the condominiums in July, and stores will begin to move into their retail spaces in August, Klutznick said.
“It essentially provides shopping where people live,” Pelej said. “Instead of having to drive to the mall or drive down to Michigan Avenue, it’s good to have a lifestyle center. With 400 people living upstairs, they really can come down without even having to put a coat on.”
Klutznick estimates about 80 percent of the 152,000 feet of retail space is leased with prospects looking to fill the rest. Among those moving in are Pier 1 Imports, LA Fitness and Barnes & Noble, which is relocating from its 1701 Sherman Ave. store
“The most important thing in retail is location, location, location,” he said. “I think we have the best location in town for what we’re doing.”
He said the condos are about 93 percent sold, with only a handful of the 253 not accounted for. Pelej said the condominiums are appealing to people because of their amenities. The tower will have a 24-hour doorman, a bike room, a hospitality suite and two green terraces, where there will be grass, plants and trees, giving the appearance of a backyard.
Pelej said the condominiums will probably attract a certain demographic.
“These units, they cost a good amount of money,” Pelej said. “The type of homeowners you’re going to have here, I don’t know if they’re going to be rowdy. I mean, it’s not going to be like a college deal where you’re going to have people out here getting drunk.”
Pelej, who started on the project in September, said the number of construction workers varies from 40 or 50 to over 100, depending on the work being done.
“It’s a little hectic around here trying to get it all done,” he said. “We’re busy. We work hard. We’re here at 7 (a.m.), never leave before 5 (p.m.), that’s for sure. A lot of guys work on Saturdays. There’s a lot to get done but at the end of the day we feel really good. It’s not like one of those deals where everybody’s just watching the clock.”
As for Klutznick, when Sherman Plaza opens in a few months, he is hoping it will accomplish a number of goals. Not only does it replace an old parking garage, but also it will bring new residents and retailers into the city.
“We hope it will lend to the already revitalizing downtown and really help revitalize Sherman Avenue,” he said. “And bring in more residents to – bring vitality and life to the heart of the town.”
Reach Matt Presser at [email protected].
