Chicago's Pullman neighborhood is witnessing further economic revitalization with ongoing developments at Pullman Crossings, the area's leading industrial park. A groundbreaking for the third phase was recently conducted, signaling progress towards the completion of this 50-plus acre industrial hub at 103rd Street and South Woodlawn Avenue, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. This new phase introduces a 170,000-square-foot speculative facility, adding to existing distribution centers for Amazon and Whole Foods, including also an SC Johnson warehouse, and a nearby Walmart, the Pullman Community Center, and Advocate Health Care facility.
To be completed by early 2025, the upcoming facility features amenities tailored to attract light industrial uses, such as warehousing and distribution, and light manufacturing jobs. According to plans shared by the Minneapolis-based Ryan Companies with BizJournals, this will not only be a functional space but also a place with outdoor eating areas and exterior bike racks, accommodating employees' needs. The park's final phase, consisting of another speculative 165,000-square-foot building, is expected to break ground later this year, complementing the upsurge in regional development endeavors.
Citing Alderman Anthony Beale (9th), the Sun-Times noted the impactful economic contributions the development has brought to the area. "We’ve been blessed with all the development and job creation here," Ald. Beale told the publication. The establishment of Pullman Crossings has so far been instrumental in the creation of 600 jobs and the transformation of one of Chicago's largest undeveloped lands.
The ongoing development does not just represent economic growth but also signals a reduction in crime, with Beale stating in the Sun-Times article that crime has dropped by more than 30% since the start of the projects. "Having a project like this is really breathtaking — to add more jobs and more opportunities to the community," Beale said, attesting to the transformative power of such investments in historically neglected neighborhoods. Connected to this, Pullman Gateway, a notable 8-acre mixed development that includes new food establishments and key civic offices, broke ground earlier in May.
Commercial real estate firm CBRE has been tasked with handling leasing for the new buildings, as confirmed by Larry Goldwasser to BizJournals. Development manager Mark Koske of Ryan Companies has expressed confidence in the venture, having completed three industrial facilities at Pullman Crossings, with a total space of 685,000 square feet. As the Ryan Companies and partners like Washington Capital Management propel Pullman Crossings into its concluding stages, the community eyes more job creation and a further upliftment in the area's economic landscapes.
