On Wednesday, February 25, 2026, the Chicago City Council signed off on a mixed-use plan at 1060 W. Van Buren that will turn the historic Universal Overall industrial building into apartments and add a brand-new 27-story residential tower next door. Led by F & F Realty Partners, the project will deliver 325 homes total, plus ground-floor retail and resident amenities, clearing the way for permitting and construction in the West Loop.
According to Urbanize Chicago, the council rezoned the site from DS-3 to DX-7 and granted an overall Planned Development designation. In return, the development team will contribute $2.7 million to the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, unlocking an additional 4.3 FAR. With that package approved, the developers can now move ahead toward building permits and early preconstruction work.
What the project will include
The plan keeps the Daniel Burnham-era eight-story masonry structure and converts it into 111 apartments, then pairs it with a new 214-unit tower for a combined 325 residences. To meet the city’s Affordable Requirements Ordinance, 65 units will be set aside as affordable. The development will also feature roughly 1,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, a garage with about 106 parking spaces, and substantial bike storage, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Design and context
FitzGerald Associates’ design tries to bridge old-school loft character and new construction. A six-story glass volume will link the existing building to the new high-rise, sitting on a podium that lines up with the masonry base of the historic structure. The tower itself is planned to reach about 27 stories and top out near 290 feet. Since windows are not possible along the north lot-line wall, the team has proposed a mural treatment there, as outlined by Chicago YIMBY.
Timeline and next steps
With City Council approval in hand, F & F Realty can move into the permitting and preconstruction phase. Once shovels actually hit the ground, the team estimates construction will take roughly 22 to 24 months. Before that happens, the developer still needs to secure financing and coordinate public-realm improvements with the local ward office, per Urbanize Chicago.
What locals are saying
Neighbors and preservation advocates have been tracking the proposal since its Chicago Plan Commission hearing in January, watching closely how the historic industrial building would be handled. F & F’s leadership has said it is working to line up financing for the project, and those details, along with the site’s recent sale history, were reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.
