West Loop High-Rise Proposals Advance
Two new high-rise residential projects in the West Loop have been advanced by a city commission. The proposals are reportedly testing the boundaries of downtown-adjacent zoning. Another Fulton Market tower also received a green light from the Plan Commission, signaling continued developer appetite for density in neighborhoods bordering the central business district.
- One of the proposals, from Domus Real Estate Group at 215 N. Racine Ave., seeks to rezone the property from a standard DX-5 to a DX-16 designation. This is the city's highest-density zoning, typically reserved for Loop skyscrapers, and would allow for a floor area ratio (FAR) of 24.7, setting a significant precedent for the neighborhood. - The 29-story Domus project is planned to include 347 rental units, with 70 of them designated as affordable. In response to community feedback for more public amenities, the developer has also agreed to create and maintain a publicly accessible park at a separate site, 1240 W. Carroll. - The second advancing project is a 33-story tower at 1338 W. Lake St. from developer 1338 W Lake Owner LLC. This development requires rezoning from a Light Industry (M2-3) district to a high-density Downtown Mixed-Use (DX-10) district to accommodate its planned 321 residential units and ground-floor retail. - The zoning request for 215 N. Racine has been met with opposition from the city's Department of Planning and Development, which has historically capped Fulton Market projects at a lower density (DX-7) and encouraged developers to purchase unused development rights from neighboring properties instead of seeking major upzoning. - This push for greater density aligns with a recent trend; in 2021, the city lifted a ban on new residential development in the Kinzie Corridor Overlay District, an area north of Lake Street, to encourage more mixed-use projects in Fulton Market. - The third project that recently received a green light is a 29-story, 397-unit tower at 1200 W. Carroll Ave. from TR Management + Consulting. Approved in late 2025, this $188 million development is expected to break ground in early 2026 and be completed in 2028.
