Construction Craze!

From Wrigley Field to The Wrigley Building, Google to Gogo, Chicago’s blazing construction scene is being driven by reimagined iconic structures and forward-thinking tech tenants. That’s why we’re excited to host Bisnow’s Chicago Construction & Development Summit tomorrow at 7am at the Jenner & Block Conference Center.

Zeller Development Corp president Janice Goldsmith, snapped with ZRG COO Bob Six at The Wrigley Building, likes acquiring and repositioning office buildings with issues. For The Wrigley Building it meant a near gut rehab and redevelopment of the base for retail (like Walgreens and soon-to-open Peet’s), while at 311 South Wacker ZRG is planning a second-floor tenant lounge and conference facility, along with cosmetic improvements. Tenant lounges are like year-round roof decks (since outdoor decks have limited usability in this climate), Jan says, and they've been well received at The Wrigley Building and 401 North Michigan. In addition to a recent buy in Denver, ZRG is targeting West Coast properties from Seattle to San Francisco, Jan tells us.

Leopardo Construction SVP Rick DuPraw (pictured drumming for Liquidated Damages, which you can catch Feb. 25 benefiting Little Kids Rock at the Hard Rock) manages the firm’s interiors group and says its diverse clients range from tech giants like Twitter and Zebra Technologies to media gurus like Starcom and Edelman. But the battle to complete things faster and cheaper is nothing new (and technology is key). Leopardo’s team uses iPads in the field to communicate in real time, keeping things right on schedule. On the Twitter job, the gangbox had a 40-inch TV secured to its hood, so the superintendent could go through document details on-screen with foremen, Rick says. Join us at Bisnow’s Chicago Construction & Development Summit tomorrow at 7am at the Jenner & Block Conference Center.