HardHatChat

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

Englewood Construction recently completed a Season’s 52 on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. We are coming into the final stretch of 2013, a year that has been rather good for the commercial construction industry. In our own backyard, numerous Chicago mixed-use construction projects will be going up next year. Big is back.

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Commercial Industrial Chicago Retail 283

HardHatChat

NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Michigan Avenue in Chicago is seeing a mix of high-end retailers and value retailers, a trend that will continue in 2013 in markets across the country. This mix benefits retailers such as American Girl, which Englewood built out in 2009 at Water Tower Place, as more foot traffic passes through the area.

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Commercial Retail Chicago Construction 289

HardHatChat

OCTOBER 10, 2013

It’s taken some time, but shopping mall commercial construction activity is back in a big way, as owners and operators have initiated only what can be described as a renovation renaissance. Almost everywhere we look, it seems an older, out-dated shopping mall is undergoing a substantial commercial construction renovation.

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Retail Renovating Chicago Construction 222

HardHatChat

AUGUST 31, 2011

In fact, Chicago cupcake restaurants and food trucks are popping up all over the place. However, the best Chicago cupcakes Englewood Construction ever had were the ones from our latest Chicago education construction job. What about satisfied commercial construction client testimonials?

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Commercial Chicago Construction Retail 213

HardHatChat

MARCH 14, 2019

Most people think of commercial construction as a physical, “bricks and sticks” industry. But if you ask me, commercial construction is first and foremost about relationships. After all, the strongest foundation you can give any commercial construction project is a solid partnership between the client and the commercial contractor.

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Commercial Management Construction US 364

HardHatChat

DECEMBER 6, 2018

Here are our predictions of the four commercial construction industry trends we expect will shape our work in different sectors – and the construction landscape overall – in the year ahead: Senior Housing Communities Woo Workers with Facility Updates. Developers Think Outside the Big Box to Fill Retail Vacancies.

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Commercial Industrial Retail Construction 319

HardHatChat

FEBRUARY 13, 2014

The grocery market has been extremely hot in the Chicago area. In the depths of a historically cold Midwestern winter, one market has remained particularly hot for Chicago commercial general contractors—grocery store construction. Englewood recently completed a Trader Joe’s in Libertyville, Ill.

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Retail Chicago Construction Commercial 254

HardHatChat

JUNE 20, 2017

Coming out of the International Council of Shopping Centers’ RECon convention in Las Vegas last month, there’s been a lot of conversation in the media around the future of retail development. 2) Vehicles to “Drive” Mall Traffic. 2) Vehicles to “Drive” Mall Traffic.

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Retail IDEA Las Vegas Spirit 288

HardHatChat

DECEMBER 9, 2014

As we close out another year, we wanted to take a look back at the commercial construction trends that defined 2014 and highlight some of the highs and lows. Overall, this was a great year for the commercial construction industry as commercial construction activity and revenue were up considerably.

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Commercial Retail Construction Chicago 192

HardHatChat

FEBRUARY 15, 2011

Englewood Construction is an expert in winter condition commercial construction practices. The Chicago blizzard of 2011 is a story we’ll be talking about for generations. While most businesses, including commercial construction projects, were closed on Wednesday, Feb. Our commercial maintenance hotline was on high alert.

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Chicago Commercial Retail Construction 196

HardHatChat

JULY 23, 2012

With the 2012 Summer Olympics right around the corner, it got me thinking that with London six hours ahead of Chicago, much of what we’ll be watching will be old news taped from earlier in the day. Again, the best commercial contractors know how to anticipate for these challenges and work them into the construction schedule.

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Retail Michigan Chicago Zoning 207

HardHatChat

JULY 13, 2010

The recent Chicago City Council approval of a second Wal-Mart in the city limits is excellent news for Chicago’s commercial construction industry. History shows commercial developers do well opening new big box retail stores like Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Depot or Best Buy near Wal-Marts. in Pullman, circa 1950s.

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Chicago Retail Commercial Construction 205

HardHatChat

MARCH 28, 2017

Flagship retail stores in busy urban shopping districts, such as this Zara location Englewood built out on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue, present their own unique set of construction considerations. Some great examples of this are the variety of restaurant and retail build-outs we’ve completed up and down Chicago’s Michigan Avenue.

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Retail Construction Chicago Commercial 156

HardHatChat

JUNE 21, 2012

Observations and Conversations about Commercial Construction, Development and Management. What are Today’s Best New Retail Developments? I get asked a lot about commercial construction trends. Recently someone asked me: “What is the best retail center to build today?”. Restaurant. Shopping Center. Hospitality.

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Retail Commercial Chicago Leases 216

Construction Equipment

JUNE 16, 2020

A newly-constructed building in Chicago, Fulton East, is among the first commercial buildings specifically designed for a post Covid-19 world. According to an article in Forbes the 12-story, 90,000-square-foot office and retail building was originally set to open late summer 2020. However, with…

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Chicago Design Retail Commercial 74

HardHatChat

DECEMBER 20, 2016

With December here, it’s time for our annual post reviewing some of the positives – as well as a few of the challenges – that shaped the commercial construction business in the past year. Here’s a look at our top 2016 commercial construction “highs” and “lows”: Low: Mall Retail Tenants Choose Local over National.

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Commercial Retail Construction Chicago 156

HardHatChat

JULY 11, 2013

Englewood recently began work on Season’s 52 in Chicago. Construction season is upon us, and you know what that means…rising commercial construction costs. The summer always brings more commercial construction activity, more bids, and, as a result, higher pricing. Don’t skimp on architects. Design Build Firms.

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Commercial Construction Bidding Chicago 276

HardHatChat

DECEMBER 22, 2011

As 2011 comes to a close, it’s time for us to look back on the commercial construction building trends , news and projects of this past year and share our thoughts on the highs and lows in the industry. In fact, our commercial construction budget work was back to 2008 levels. HIGH – Everyone was submitting drawings in 2011.

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Commercial Union Retail Construction 207

HardHatChat

APRIL 16, 2013

As noted early this year, 2012 was a great year for Englewood Construction as we saw our commercial general contracting activity increase immensely. Going into 2013, we thought momentum in the commercial construction industry would carry through. Olive Garden is building its first location in Chicago. We weren’t wrong.

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Commercial Chicago Construction News 214

HardHatChat

MAY 4, 2010

At the end of 2009, I wrote a blog post called “Commercial Construction Trends to Watch in 2010.” With four months under our belt, I think the time is right to revisit one of the trends I mentioned called “Back on Track” and its relevance to the retail construction industry. Think I’ll give myself a “B” on that one.

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Retail Commercial Construction Remodeling 159

HardHatChat

AUGUST 11, 2010

It’s time to revisit another prediction I made last year in my blog post Commercial Constructions Trends to Watch in 2010 — Outside the Big Box. As for grading myself on that commercial construction trend, I would like to borrow a page from President Obama and say “incomplete.”. Chicago Place shopping mall retrofit.

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Retail Chicago Commercial Michigan 209

HardHatChat

MARCH 15, 2011

Englewood Construction has worked on a number of Chicago retail construction projects in high-traffic urban areas, such as American Girl Place on Michigan Avenue. Is this a new retail construction trend ? Probably so. Probably so. But, in a residential building like Presidential Towers, you can’t do that.

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Retail Chicago Commercial Michigan 205

HardHatChat

MAY 31, 2012

This quartet from Englewood Construction has almost 100 years of combined commercial construction experience among them -- (l to r) Chuck Taylor, Bill Di Santo, Kim Redmond and Rod Frank. If the story proves true it not only is a blemish on the commercial construction industry, but it shows a violation of trust with a client.

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Commercial Union Chicago Bidding 245

HardHatChat

NOVEMBER 30, 2010

Fast-casual restaurants like Noodles & Company should be a bright spot for commercial construction in 2011. It’s that time of year again, when I dust off the crystal ball to predict commercial construction trends for the following year. Around Labor Day 2008, the faucet shut off for commercial construction projects.

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Commercial Retail Construction Renovating 261

HardHatChat

NOVEMBER 30, 2011

Value-based retailers like hhgregg, Ross Dress for Less and Savers should experience construction growth in 2012. It’s that time of year when our team predicts the 2012 commercial construction trends – from what’s on tap for Chicago retail construction to national restaurant construction and hospitality construction.

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Commercial Retail Chicago Construction 179

HardHatChat

JANUARY 19, 2015

While it was a good year for commercial general construction, it was by no means a record setting year. These are the three most important commercial construction trends I will take from the commercial construction industry in 2014. Retailer reinvention is good for commercial general contractors. Self-reinvention.

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Commercial Retail Construction News 120

HardHatChat

SEPTEMBER 30, 2009

There’s no doubt that local businesses will have much to celebrate if on October 2, 2009, Chicago wins the 2016 Summer Olympics bid. But just how would Chicago hosting the Olympics affect the city’s restaurant and retail construction activity ? Retail and restaurant construction would most likely start in 2015.

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Chicago Retail Bidding Permits 120

HardHatChat

JULY 25, 2016

One of our current commercial projects at Englewood Construction is a new Farm & Fleet store we’re building in Romeoville, Ill. But from a construction standpoint, there are some key areas where choosing an experienced commercial construction firm can make all the difference in helping a “first” project go as smoothly as possible.

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Commercial Chicago Retail Contractors 120

HardHatChat

APRIL 11, 2014

Englewood Construction is currently negotiating a contract with Mrs. Green’s to convert former Fox and Obel in Chicago. Like most businesses, the commercial construction industry is a relationship business. Here are the top three reasons to work with general commercial construction contractors in a negotiated bidding process.

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Commercial Negotiation Bidding Construction 292

HardHatChat

JULY 16, 2019

Englewood Construction is in the midst of two adaptive reuse projects right now – one a former meatpacking facility in Chicago that we’re updating for office, retail or restaurant use, and the other a former convent we’ll be converting into a senior living community. An adaptive reuse project is a creative blend of old and new.

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Commercial Retail Construction Office 194

HardHatChat

AUGUST 12, 2014

Recently, Englewood completed the 23,000-square-foot Harry Carays 7th Inning Stretch and Chicago Sports Museum at Chicagos famed Water Tower Place. Commercial general contractors are finding plenty of opportunities in the office, apartment and hotel construction markets right now. Scheduling. Time is money.

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Chicago Commercial Construction Remodeling 278

HardHatChat

MAY 18, 2011

While I think everyone in the retail industry likes to hear news that 2011 retail sales are up – as it usually means new retail construction projects are in the pipeline – it’s still tough for shopping center landlords to make deals work with retail tenants. This is most popular with big retail leases in 2011.

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Commercial Retail Construction Bidding 184

HardHatChat

APRIL 30, 2012

Recently, our director of operations Chuck Taylor was featured in a Chicago Tribune article based on the reporter’s curiosity about a hotel peephole he kept in his office. What made this peephole so interesting was that it was salvaged from the hotel construction renovation we did of a HoJo in Chicago.

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Commercial Chicago Construction Office 273

HardHatChat

FEBRUARY 14, 2013

As commercial construction news reports say business continues to pick up, we are happy to see some new faces around the office at Englewood Construction. That’s right; we are adding staff to our national commercial general contracting firm in what has been a very robust period of activity. That approach is bearing fruit now.

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Commercial News Retail Construction 259

HardHatChat

DECEMBER 17, 2010

I’ll say it again, 2010 was a rebuilding year for the commercial construction industry. So I’ve created a commercial construction checklist for what we considered the highs and lows of 2010 commercial construction trends. It wasn’t as bad as 2009, but not as good as 2008. Low – Green building. High – Institutional Construction.

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Commercial Retail Construction Chicago 196

HardHatChat

OCTOBER 21, 2011

Most of the commercial construction news we discuss in this blog involves new Chicago retail and restaurant construction projects or analyzing commercial construction trends. But every once in a while we have something special to share. I’ll admit, when we heard we won we were pleasantly surprised.

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Commercial San Antonio Retail Construction 221

HardHatChat

NOVEMBER 30, 2011

Value-based retailers like hhgregg, Ross Dress for Less and Savers should experience construction growth in 2012. It’s that time of year when our team predicts the commercial construction trends for the upcoming year– from what’s on tap for Chicago retail construction to national restaurant construction and hospitality construction.

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Commercial Retail Construction Chicago 120