HardHatChat

MARCH 28, 2017

Earlier this year, we were very excited to begin work on our latest project with long-time Englewood Construction client American Girl – a new, where the American Girl Place flagship store in New York’s Rockefeller Plaza where the brand will move this fall from its current New York address on Fifth Avenue. Working in Unique Locations.

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Retail Construction Chicago Commercial 156

HardHatChat

JULY 23, 2012

Building Michigan Avenue flagship stores for international brands like Zara is a sweet spot for Englewood Construction. 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. So at 7 p.m.

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Retail Michigan Chicago Zoning 207

HardHatChat

JUNE 20, 2017

Brewery-based restaurant concepts, such as this BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse Englewood Construction recently completed in Fort Wayne, Ind., 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.

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Retail IDEA Las Vegas Spirit 288

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. Bill Di Santo on Champlain Ave.

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Chicago Retail Commercial Construction 205

HardHatChat

NOVEMBER 11, 2014

It has been another whirlwind year at Englewood Construction and we are happy to report that our predicted 2014 commercial construction trends came true, which has meant a lot of new projects on our end. Now to get to it—our predictions for 2015 commercial construction trends: 1) Shopping center owners reshape the mall.

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Commercial Retail Industrial Construction 299

HardHatChat

JUNE 12, 2014

If you are a player in the retail world, odds are you spent a few days in Las Vegas last month at ICSC’s “ Global Retail Real Estate Convention ” (RECON). It’s always an exciting event for the retail real estate industry. Here are my three takeaways for retail construction trends from RECON 2014: Money is out there.

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ICSC Commercial Retail Chicago 273

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.

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Commercial Industrial Chicago Retail 283

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

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

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

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

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.

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Retail Chicago Commercial Michigan 205

HardHatChat

AUGUST 31, 2011

Nothing says you completed a successful education construction job more than thank-you cards from these Bright Horizons kids…. Cupcake restaurants are hot right now in restaurant construction trends. In fact, Chicago cupcake restaurants and food trucks are popping up all over the place. Check out the construction tools on top!

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Commercial Chicago Construction Retail 213

HardHatChat

JUNE 21, 2012

Observations and Conversations about Commercial Construction, Development and Management. What are Today’s Best New Retail Developments? A proper pre-construction analysis can help developers avoid the "build it and they will come" approach, which can end disastrously as this property in Crest Hill illustrates.

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Retail Commercial Chicago Leases 216

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

ENR Construction

MARCH 10, 2021

Where coffee meets Willy Wonka is what Starbucks fans will find at its Chicago Reserve Roastery on Michigan Avenue, in a renovation that turned the 43,000-sq-ft space into a retail experience as much as a coffee outlet and cafe.

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Chicago Michigan Retail Renovating 74

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.

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Chicago Commercial Construction Remodeling 278

HardHatChat

DECEMBER 6, 2018

It has been another successful year for Englewood Construction, and with the calendar flipping over to December we’re excited to see what 2019 will bring. Developers Think Outside the Big Box to Fill Retail Vacancies. Restaurants Dish Up New-Construction Opportunities.

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Commercial Industrial Retail Construction 319

HardHatChat

NOVEMBER 17, 2009

As many of you may know, Englewood Construction recently completed Zara’s largest store in the United States at 700 N. in Chicago. For those familiar with Chicago, you may also know this store offers a prime corner location on the city’s famed Magnificent Mile. 1. Hidden traps in retail construction approval process.

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Retail Michigan Chicago Construction 176

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

DECEMBER 5, 2017

When it comes to choosing a site for a commercial construction or CRE project, finding the perfect match between a brand or concept and an available space is one of the most important steps in the planning process. Here are three key points we advise clients think about as they search for a site: 1. What will it take to build out the space?

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Site Retail Commercial Construction 229

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

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

NOVEMBER 1, 2018

Earlier this month, the Englewood Construction team was honored to be recognized as one of the Best Restaurant Contractors in Chicago by Chicago Architects. This recognition also got me thinking about what sets a really great restaurant contractor apart from a general construction firm.

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Contractors Inspections Construction Commercial 324

HardHatChat

SEPTEMBER 25, 2017

When I think back on the most interesting construction projects and challenges I’ve handled in my career as a national commercial contractor, without a doubt some of the most memorable have been in landmark-status buildings. Not surprisingly, construction in a landmark-status property takes the permitting process to an entirely new level.

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New York City Construction Chicago Permits 267

HardHatChat

FEBRUARY 23, 2010

The same can be said for all those savvy national retailers who are currently taking advantage of the availability of prime space at regional shopping centers and decreased construction costs in order to enter high-profile markets. Retail Power Center. will say those retailers and shopping center developers are crazy like a fox.

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Retail Memphis Construction Commercial 168

HardHatChat

APRIL 20, 2010

For those familiar with Chicago retail construction , think back a couple of years to when the dated Orland Park Place interior mall underwent construction and turned itself inside out to became one of the area’s most successful outdoor shopping centers. Sportmart at Orland Park Place (now a Sport Authority).

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Retail Construction Commercial Chicago 191

HardHatChat

APRIL 16, 2013

The Restaurant Division at Englewood Construction has experienced a big spike in activity this year, with opportunities up 55-60 percent. As noted early this year, 2012 was a great year for Englewood Construction as we saw our commercial general contracting activity increase immensely. We weren’t wrong. Changing demographics.

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Commercial Chicago Construction News 214

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

SEPTEMBER 10, 2009

What Every Developer Should Ask General Contractors During the Retail Construction Bid Process. For my first blog post, a lot of people at Englewood Construction suggested I write about how to choose a retail construction company. But one person said that would be “boiling the ocean.” Bill Di Santo.

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Retail Bidding Construction Contractors 136

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

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

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

ENR Construction

NOVEMBER 20, 2019

The transformation of a 20,000-sq-ft former retail space into an exhibit area and community event venue designed to celebrate and promote Chicago as a center of architectural innovation was continually challenged to stay within a $6-million budget during the eight-month construction phase.

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Chicago Architecture Retail Budgeting 43

HardHatChat

JANUARY 19, 2015

With new hotel construction on the rise, Englewood is reconnecting with clients such as Value Place for projects in 2015. While it was a good year for commercial general construction, it was by no means a record setting year. Retailer reinvention is good for commercial general contractors. However, this came with a caveat.

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Commercial Retail Construction News 120

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

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