
Adaptive Reuse Project Completed at Sears’ First Ground-Up Store
Summit Design + Build has completed construction at 1900 W. Lawrence in the North Side’s Ravenswood neighborhood. The nearly 100-year-old building was the former home of the first ground-up Sears store, which opened in 1925 and permanently closed in 2016.
Spanning the length of a city block, the adaptive reuse project included the renovation and conversion of the former department store to 59 rental residences and first-floor retail. The centrally located five-story tower, a trademark of early Sears department stores, now houses the development’s first floor lobby, and amenity and lounge spaces on floors two through four.
The retail space spans the length of Lawrence Avenue with DeVry University already occupying 90% of the available retail space.
CA Ventures and Springbank Capital Advisors partnered on the deal to redevelop 1900 W. Lawrence. Gillespie Design Group served as the project architect.