Interior renderings have been revealed for The LaSalle Residences, an office-to-residential adaptive reuse project at 208 S. LaSalle St. in Chicago’s Loop. The renderings offer an early glimpse of the historic office building repurposed as market-rate and affordable residences and represent the first interior images to be released from any of the properties moving forward under the City of Chicago’s LaSalle Corridor Revitalization initiative.

Led by Chicago-based developer The Prime Group, Inc., the plan for 208 S. LaSalle St. will repurpose roughly 222,500 square feet of office space on floors 13 to 16 into 226 apartments offered in studio, one- and two-bedroom floor plans. The LaSalle Residences will feature a new ground-floor lobby as well as residential amenities, including a state-of-the-art fitness facility; club-inspired tenant lounge spaces supporting coworking, meetings and social events; and penthouse-level community terraces with an outdoor pool and gathering areas overlooking the historic structure’s central atrium and offering panoramic views of the Loop’s iconic skyline.

Designed by Lamar Johnson Collaborative and Lucien Lagrange, the conversion will also upgrade all older mechanical systems with modern energy-efficient equipment and replace the existing single-pane windows with high-performance insulated glass. The mixed-income project will set aside 30% of the residences as affordable housing for qualifying individuals and families earning an average of 60% of the area mean income (AMI). The transit-oriented location is in the heart of Chicago’s central business district adjacent to the historic CTA Quincy station and within walking distance of other CTA stops, Metra commuter rail stations and Chicago Water Taxi service.

Completed in 1914, the historic 1.2 million-square-foot, 22-story building at 208 S. LaSalle St. was initially designed by world-famous Chicago architect D.H. Burnham & Co. in the Classical Revival style for the Continental and Commercial National Bank. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Chicago Landmark in 2007.

“In addition to breathing new life into an under-utilized Chicago landmark, The LaSalle Residences will help bring back some of the 24/7 vibrancy to Chicago’s downtown financial district lost during and after the COVID pandemic,” said architect Alan Barker, principal and residential market leader at LJC. “The Loop is an amenity-rich area, but continued foot traffic is key to retaining and attracting retail business. Converting office space to 226 units at 208 LaSalle St. will not only enhance the built-in customer base for downtown retail and amenities, but it will also preserve a piece of Chicago’s architectural history.”

The estimated total project cost is $130 million, and The Prime Group aims to start construction in early 2025, pending additional city approvals and permits. 

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