Tucker’s mixed-use project at former Purple Hotel now has a start date

Tucker Development is eyeing March as the start date for its mixed-use redevelopment of the notorious Purple Hotel site in Lincolnwood.

The $170 million project will rise from the former hotel location, which had been host to scandal and rumors of organized crime, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

In February, village officials approved the project that will bring retail, residential, commercial, and hotel space to an area that has been empty since 2013.

Tucker’s development will include 300 luxury apartments, more than 50,000 square feet of retail space, and two Marriott-affiliated hotels with 220 rooms.

Hotels have been a booming industry in Chicago, and particularly in Fulton Market, though there is some concern that the numerous projects planned or in the works may not survive.

For its part, Tucker plans to charge monthly rents that are up to $1,000 less than downtown rates, the Sun-Times reported.

The location has not been without controversy. Tucker bought the lot for $10.7 million in March, leading Lake Forest Real Estate file a $25.5 million lawsuit. It claimed the village president favored Tucker Development because of his three-decade friendship with CEO Richard Tucker. [Sun-Times] — Sarah Paynter