How much is too much for Chicago’s Fulton Market?

Experts are starting to wonder how much more development Fulton Market’s infrastructure–and residents–can take.

Relentless pandemic-era projects in Fulton Market have transformed the area into the city’s hottest downtown neighborhood, and more are on the way, according to the Sun-Times.

Fulton Market’s infrastructure hasn’t been as quick to change, according to commentary last month in Crain’s from ex-Chicago Planning Commissioner Andrew Mooney cited by the newspaper.

“Let’s remember that the underlying traffic, transportation and utility infrastructure of the district is still pretty much as it was a hundred years ago,” he said.

While much of Chicago’s downtown commercial market has been hammered, Fulton Market has remained largely immune. Office vacancies across the city rose about 3 percent last year, while Class A availability in Fulton Market dropped by 1.2 percent and the average price per square foot is about $220 more than the rest of the central business district.

Residents have so far been lenient with developers, seeking to change rather than cancel projects, as with a residential tower under construction at 900 W. Randolph St., which was capped at 43-towers after pushback from neighborhood groups. That may change as the city emerges from the pandemic. Infrastructure hasn’t been tested due to work from home policies, the Sun-Times reported.

Sterling Bay’s biggest investment in the neighborhood so far, a two-tower, 770,000-square-foot project, has been approved for zoning. LG Development has had two apartment buildings, totaling 665 units, approved, and Trammell Crow has been approved for a 650,000-square-foot office building. Projects by Fulton Street Cos. and Clayco and Shapack Partners are also planned.

[Chicago Sun-Times] — Harrison Connery