Tucker Making Strides With Purple Hotel Redevelopment

Memories of the once-iconic Purple Hotel have faded, and a new era dawns at the corner of Touhy and Lincoln avenues in Lincolnwood.

The site of the hotel, demolished in 2013, is being transformed into District 1860, a $175 million mixed-use project spearheaded by Chicago-based Tucker Development, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Construction is underway for a dual-brand Marriott hotel featuring Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites, set to open in 2025.

About 40 percent of the development’s 299 apartments have been leased, with monthly rents ranging from $1,600 for studios to nearly $4,000 for three-bedroom units. Retail spaces have been leased to LensCrafters, Fat Rosie’s Taco & Tequila Bar, Fatpour Tap Works, and a nail salon.

An Amazon Fresh store is in the pipeline, pending local approval, and a Davanti Enoteca restaurant is anticipated.

The name, District 1860, refers to the year Abraham Lincoln was elected President of the United States, the outlet said.

The village of Lincolnwood has been actively involved in redevelopment of the 8.5-acre site. It issued tax increment financing notes, banking on increased property and sales taxes from District 1860. The financial risk rests with Tucker Development, and taxpayers won’t be burdened if the development fails, the village has said.

The Purple Hotel opened in 1962 and was originally called the Hyatt House. It hosted performances by the likes of Roberta Flack and Barry Manilow. But the 1983 unsolved murder of mob associate Allen Dorfman in the hotel parking lot marked a shadowy chapter. The Purple Hotel fell into severe disrepair and closed in 2007.

Besides this project, a joint venture of Tucker and Wingspan Development Group is embarking on a 300-unit multifamily project in Skokie. In October, the venture received $100 million in construction financing, propelling its planned development at 5400 Old Orchard Road in the northern suburb.

—Quinn Donoghue