Ware Malcomb Completes Historic Residential Conversion in Downtown Chicago
Why this matters
Office continues to trade in two distinct markets: trophy assets in walkable submarkets that are leasing at or near record rents, and commodity Class B and C buildings where the basis is still resetting. Underwriting on the latter has moved toward replacement-cost-minus, with credit underwriting now leaning on tenant covenant and remaining lease term rather than mark-to-market expectations. Chicago capital flow has been concentrated in industrial along the I-55 and I-80 corridors and in the most select downtown trophy office submarkets. Multifamily transaction volume has moved up in the Near North and West Loop. For LP-positioned capital, the read-through is that the bifurcation is now a structural feature of the sector, not a cycle to wait out.
Editorial analysis · Real Estate Trail Editorial
On the RET wire
- The ninth Chicago story tracked on the wire in November 2026. All Chicago coverage →
- Disclosed office deal value tracked in November 2026: $4B across 13 reported transactions. All Office coverage →
Computed from Real Estate Trail’s own tracked coverage
Ware Malcomb announced construction is complete on 79 W. Monroe, an office-to-residential conversion project located in downtown Chicago’s Loop district. Ware Malcomb’s Chicago office provided architecture and interio…
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