Southgate Market
310,000 sf urban retail center with parking for 1,200 cars
South Loop, Chicago, Illinois
Southgate Market anchors Roosevelt Road as the center of Chicago's new retail focus. Shoppers are attracted to the vertical vibrancy of the building's glass elevator core, bold colors, and planted front walkway.
ESA challenged conventions in big box design by adapting a suburban formula to a five-acre urban site. Sensitive site design maximizes the lot's capacity and separates circulation patterns for pedestrians, cars, and delivery vehicles, guaranteeing efficient traffic flow. A suspended bridge leading to the parking structure evokes Chicago's tradition of river bridges and provides breathtaking skyline views. The center's completely exposed interior shows that this is an urban market and not a suburban mall. With chamfered corners softening the structure's edges and angled massing breaking up the facade, this 310,000 sf, five-story new urban model solves traffic problems, enhances the streetscape, increases pedestrian safety, and minimizes environmental impact.