Adaptive reuse of a Sears store becomes luxury mixed-use housing

October 20, 1938: More than 99,500 customers poured into the aisles of a new art deco-inspired Sears store in the historic shopping district of Chicago, Ill. After closing its doors 80 years later, the site has been reborn as a mixed-use multifamily housing development.

6 Corners Lofts at 4714 W Irving Park Road, Chicago, Ill., opened in March of 2024 as a 394,000-sf adaptive reuse project born out of a former Sears store. Designed by MG2, 6 Corners Lofts features 38 individual layouts among 206 luxury units—each with access to the outside—and 50,000 sf of retail space.

Adaptive Reuse Housing Amenities and Retail

Widows were punched out of the original building to create the residential units coupled with balconies. The project includes the addition of a five-story wing, as well as a fifth and roof/sixth floor over the original building.

Rooftop pool at mixed-use adaptive reuse project in Chicago, Ill. — As additional level was added onto the original Sears building for a new host of amenities. Photo © John Boehm, courtesy MG2

Art deco lobby interior of mixed-use adaptive reuse project — The 6 Corners Lofts lobby features the original terrazzo floor poured for the Sears store in 1938. Photo © John Boehm, courtesy MG2

A rooftop pool was added in addition to a fitness room, dog park, speakeasy, community room, and co-working space. The loft-style units include 14- to 16-foot ceilings on certain floors, stainless steel appliances, and in-unit laundry.

The team brought Target in on the ground floor as the retail provider. With the revitalization of Six Corners, the project team as well as the local community hope it can become the second-busiest shopping center it once was.

Development History

Novak Construction is both the developer and general contractor for 6 Corners Lofts. According to Jake Paschen, Executive Vice President of Development at Novak, keeping the famous façade and name of the building was essential.

“We are excited to try to enhance the art deco look of it [and] do something that would complement it but not exactly match it,” Paschen said in a 2021 article on the proposition of the revitalization.

Exterior of mixed-use adaptive reuse building in Chicago, Ill. — The art deco exterior has been preserved, yet modernized, by punching out windows and adding balconies to 6 Corners Lofts. Photo © John Boehm, courtesy MG2

The project was touted as a positive benefit to the economic development and businesses to the area at the time. Chicago politician Jim Gardiner led a virtual meeting of over 150 people on the project back in 2021.

While the community largely applauded the idea, some raised concern of the lack of affordable housing in the area. Six of the units are Affordable Requirements Ordinance (ARO) units.

On the Building Team:
Developer/Owner: Novak Development
Design Architect: MG2
Architect of Record: Kahler Slater
Structural Engineer: TGRWA Structural Engineers
Civil Engineer: RTM Engineering Consultants
MEP (Design-Assist): 20/10 Engineering Group
GC: Novak Construction