$70 Million Bronzeville Development With Grocery Store Wins Key City Approval

• McLaurin Development Partners received Chicago Plan Commission approval for a proposed $70 million mixed-use development at 3700 to 4000 S. State Street in Bronzeville, Chicago.
• The project is planned with 551 multifamily units, a 70,000-square-foot Pete’s Market grocery store, medical office space and other commercial uses across roughly 11 acres.
• Construction is expected to begin in early 2027, with the grocery store and commercial buildings planned for the first phase and residential construction to follow.
• The project is led by Zeb McLaurin, founder and CEO of McLaurin Development Partners, which is also part of the team behind the larger $4 billion Bronzeville Lakefront redevelopment.

What The Bronzeville Project Will Include

McLaurin Development Partners has cleared a major hurdle for a new mixed-use development in Bronzeville, bringing a long-delayed grocery store closer to reality. The approximately 11-acre project would be built across parcels along South State Street, South Dearborn Street, South Federal Street, West Pershing Road and West 40th Street. The initial plans call for 551 multifamily apartments, medical office space and a 70,000-square-foot Pete’s Market-branded grocery store. The development is expected to create approximately 200 permanent jobs and another 150 temporary construction jobs, adding both housing and employment opportunities to the South Side neighborhood.

What The Grocery Store Means For Bronzeville

The planned Pete’s Market is one of the most significant parts of the proposal because the Bronzeville community has been waiting years for a full-service grocery store at the site. The grocery component has faced delays since it was first proposed, making the Plan Commission approval an important step toward finally delivering the long-promised retail use. The grocery store and other commercial buildings are expected to be constructed during the project's first phase, with the residential portion following in a later phase.

What The Approval Means For McLaurin Development Partners

The Chicago Plan Commission's approval moves the project closer to acquiring and rezoning the city-owned land. The sale of the roughly 11-acre site is not yet final, but the approval makes the transaction appear increasingly likely. The project still needs to go through the Chicago Zoning Committee and City Council before the development can fully move forward. Zeb McLaurin, CEO and founder of McLaurin Development Partners, has built a portfolio focused on redevelopment and revitalization in Chicago's urban neighborhoods. The company's work includes commercial, retail and mixed-use projects designed to bring new investment and services into underserved areas.

What The Construction Timeline Looks Like

Construction is expected to begin in early 2027 and continue through approximately the third quarter of 2028. The first phase is expected to prioritize the grocery store and commercial components, followed by construction of the 551 residential units. That sequencing could allow the long-awaited retail component to arrive before the full residential program is completed. The project remains subject to additional zoning and City Council approvals before construction can officially begin.

What The Project Adds To Bronzeville's Larger Development Pipeline

The grocery-anchored project is part of a much broader wave of investment across Bronzeville. McLaurin Development Partners is also a member of the GRIT development team working on the approximately $4 billion Bronzeville Lakefront redevelopment. The larger 48-acre project is planned to deliver millions of square feet of commercial, institutional and mixed-income residential space and is expected to create thousands of temporary and permanent jobs. The GRIT team includes Farpoint Development, Loop Capital Management, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives, Bronzeville Community Development and McLaurin Development Partners. Infrastructure work on Bronzeville Lakefront began in 2023. Together, the projects point to a growing development pipeline that could bring new housing, retail, employment and institutional uses to Bronzeville and surrounding South Side neighborhoods.