Monday Market Moves | Week of 09 June 2025
Welcome to Monday Market Moves, the weekly series from Essex Capital Markets briefing you on Chicago commercial real estate capital markets. We cover key trends in CRE debt, refinancing, and capital structures to help investors, borrowers, and lenders navigate today’s evolving environment.
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This Week: Chicago Multifamily Capital Markets Update
Chicago is Building Again—Urban CRE Momentum Returns. After a long stretch of uncertainty, two high-profile projects are officially moving forward in Chicago—signaling that capital is returning, confidence is building, and long-term vision is winning out over short-term volatility.
A new apartment tower in Fulton Market has secured $173M in construction financing, officially going vertical after months of market-wide hesitancy. This is one of the first major multifamily groundbreakings in the neighborhood in over a year—and it sends a clear message: Best-in-class projects in high-demand submarkets are getting funded again.
Fulton remains Chicago’s magnet for top-tier renters and institutional capital. While debt costs remain elevated, lenders are showing renewed willingness to back well-located, well-sponsored developments with a strong lease-up outlook.
Source: Crain’s Chicago Business
Joe Mansueto’s $650 million privately funded stadium at The 78 will anchor a 62-acre mixed-use development and bring a 22,000-seat Fire FC arena to the South Loop—without public dollars. This isn’t just a sports venue—it’s a catalyst project. The stadium accelerates The 78’s timeline, increases investor interest in surrounding parcels, and adds momentum to one of the largest urban development zones in the Midwest. Private capital leading public impact—it’s exactly the kind of CRE signal we’ve been waiting for.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
– Capital is selective, but not absent—Core-plus urban deals with institutional backing are making moves.
– Private funding is driving public confidence—When developers like Mansueto step up, others follow.
– Timing matters—Getting projects permitted and financed now could mean delivering into a tighter, healthier market in 2027–2028.
Final Thought from Essex Capital Markets
Yes, interest rates are still elevated. Yes, inflation remains sticky in services. But Chicago’s CRE market just showed two major signs of life this week. When capital flows, confidence follows—and right now, both are showing up in Fulton Market and The 78.
At Essex Capital Markets, we’re helping clients navigate this environment by structuring smart, strategic capital solutions that align with both current realities and long-term goals—across acquisitions, refinances, and recapitalizations.
To speak with our Capital Markets team about opportunities in multifamily capital markets, please fill out the form below..