In The News

Redevelopment Rundown
January 2007

“Owners of older buildings are figuring out ways to reinvent themselves, and position the buildings in a way that attracts not only office users, but retail and even residential users,” says Rick DuPraw, SVP of the interiors group at Leopardo Construction. 



Leopardo Wins Awards
January 2007

Leopardo Construction won the 2006 Chicago Landmark Award for Preservation Excellence.  The award, selected by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, recognized the restoration of the 35 East Wacker Drive lobby and façade.  The Al Capone-era tower, also known as the Jeweler’s Building, was built in 1927 and was the tallest building outside New York City at the time.



Owners Can Gain Value Repositioning Buildings
January 2007

As the ADA building’s first major upgrade in four decades, Leopardo Construction completely gutted eight floors and delivered a modernized space featuring custom glasswork, upgraded washrooms, new flooring, new elevator lobbies, mechanical and electrical systems upgrades, extensive millwork and lighting as well as new low voltage infrastructure.



Leopardo Completes Komatsu’s New HQ
November 30, 2006

Leopardo Construction announced completion of the five-floor, 105,000-square-foot interior build-out of the North American headquarters for Komatsu America Corp., a manufacturer of construction equipment.  As general contractor, Leopardo built out the space following an innovative and intricate design provided by the architect, Partners by Design.  



35 East Wacker Drive
October 2006

The ambitious five-and-a-half-year project added modern amenities while preserving and enhancing the building’s 1920’s-era look.  Practically everything about the project needed to be custom, historically correct and meticulously fitted, including ornate plaster ceiling panels, bronze chandeliers, bronze revolving doors and marble walls, according to general contractor Leopardo Construction.



Parkways Apartment Complex Gets Renovation
July 31, 2006

Leopardo Construction has completed a 446-unit, 589,000-sf renovation at the Parkways, an apartment complex located at 6718 S. East End Ave. on the south shore of Chicago, near Jackson Park. The newly-renovated apartment complex consists of 21 three-story buildings and one recreation center.




Leopardo Completes 75,000-SF Interior Build-Out
June 2006

Leopardo Construction has completed a 75,000-square-foot interior build-out of Encyclopedia Britannica’s new corporate headquarters in Chicago. The new headquarters is located at 331 N. LaSalle St. at the Reid Murdoch Building.




Interior Renovation Completed for American Dental Association
April 2006

Leopardo Construction has completed the 8-floor, 120,000-square-foot interior renovation of the American Dental Association’s corporate headquarters. The professional organization of dentists has owned the building, at 211 East Chicago Street, since the 1960s and this was its first major upgrade since that time.




Title Town: Chicago No. 1 Again
March 2006

Leopardo Construction and Powell/Kleinschmidt architects are working with John Buck to reposition the tower as a class B building with class A features. Upon completion of renovations at the historic, red structure, CNA will occupy 750,000 sq. ft. (69,675 sq. m.) and lease another 300,000 sq. ft. (27,870 sq. m.) in the building to multiple tenants.




Reshaping History
January 2006

“In many urban areas, developers are restoring and redeveloping older buildings to create new commercial real estate product in dense areas lacking developable land. As Rick DuPraw of Leopardo Construction notes, perhaps the primary reason to take on a project of this type is the “historical significance of the building itself.”




Unlocking Building Value Through Repositioning
December 2005

CNA contracted with The John Buck Co., Leopardo Construction and Powell/Kleinschmidt architects to develop its repositioning strategy, an approximately $60 million investment. Successful repositioning projects will catch tenants’ eyes with Class-A amenities and aesthetics, and seal the deal with lower rents and much better value than newer buildings.