The economic renaissance of Chicago’s Pullman neighborhood reached another milestone last week as the Pullman Gateway development achieved full occupancy, completing the transformation of a long-vacant property into a thriving mixed-use destination developed and fully leased in just over two years.
The grand opening of a 1,500-square-foot Chipotle Mexican Grill with a drive-thru at 11211 S. Corliss Ave. marks the completion of the eight-acre development, which is home to four nationally recognized restaurant brands and the Chicago Transit Authority’s Red Line Extension project offices.
The celebration also marked the announcement of another major commercial investment in the community. Alderman Anthony A. Beale, 9th Ward, announced plans for the new Pullman Park Retail Center, a commercial development to be constructed on 111th Street, immediately west of the retail corridor that opened in 2017 and next to Potbelly’s and Lexington Betty’s Smokehouse. Once completed, the new center will be anchored by Starbucks, Tropical Smoothie Café and Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria, bringing three additional casual dining destinations to the area. Slim & Husky’s will be the Nashville-based artisan pizza company’s first Chicago location, with former Chicago Bear Matt Forte as a significant investor in the company.
“Today we are celebrating the successful completion of Pullman Gateway, a development that has brought new businesses, expanded dining options and nearly 500 jobs to our community, along with the grand opening of Chipotle, one of the nation’s most recognized restaurant brands,” said Alderman Beale. “We are also announcing the next chapter in the 9th Ward’s economic growth with the new Pullman Park Retail Center, which will bring Starbucks, Tropical Smoothie Café and Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria to the Pullman and Roseland community. This is a powerful vote of confidence in Pullman’s future. Every new investment creates jobs, expands amenities for residents and builds on nearly $1 billion in public and private investment that is reshaping Chicago’s Far South Side. Pullman’s best days are still ahead.”
Together, Pullman Gateway and the new Pullman Park Retail Center, developed by Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives (CNI), represent the next phase of sustained investment transforming Pullman into one of Chicago’s fastest-growing neighborhood commercial districts. The developments will expand dining and retail options, create jobs and strengthen the community’s appeal to residents, visitors and future businesses.
Located at 112th Street and South Corliss Avenue, Pullman Gateway has transformed a former Hawthorne Racecourse off-track betting facility and underutilized parking lot into a vibrant, fully leased mixed-use development featuring Chick-fil-A, Chipotle, Dunkin’ and Jimmy John’s, along with CTA offices supporting construction of the Red Line Extension. Together, these businesses provide new dining options for residents, commuters, construction workers and visitors while creating nearly 500 full- and part-time jobs, many filled by neighborhood residents.
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Add 1/Pullman’s Continuing Revitalization
The expanding retail and dining district reflects Pullman’s continuing evolution as a model for community renewal. Existing destinations including Lexington Betty’s Smokehouse, Culver’s, Potbelly’s and the Pullman Club are being joined by new nationally recognized and locally owned businesses, creating a stronger commercial corridor serving residents while attracting visitors to the historic Pullman and Roseland communities.
Pullman Gateway, developed through a partnership between CNI and the Hope Center Foundation, broke ground in May 2024 and stands as another visible symbol of Pullman’s economic resurgence. Strategically located near the Bishop Ford Expressway, Pullman National Historical Park and the future CTA Red Line Extension, the development serves as both a neighborhood commercial destination and a gateway to one of Chicago’s most dynamic communities.
The opening of Chipotle caps more than a decade of unprecedented investment throughout Pullman and neighboring Roseland. Since 2009, the community has attracted nearly $1 billion in public and private investment, according to an Anderson Economic Group study, creating more than 4,500 jobs while reversing decades of disinvestment. The neighborhood has stabilized its residential population, welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors to Pullman National Historical Park, expanded cultural and recreational amenities, and attracted commercial, industrial and mixed-use developments that have restored confidence in the community’s future.
That investment has also strengthened Pullman’s residential foundation. New affordable single-family homes, expanded homeownership opportunities supported by down-payment assistance for first-time buyers, and the restoration of historic rowhouses have helped create the customer base supporting additional neighborhood retail, restaurants and services.
“The successful completion of Pullman Gateway demonstrates what can happen when public and private partners invest in a community with tremendous potential,” said David Doig, President, Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives. “We’re proud that today’s celebration also marks the first public announcement of the Pullman Park Retail Center. The addition of Starbucks, Tropical Smoothie Café and Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria reflects the growing confidence national and regional businesses have in Pullman and signals the continuation of the community’s revitalization.”
Additional residential and commercial projects are already underway, positioning Pullman for continued growth as the CTA Red Line Extension brings rapid transit to Chicago’s Far South Side. Together with Pullman National Historical Park, Pullman Park, the Pullman Community Center, expanding cultural programming, new housing, modern industrial development and the newly announced Pullman Park Retail Center, Pullman Gateway reinforces the community’s emergence as one of Chicago’s most successful neighborhood revitalization stories. Continued investment in restaurants, retailers, housing and commercial development reflects growing confidence in Pullman’s future and marks a new phase of opportunity for the historic community and the Far South Side.
