"Our project is different than the standard retail project, because we have a very interesting niche of clients, users and people who will be consumers in this development," Bob Wislow, US Equities chairman and CEO, tells GlobeSt.com. "We're in an area which has absolutely grown with residential and office development in recent years. There's all these buildings which have been built within two blocks of this project, but there's been no infrastructure of this kind of retail project in this area."

The first portion of the retail space is more than 50% preleased, with tenant occupancy beginning next month, marked by the opening of a 15,000-square-foot CVS. Later this fall, the development will see the opening of a 2,000-square-foot Lavazza coffee shop. The development's anchor, Chicago French Market, will open in 15,000 square feet in October or November, managed by Paris-based Sebastien Bensidoun and comprised of dozens of local vendors offering fresh produce, meats, fish, cheese and a bakery.

"There's a giant shift on a countrywide basis to a different way to buy your food, knowing the person who's selling you your fish or produce, and knowing where it's coming from," Wislow says. "Naturally, that movement has helped and been a boon for us. If you look at Whole Foods and how well they're doing, that translates to what we're doing but on more of a local and personal level."