Pullman Gateway has reached full occupancy, completing the rapid repositioning of a long-vacant site into a mixed-use destination in just over two years. The project brings new commercial activity to the Pullman neighborhood at 112th Street and South Corliss Avenue, following a development program that combined new retail with office space serving public transit infrastructure.
The grand opening of a 1,500-square-foot Chipotle Mexican Grill with a drive-thru at 11211 South Corliss Avenue marks the formal completion of the eight-acre Pullman Gateway development. The opening event also served as the backdrop for announcing the next phase of commercial investment adjacent to the property.
Plans have been unveiled for the Pullman Park Retail Center, a new commercial project to be anchored by Starbucks, Tropical Smoothie Café, and Slim & Husky’s Pizza Beeria. Slim & Husky’s, a Nashville-based pizza brand, will use the project to establish its first Chicago location. Former Chicago Bear Matt Forte is identified as a significant investor in the Slim & Husky’s venture, highlighting the mix of national and regional brands and locally connected capital involved in the area.
Chicago Neighborhood Initiatives is the developer behind both Pullman Gateway and the forthcoming Pullman Park Retail Center, positioning the two projects as the next stage of sustained investment in this section of the South Side. The development program has turned a former Hawthorne Racecourse off-track betting facility and an underutilized parking lot into an active mixed-use environment.
At Pullman Gateway, the tenant lineup now includes Chick-fil-A, Dunkin’, and Jimmy John’s, along with the newly opened Chipotle Mexican Grill. The property also incorporates offices for the Chicago Transit Authority that support construction of the Red Line Extension, adding an institutional user alongside the food-and-beverage and retail tenants.
Together, Pullman Gateway’s full lease-up and the planned Pullman Park Retail Center illustrate an ongoing effort to convert legacy and underused sites into contemporary retail and service nodes. With national chains, an emerging restaurant brand, and a public transit agency all committed to this location, the corridor at 112th Street and South Corliss Avenue is evolving into a more diversified commercial hub for the Pullman neighborhood.
