BSA Opens Chicago Office: Expanding Our Midwest Presence

BSA Opens Chicago Office: Expanding Our Midwest Presence

Barrow Street Advisors is pleased to announce the opening of our Chicago office, located in the heart of the city's financial district. This expansion reinforces our commitment to providing institutional-grade capital advisory with true local market expertise across the nation's key commercial real estate markets.

Why Chicago

Chicago is one of the most important commercial real estate markets in the United States, and its significance extends well beyond the city limits. As the economic capital of the Midwest, Chicago serves as a gateway to a vast regional market that has been historically underserved by coastal-focused advisory firms.

Market Scale

Metro GDP: Over $700 billion — the third-largest metro economy in the US

CRE Market Size: Approximately $180 billion in commercial property value

Transaction Volume: $15-20 billion annually in investment sales

Lending Activity: Among the top 5 US markets for CRE origination

Strategic Importance

Transportation Hub: O'Hare and Midway airports, the nation's largest rail interchange, and extensive interstate connectivity

Financial Center: Major banking headquarters and regional offices for national lenders

Corporate Base: Headquarters to 36 Fortune 500 companies

Diversified Economy: Finance, manufacturing, technology, healthcare, and logistics

The Chicago Lending Landscape

Chicago benefits from an unusually deep and diverse lending community, which is one of the reasons we chose to establish a presence here.

Capital Sources

Local and Regional Banks: Community and regional lenders with deep Chicago roots and strong CRE portfolios, offering relationship-driven lending across all asset classes

National Banks: Major institutions with significant Chicago operations, active across all product types and particularly strong in multifamily and agency lending

Insurance Companies and Institutional Lenders: Selective but competitive capital for stabilized, institutional-quality assets with a local presence and significant CRE allocations

Debt Funds and Alternative Lenders: Growing presence in bridge, mezzanine, and value-add financing

Our local team's relationships across this full spectrum of capital sources ensure our clients receive the most competitive terms available in the market.

Key Sectors in Chicago CRE

Industrial & Logistics

Chicago's position as a logistics hub creates tremendous opportunity:

O'Hare Corridor: Premium logistics rents and institutional demand

I-80/I-55 Corridor: Large-format distribution facilities

Urban Infill: Last-mile facilities in the city serving same-day delivery

Cold Storage: Growing sector tied to food industry concentration

Multifamily

The multifamily sector offers diverse opportunities:

Downtown/Loop: Luxury high-rise with amenity-driven demand

Near North/West Loop: Strong demographic fundamentals

Suburbs: Value-oriented workforce housing with stable demand

Build-to-Rent: Emerging suburban single-family rental communities

Office

A bifurcated market with clear opportunities:

Fulton Market: Chicago's hottest submarket, attracting tech and creative tenants

West Loop: Continued flight to quality with new trophy developments

Loop: Value opportunity for well-positioned assets

Suburban: Select pockets of strength in Schaumburg, Oak Brook, and Lake County

Retail

Necessity-based retail showing resilience:

Grocery-Anchored: Strong lender appetite, particularly in established suburbs

Mixed-Use: Retail components of urban mixed-use projects gaining traction

Suburban Power Centers: Selective recovery with strong national tenants

Our Chicago Team

Our Chicago team brings decades of combined experience in Midwest CRE finance, with relationships spanning local community banks, regional institutions, and national capital sources. The team's local expertise complements our established New York headquarters, creating a truly national advisory platform.

Capabilities

Local Market Intelligence: On-the-ground knowledge of Chicago and Midwest submarkets

Regional Lender Relationships: Direct access to Midwest-focused capital sources

National Platform Integration: Full resources of BSA's national lender network

Cross-Market Execution: Ability to source capital from coast to coast for Midwest assets

What This Means for Our Clients

With the addition of Chicago, Barrow Street Advisors now operates from offices in New York and Chicago (with London launching in early 2026), providing:

National Coverage: Coast-to-coast advisory with local market expertise

Deeper Lender Access: Expanded relationships with Midwest-focused institutions

Faster Execution: Local presence enables real-time market intelligence and lender engagement

Comprehensive Advisory: Full-service capital advisory from acquisition through disposition

Looking Ahead

The Chicago office positions BSA to better serve the broader Midwest market, including:

Minneapolis-St. Paul: Growing institutional market with strong multifamily fundamentals

Indianapolis: Logistics hub with expanding institutional investor interest

Columbus, OH: Education and technology-driven growth market

Milwaukee: Value opportunity adjacent to the Chicago metro

Detroit: Emerging comeback story with development momentum

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To connect with our Chicago team, contact Barrow Street Advisors.