Grocery Store Build-Out in Chicago — 20,135 SF Case Study
Chicago Construction Crew served as general contractor for the 20,135 SF conversion of two adjoining commercial buildings on Chicago's South Side into a full-service grocery and food market. The six-month, $7.8M project covered structural steel, masonry, roofing, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, commercial refrigeration, fire suppression, storefront systems, and interior finishes — delivered as a single contract from permit issuance to Certificate of Occupancy.
Project at a Glance
Location: W 119th Street, Chicago (South Side) · Project type: interior and exterior remodel — grocery / food market conversion · Building area: 20,135 SF (19,560 SF main level + 575 SF mezzanine) · Construction type: Type III-B, Mercantile occupancy · Duration: 6 months from permit issuance to Certificate of Occupancy · Project value: $7.8M · CCC role: general contractor, full-scope construction management across 14 subcontractor trades · Permitted and inspected through the City of Chicago Department of Buildings.
The Project
The owner engaged Chicago Construction Crew to combine a former assembly hall and an adjacent wholesale food market — two pre-1980 masonry buildings with different structural systems, floor levels, and code histories — into one code-compliant, fully operational grocery store. The work required a near-complete interior rebuild, a unified Mercantile occupancy across both structures, and a rebuilt street-facing façade with new utility brick, fully grouted CMU, limestone lintels, and 3,250 SF of aluminum storefront glazing.
What We Built
Structural: 67,000+ lbs of new structural steel including W24 beam lines, bar joist systems, mezzanine framing, and RTU support steel. Shell: fully grouted CMU walls, 7,500+ SF of brick veneer, new torch-down and bitumen roofing. Mechanical: five new 10-ton RTUs integrated with existing units, full duct distribution, and BMS controls. Electrical: a new 800-amp 480V three-phase service with step-down transformer, 30+ dedicated refrigeration circuits, LED lighting, and fire alarm. Plumbing: 20 ADA-compliant fixtures, 38 cast iron floor drains, three under-slab grease interceptors, and a 4" gas main. Refrigeration: five walk-in cooler and freezer rooms totaling 2,933 SF, a remote condensing system with 2,200+ LF of copper piping, and phased commissioning. Fire suppression: full sprinkler retrofit across all 20,135 SF. Finishes: polished concrete across 14,500 SF of sales and stock floors, exposed dryfall ceilings, tile at food prep and wet areas, and ADA restrooms and vestibules — with painting, flooring, and drywall self-performed to compress the finish schedule.
What Made It Hard — and How We Delivered It
Merging two buildings into one occupancy meant reconciling different structures, egress paths, and fire protection under a single Mercantile classification, coordinated with the design team and City of Chicago officials through a full plan review completed before contract execution. Long-lead equipment — RTUs, refrigeration condensing units, walk-in panels, storefront glazing — carried 10 to 16 week lead times, so procurement started within 72 hours of contract signing. The 800-amp service upgrade required ComEd coordination with its own multi-month lead time; the application was filed in week one and tracked as a critical-path milestone. Pre-1980 masonry carried lead paint on elevations scheduled for surface work, handled with a pre-construction hazmat survey and certified lead-safe practices throughout — CCC is EPA Lead-Safe certified — without schedule impact. Fourteen trades ran under one contract and one point of accountability for the full six months.
The Result
A fully operational, Certificate of Occupancy-permitted grocery and food market: a 10,522 SF open sales floor, 1,868 SF stock room, five walk-in cooler and freezer rooms, a full meat service and prep department, mezzanine offices, ADA-compliant restrooms, and a rebuilt retail façade — delivered on schedule from a single contract.
Grocery Store Construction FAQs
How much does a grocery store build-out cost in Chicago?
Full-service grocery conversions are among the most expensive commercial build-outs because of refrigeration, electrical service upgrades, plumbing density, and food-use infrastructure. Small markets can run in the low millions; this 20,135 SF full-service conversion carried a $7.8M construction value. Scope, existing conditions, and refrigeration footprint drive the number — which is why we price from the actual building, not a square-foot rule of thumb.
How long does a grocery store build-out take?
This project ran 6 months from permit issuance to Certificate of Occupancy. The schedule drivers are long-lead equipment — rooftop units, walk-in panels, condensing units, and storefront systems at 10 to 16 weeks — and utility service upgrades, which is why procurement and the ComEd application start in week one, not when the trades need them.
What does grocery store construction involve that other retail doesn't?
Commercial refrigeration is the defining scope: walk-in coolers and freezers, remote condensing systems, dedicated refrigeration circuits, and floor drains and grease interceptors sized for food use. Add heavier electrical services, health-department-driven finishes in prep areas, and fire suppression, and a grocery build-out runs closer to restaurant construction than standard retail.