Cantina Laredo

Chicago, Illinois

CLIENT Consolidated Restaurant Operations (CRO)

ARCHITECT Weiss Architects

ROLE General Contractor

Chicago’s Cantina Laredo marks the first location outside of the south. This dramatic 17,000 square foot, two-story restaurant enlivens the River North neighborhood while providing an upscale dining experience. The use of various stones and douglas fir tongue and groove wood on the walls and ceilings creates a warm yet contemporary atmosphere, augmented by custom art work throughout the spaces. The construction of this 17,000 square foot flagship restaurant presented the project team with significant challenges. Located in the heart of Chicago, the project was situated on a very tight urban site. Concurrent subway reconstruction within a quarter mile from the restaurant added complexity. One lane of State Street and one lane of Illinois Street was blocked for the majority of the construction and pedestrians used temporary walk-ways on both of those streets due to sidewalk closures. Due to these circumstances, job site safety was paramount. [CONT.’D]