1,000+ native plants and trees take root, creating urban oasis as SOL nears completion in Phoenix
4
NEW HIRES
9
PROJECT AWARD NOMINATIONS
A LOOK AT ALL THAT HAPPENED OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS
CELEBRATING TWENTY YEARS OF CREATIVE DESIGN, EXPERT BUILDING, AND STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT— OUR LEGACY AND VISION FORWARD.
MARKING TWO DECADES OF IMPACT, WE REMAIN ANCHORED BY OUR SIX FOUNDATIONAL VALUES
4 PROJECTS COMPLETED
11 PROJECTS AWARDED
ANNUAL TROLLEY TOUR
4 INTERIOR DESIGN KICK-OFFS
16 MILES THROUGH 6 NEIGHBORHOODS 300 MINUTES OF TEAM BONDING, PROJECT VISITS, & CHICAGO EXPLORATION
QUARTERLY FIELD REPORT
Welcome to our newsletter, where we offer a peek into the dynamic world of LG Group. We’re excited to share recent happenings worthy of celebration with our employees, friends, family, and industry colleagues.
Within these pages, you’ll find a snapshot of the diverse range of activities we’re involved in. In real estate development, we’re actively engaged in exciting new projects that push boundaries and aim to elevate urban living. Our construction team is taking on challenging and exciting projects across a large variety of market sectors. Simultaneously, our design team is crafting solutions that blend beauty with practicality. Our marketing efforts are propelling our brand and projects to new heights.
This newsletter showcases our commitment to progress and excellence. We’re eager to highlight LG Group’s innovations and achievements.
BRIAN GOLDBERG Founder & CEO
COMPANY UPDATE | 03 GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
See what our development, construction, and design companies have been up to as we shine a spotlight on the projects that grabbed our attention this quarter.
COMPANY UPDATE | 05 UNDER ONE ROOF
Meet Offshoot Creative, formerly LG Design, and see how their expanded partnership with LG Builders is redefining integrated project delivery.
PROJECT FEATURE | 11 WHERE PRECISION MEETS PRESTIGE
The story of Bottega Veneta’s striking new flagship on Chicago’s Oak Street, built by LG Builders.
PROJECT FEATURE | 17 GEOMETRY OF GASTRONOMY
LG Builders partnered with Chef Joe Flamm and Day Off Hospitality to create Il Carciofo, their latest Italian dining experience. More than construction, it’s crafting stages for culinary artistry
PROJECT FEATURE | 23 MOTION TO DISMISS TRADITIONAL
Ditching the stuffy office playbook for something bold and joyful, LG Builders and Offshoot Creative navigated century-old bones to create something entirely fresh for Merel Law.
POD NOTES | 31 SUN-KISSED LIVING
Offshoot Creative’s FF&E story captures that golden hour feeling year-round. Designer notes, color stories, and the art of permanent vacation living.
ARTIST SERIES | 35 BRENT WARR
From foundational work to future vision: sculptor Brent Warr on craft, growth, and his latest piece commissioned for Sol Modern
PEOPLE & CULTURE | 41 LG GROUP X TXA TXA
LG Group collaborates with TXA TXA on a dining experience celebrating community and craft
PEOPLE & CULTURE | 45 THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
Building community, not just structures: LG teams up with The Roof Crop Foundation on greenhouse project.
PEOPLE + CULTURE | 50 EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT
Get to know one of LG Group’s founding team members as we dive into what got Gabe into real estate development and his journey with the company. Learn what drives this OG team member.
GROUP HIGHLIGHTS
DEVELOP | BUILD | DESIGN
SAFETY WEEK + OSHA TRAINING
The LG Commercial team wrapped up a comprehensive safety week, completing OSHA training certification and conducting thorough job site visits. This intensive program reinforced our commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards across all projects while ensuring our team stays current with industry best practices.
CHICAGO JEWISH DAY SCHOOL
LG Builders was proud to break ground on this significant educational project. With construction well underway, we’re facilitating special tours for faculty and students before summer break, creating excitement for the enhanced learning environment that will be ready when school resumes this fall.
TINY GIANTS
LG Builders is excited to kick off construction on the Tiny Giants Early Learning Center, a four-story mixeduse development across from Horner Park. Working alongside architecture partner SEEK, the building features an innovative early childhood education center with a design inspired by children’s building blocks and colorful classroom spaces.
LG Builders is excited to build out the new GANNI store for the beloved Danish fashion brand. Known for its playful, contemporary designs that blend Scandinavian minimalism with bold colors and patterns, GANNI has gained cult status among fashion lovers worldwide and will bring its signature aesthetic to the Chicago retail scene.
IL CARCIOFO
We love working with the Day Off Group, and their third Chicago location in Fulton Market is no exception. This latest collaboration brings another exciting dining destination to one of the city’s hottest neighborhoods.
GANNI
TOP LEFT Il Carciofo’s cozy bar showcases warm lighting anchored by a custom fixture, complemented by rich dark wood millwork and elegant brass screening details.
MIDDLE LEFT Bottega Veneta’s striking interior features luxurious green marble alongside custom tiled walls and curved wood millwork that creates dynamic movement throughout the space.
BOTTOM LEFT LG Builders prioritizes safety excellence on every project, with our dedicated team members leading by example across all construction sites.
WOLF & CO.
LG Builders and Offshoot Creative put the finishing touches on this design-build project in Wicker Park, part of our Trailhead Development. This multi-concept destination combining restaurant, deli, grocery, and boutique spaces under one roof opens this summer, creating a vibrant community gathering place.
TILLY’S BAGEL
LG Group celebrated the opening of this beloved bagel shop’s second location in Fulton Market, housed within the retail space of our Arthur on Aberdeen development.
SOL WEBSITE LAUNCHES
LG Development was excited to launch the dedicated SOL website, a major milestone for this stunning 28-story residential tower in downtown Phoenix. With the site now live and pre-leasing officially underway, our comprehensive marketing efforts are in full swing for this ambitious project.
TOP RIGHT Sol’s website has officially launched with preleasing in full swing, featuring floor plans and stunning renderings of the building’s premium amenity spaces.
MIDDLE RIGHT The facade design for Tiny Giants school, currently under construction by LG Builders in partnership with architecture firm SEEK.
BOTTOM RIGHT Tilly’s Bagel signage installed at Arthur on Aberdeen, bringing this exciting new bagel shop amenity to both building residents and the Fulton Market neighborhood.
UNDER ONE ROOF: TRULY INTEGRATED DESIGN-BUILD
At LG Group, we’ve always believed that the best construction outcomes happen when design and construction teams work hand-in-hand from the very beginning. As we continue to evolve our capabilities and deepen our expertise, we’re leveraging our unique position to deliver design-build services the way they should be delivered: with both teams truly integrated under one roof, drawing on years of shared experience and a deep understanding of how great spaces actually get built.
The construction and design industry has long operated within silos, where architects design in isolation from builders, leading to costly revisions, timeline delays, and compromised visions. Recognizing this challenge, LG Group has rallied not only our internal teams but also the project partners we’ve fostered relationships with over the years to shake up this traditional process: a fully integrated ecosystem where design creativity and construction expertise inform each other from day one.
INTRODUCING OFFSHOOT CREATIVE: DESIGN WITH CONSTRUCTION DNA
Offshoot Creative represents the strategic evolution and expansion of what was formerly LG Design—a studio that blends design expertise with deep construction and architectural insight, creating spaces that transform ideas into lived experiences. This transformation reflects our commitment to broadening our design capabilities beyond our own development projects to serve LG Builders’ construction clients as well as third-party clients across multiple markets.
Rooted in the rich intersection of design, branding, and architecture, Offshoot Creative emerged as a response to the evolving needs of today’s dynamic built environment. The team brings together expertise across design, brand development, and construction knowledge—now offering comprehensive services including interior design, branding, FF&E coordination, art curation, and more. This expanded scope creates a design studio that bridges aesthetic vision with practical implementation across diverse project types and client relationships. This foundation of practical knowledge combined with creative vision drives their purposedriven approach: design that understands the full spectrum of bringing exceptional spaces to life.
BELOW First glimpse of Offshoot Creative’s brand roll-out, including logo applications and brand book spreads.
INTEGRATED COLLABORATION UNDER ONE ROOF
The connection between Offshoot Creative and LG Builders represents years of shared experience across countless project types, building on the foundation established when the team operated solely as an in-house resource. This evolution formalizes and reconfigures what we’ve already been doing, creating a more comprehensive platform that offers expanded services while tailoring each process and project to exactly what our clients need.
With both teams under one roof, questions get answered in real time, design refinements happen organically, and the entire process becomes more nimble and efficient. This isn’t just about eliminating hand-offs—it’s about creating a collaborative environment where construction knowledge informs design decisions from the very beginning, resulting in solutions that are precisely calibrated to each client’s unique requirements and project goals.
TOP Work in progress from Offshoot Creative shows a design-build project advancing through design development with an undisclosed client.
BOTTOM LG Group designed and built their own headquarters as a case study in their approach, with an open stair linking departments in a space that embodies their design-build process.
BEYOND TRADITIONAL DESIGN-BUILD: A HOLISTIC PARTNERSHIP
Our Design-Build approach spans the complete project life cycle, offering clients a single point of accountability and seamless execution.
“Picture a restaurateur coming to us with a vision: we start with an early test fit and preconstruction budgeting, then dive into their concept story—which becomes the foundation for both the interior design and brand identity, all happening in-house. Offshoot Creative’s renderings become reality as LG Builders executes them, and we’re hanging the custom signage that was created during the branding process. When they open their doors, they’re placing menus featuring the logo Offshoot designed as the lighting dims to the exact ambiance our designers envisioned and LG Builders wired with the electrician. One vision, one team, one seamless experience.”
— Sheila Urban, Director of Strategic Growth
The expansion from LG Design to Offshoot Creative enables us to provide this comprehensive approach across interior design, branding, FF&E coordination, and art curation—all backed by LG Builders’ deep construction knowledge. This integrated methodology delivers measurable benefits: reduced project timelines, enhanced cost predictability, and spaces that exceed expectations while staying within budget.
THE FUTURE OF CONSTRUCTION PARTNERSHIP
The construction industry is shifting toward earlier collaboration, bringing all trades, engineers, architects, and designers to the table from the very beginning to share critical information that makes projects run smoother. This collaborative approach keeps clients better informed throughout the process, creates more realistic budgets, reduces the time to construction start, and ensures design decisions are grounded in construction reality.
LG Group is positioned to be the hub where all of this coordination happens. Our integrated platform doesn’t just adapt to this industry evolution—we’re actively driving it forward by demonstrating how true collaboration between design and construction teams creates superior outcomes for everyone involved.
This isn’t just about keeping pace with market demands—it’s about setting the standard for how visionary design and expert construction can work together, with all project stakeholders engaged early and often, to create something extraordinary while maintaining practical, efficient delivery.
value of design-build
With design and construction teams truly integrated under one roof, we deliver seamless project experiences that traditional design-build partnerships simply cannot match.
Real-Time Collaboration
By creating pre-defined scopes of work and a la carte options centered around each client’s individual needs, we are easily engaged to efficiently provide the necessary feedback to move a project forward.
Single Vision Execution
Design intent carries seamlessly through construction execution, eliminating miscommunication and ensuring the built environment matches the original creative vision.
Comprehensive Design Services
Interior design, branding, FF&E coordination, and art curation all happen in-house, ensuring complete design consistency backed by construction expertise.
Early Stakeholder Integration
We bring all trades, engineers, architects, and designers to the table from the beginning, creating realistic budgets and construction-informed design from the start.
Cross-Platform Expertise
Years of experience across design, development, and construction in diverse markets and project types creates a comprehensive knowledge base that informs every design-build decision and anticipates
GoldThrough years of experience, LG Builders has become intimately familiar with Chicago’s Gold Coast, where limestone facades tell the story of the city’s architectural heritage. Oak Street—that coveted corridor where luxury finds its truest expression—has become our canvas for projects that demand perfection.
We understand that building isn’t merely construction; it’s the careful curation of craft— knowing how to execute every detail precisely. Each project requires the same meticulous attention to detail that fashion houses apply to their finest pieces. Creating seamless brand experiences where function and beauty work in perfect harmony, we approach every build with respect for both craft and client vision.
We know and value the Gold Coast’s distinctive character. When Bottega Veneta sought a partner to bring their vision to Oak Street, they found in LG Builders a team that speaks the language of luxury as fluently as we speak construction.
Coast
WHERE PRECISION MEETS PRESTIGE
Through years of experience, LG Builders has become intimately familiar with Chicago’s Gold Coast, where limestone facades tell the story of the city’s architectural heritage. Oak Street—that coveted corridor where luxury finds its truest expression—has become our canvas for projects that demand perfection.
We understand that building isn’t merely construction; it’s the careful curation of craft—knowing how to execute every detail precisely. Each project requires the same meticulous attention to detail that fashion houses apply to their finest pieces. Creating seamless brand experiences where function and beauty work in perfect harmony, we approach every build with respect for both craft and client vision.
We know and value the Gold Coast’s distinctive character. When Bottega Veneta sought a partner to bring their vision to Oak Street, they found in LG Builders a team that speaks the language of luxury as fluently as we speak construction.
Nestled along Oak Street's tree-lined stretch—where historic brownstones meet luxury retail—the Bottega Veneta boutique at 41 East Oak Street stands as a stunning tribute to Milan-based design excellence. This two-story flagship brings the Italian fashion house's full range of products to Chicago, from signature leather goods to the brand's newly released perfume and fine jewelry collections.
The store's commanding presence begins with its 32-foot glass, brass and stone facade, featuring wraparound windows that offer unobstructed views into both floors of the open-plan interior. This transparent approach creates an immediate connection between Oak Street's sophisticated street scape and the Italian-inspired spaces within.
Inside, three quintessential Italian materials define the aesthetic: cement tiling adorns floors and walls, while green Verde Saint-Denis marble carves out elegant vitrines and display units. Custom walnut wood furniture—including tables, shelving, and soft leather seating woven in Bottega Veneta’s signature Intrecciato pattern—reinforces the house’s legendary craftsmanship throughout the space.
sculptural walnut wood staircase guides visitors to the upper level, where a skylit lounge filled with lush greenery creates a luminous atmosphere. This floor houses a dedicated VIP area with a private dressing suite and consultation space for personalized services, elevating the shopping experience beyond traditional retail.
The harmonious interior reflects the pared-down aesthetics of Italian modernism, bringing out the natural textures and tones that define Bottega Veneta's design philosophy. From vibrant hues like Parakeet and Lavender to understated tones of Mirth Washed, Almond and Raintree, the space showcases the fashion house's diverse palette while maintaining the refined elegance that has made the brand a favorite among style connoisseurs worldwide.
A
Words: Modern Luxury
Photos: Daniel Salemi
GEOMETRY OF GASTRONOMY
IL CARCIOFO
1045 W FULTON MARKET
LG Builders continues our partnership with Day Off Group and the visionary Chef Joe Flamm, bringing another exceptional dining experience to Chicago's evolving culinary landscape. Following our successful collaboration on Rose Mary, we're honored to have crafted the physical foundation for Il Carciofo, where Chef Flamm's dedication to authentic Italian technique meets our commitment to creating spaces that serve both function and feeling.
This project represents more than construction—it's about building a stage for culinary artistry. Watching Chef Flamm and the Day Off Group team transform concepts into experiences that consistently delight their guests has been inspiring. Their success stems from an unwavering focus on authenticity and technique, values that align perfectly with our approach to thoughtful construction. It's an honor to be part of projects that contribute to Chicago's reputation as a world-class dining destination.
DAY OFF GROUP
CLIENT
ARIA GROUP
ARCHITECT + DESIGN
LG BUILDERS
GENERAL CONTRACTOR
RESTAURANT
TYPE 7,000
SQUARE FEET
DECEMBER 2024
COMPLETION
A “pasta lab” is certainly a great marketing phrase, conjuring up images of gluten gone wild thanks to the crazy culinary experiments. But for Joe Flamm, that’s hyperbole. At his new Italian restaurant, Il Carciofo, the pasta lab is merely a way to make his offerings taste more like they were prepared at a Roman market.
Flamm says that the food in Rome doesn’t contain many ingredients. The pasta lab, a room that can control environmental factors like humidity (and a must-have item for many Italian restaurants that have emerged in the past seven years) is crucial if a restaurant is serious about authenticity, and emulating a true taste of Rome, with dishes like cacio e pepe or aglio e olio: “This place is going to be all about technique and product,” Flamm says.
Il Carciofo is Chicago-area native Flamm’s third restaurant and second that he’s establishing from the ground up. Along with his partners at Day Off Group, they run Rose Mary and Blvd. Flamm was around to build Rose Mary from the ground up, combining Croatian and Italian food. Incidentally, the Croatian items — including cevapicci (the Balkan sausage) — have an intrinsic Midwest comfort to them. Though he didn’t intend to, the resulting Rose Mary experience feels like a love letter to Chicago. As it was the first restaurant that he designed, Flamm says he couldn’t hide his roots.
He’ll diverge with Il Carciofo wanting the restaurant to match the feel of a modern Roman experience. He reflects on his time at Spiaggia where mentor Tony Mantuano shunned trends like California chardonnay and ensured the now-shuttered Italian restaurant along the Mag Mile served Italian wines.
Beyond the oblong Roman pizzas al taglio that places like Bonci introduced Chicagoans to, Flamm says he’s also pumped for mozzarella-stuffed suppli (Roman-style fried rice).
The restaurant is inside a new building, but there are touches, like tin ceilings, that give the space a lived-in rustic feel. Since announcing the restaurant, Flamm has seen traffic around Fulton Market increase. It feels more like an urban area, not a desolate space waiting for real estate development. Of course, this is yet another transformation in an area once known as a meatpacking district.
Words: Eater Chicago
Photos: Kinship Company
ANDREW HOPPE
PROJECT EXECUTIVE
ELAINE BARR
ASSISTANT PROJECT MANAGER
MATT DI FECCHIO
SUPERINTENDENT
MEREL FAMILY LAW
CLIENT
PARTNERS BY DESIGN ARCHITECT
OFFSHOOT CREATIVE DESIGN
OFFICE TYPE
27,050 SQUARE FEET
AUGUST 2024 COMPLETION
THE MEREL LAW TRANSFORMATION
From the moment Jonathan Merel walked into that century-old space, he could envision something extraordinary—a law office that would break every traditional mold and mirror his own positive, joyful spirit.
“When this space became available, it was something I could envision turning into something I wanted and dreamed of as an office,” Jonathan recalls. His vision was clear: create a space where sophisticated meets playful, where serious work happens in an uplifting environment.
LG Builders took the lead on this ambitious design-build project, partnering with Offshoot Creative to tackle the unique challenges of transforming a century-old building into something completely fresh and modern. When Melody McLeod from Offshoot first heard that Jonathan’s brand color was a vibrant yellow and he wanted it as an active part of the space, “I’ll admit it was initially challenging,” she laughs. “But what started as a design hurdle quickly became our jumping-off point—we found ways to make it sophisticated and integral to the overall palette.”
TURNING OBSTACLES INTO OPPORTUNITIES
What started as an intimidating, oversized space with quirky historical obstacles became the perfect showcase for creative problem-solving. When immovable floor-to-ceiling pipes threatened to carve up the main space, the team didn’t see limitations—they saw opportunities.
“Instead of hiding them, we actually used that and built this undulating banquette and room partition—essentially a functional art piece,” Melody explains.
As project executive Andrew Hoppe puts it, the real challenge was “how do you make a 100-year-old space look modern and bring it into the twenty-first century”—and that’s exactly where this partnership thrives.
BUILDING TRUST, CRAFTING SOUL
The magic happened in the trust and understanding built with Jonathan and managing partner Melissa Caballero Dunn from day one. “Understanding the client’s current office space, what was working and what wasn’t working—once that understanding and trust was established, then the design story can really unfold,” Melody notes.
The firm had grown from Jonathan as a solo attorney with Melissa as his law clerk to a team of 30 employees. “When we first acquired this space I could not have envisioned that it would look like what it actually looks like today,” Melissa admits. “To be honest I was really intimidated by it because it was a space much bigger than we were used to.”
A SPACE THAT ENERGIZES
The finished office delivers flexibility and inspiration in equal measure. “The ability for our employees to go to different areas to work, to collaborate, to meet with people—depending on the day and the mood, this office has everything you need available,” Jonathan observes. Team member Connor Lane captures the emotional impact: “It feels like home for the people who work here and a place where clients can see their situation unfold in the most relaxing way possible.”
For Melissa, the transformation runs deeper than aesthetics: “The level of comfort that the space physically provides allows us to come in here every day, do our best, and feel our best about ourselves as professionals and the work we’re doing for our clients.”
This project exemplifies LG Builders’ design-build approach: we don’t just manage construction—we champion our clients’ boldest visions, embrace a building’s character rather than fight it, and assemble the right expertise to turn challenges into distinctive design solutions.
CURATED
REBELLION: ART THAT REWRITES THE RULES
Art curation provided the essential final layer in this project, with Offshoot Creative collaborating closely with the client to handpick pieces that would embody their bold approach to legal practice—where sophistication meets soul, and professionalism doesn’t sacrifice personality.
Each work was chosen to reflect the firm’s unique personality, from the vibrant abstracts that energize conference spaces to the playful oversized Nike shoe in the lounge—a surprise that never fails to spark conversation. The strategic mix of contemporary works creates visual anchors throughout the office, proving that high-end spaces where serious work happens can absolutely exist in joyful wrapping—and one could argue they’re far more energizing because of it.
SOL MODERN
DOWNTOWN PHOENIX
Offshoot Creative brought Southwest sublime to life at Sol Modern, our latest project with LG Development, partnering with Trio Design for FF&E. “We’re creating spaces that feel like permanent vacation—the kind of everyday escape that makes Monday mornings feel like weekends,” explains Melody McLeod, Offshoot Creative’s Interior Design Director.
The vision emerged like a mirage gradually coming into focus—what began as an elusive feeling, something to long for, slowly materialized through thoughtful design choices and bold finishes until the FF&E brought it into complete reality.
SUN-FADED HUES AND TACTILE CONTRAST
Rather than leaning into safer neutrals, the approach embraces bold, uplifting color. A large-scale painting in the lobby sets the tone for the entire color story. Sculptural lounge chairs in turquoise pop against rust-colored leather. Coffee tables with organic silhouettes feel carved by canyon winds. Sage green textured throws whisper of poolside afternoons, while burnt amber accents capture those moments when the landscape decides to show off.
Dichroic glass elements play into the trippy, almost psychedelic qualities of sunset light. Deeper greens evoke hidden oasis pools—colors that shift and transform with Arizona’s ever-changing light. “The interiors and furnishings layer sculptural forms and textures to conjure a sense of calm balanced with moments of offbeat energy,” describes McLeod.
ARRIVING SOMEWHERE SPECIAL
“What excites us about Sol Modern is how it captures that feeling of arriving somewhere special—your own private southwestern retreat,” McLeod notes. “The light shifts throughout the day, colors transform, revealing new dimensions within spaces that are as dynamic as the landscape that inspired them.”
The cohesive experience carries seamlessly from poolside lounges to zen dens, relaxation lounges to game rooms. The same uplifting, resort-like energy flows through every space— because there’s a reason people choose to live in Arizona, and we wanted that sun-soaked mood woven into everything we selected.
ARTIST SERIES
BRENT WARR
(IN) FASHION & FUNCTION
GEORGIA-BASED ARTIST BRENT WARR GIVES A GLIMPSE INTO HIS MULTIFACETED DESIGN BACKGROUND, ARTISTIC INSPIRATIONS AND PARTNERSHIP WITH LG GROUP ON SOL
Given the success he’s had as a visual artist, it’s surprising to learn that Brent Warr’s formal training and education is in a design discipline of an entirely different kind.
“My background is in environmental design,” the 2019 graduate of Auburn University’s School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape Architecture’s Environmental Design program said. “It’s basically as if graphic design, architecture and urban planning had a baby. It was all about holistic design thinking and how structures, landscapes and people all interact with one another, and the design behind it.”
Despite the seemingly non-linear path, his studies ingrained in Warr foundational skills that have been invaluable in getting him to where he is today. “I think it has helped me drastically with my career and my company,” he observed. “It’s just a completely different way of thinking about problems and systems.”
That career didn’t start by creating in a downtown artist’s loft, but rather as a designer with the leading interior design firms, Meyer Davis Studio and Yabu Pushelberg, in New York City.
During his tenure, Warr worked on ultra high-end hospitality and retail projects that inspired him as he refined his technical skills and style. “I think that seeing a certain level and type of work — the materials and pieces that were going into these projects — really inspired me about furniture and lighting specifically,” he reflected.
Despite the many client requests he handled for custom FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment), though, his contributions were limited to the front-end of the process.
“We would design [a piece] on AutoCAD, but then we would ship it out to China or the Philippines to get it made, so I didn’t have any experience actually physically building anything,” Warr recalled.
To gain that critical craft on the road to striking out on his own, Warr took the initiative and taught himself about construction — all with the blessing and support of his full-time employers, serving as yet another point of inspiration he gleaned from those initial professional experiences.
With the launch of his first collection in 2021, Warr burst onto the scene with a series of hand-sculpted furniture pieces with smooth, dot-like ball shapes protruding out of them — a new idea that evolved out of his own market research. And as it turned out, he had the perfect proprietary material to bring his vision to life.
“I created this plaster pulp — a glue and fiberglass mix — that we use to make our product,” he said. “It’s not something that you can just go out and buy; it’s something that I’ve spent the past four or five years refining and creating. [It allows us] to do some really cool stuff with furniture that you wouldn’t normally be able to do with wood or metal.”
It was the first in a series of signature features the artist’s “functional and fine art” has become known for: circles and spheres; convex or concave aspects; protrusions or insertions; and a warm, whimsical playfulness in design and tone.
All of these defining characteristics converge in epic artistic fashion in the custom sculpture Warr created in partnership with LG Group for the new 29-story mixed-use, multifamily development, Sol, in downtown Phoenix.
For Warr, partnering with the developer on a commissioned sculpture to serve as the visual focal point of the soaring 25-foot lobby atrium was an easy “yes.”
“I’ve done [large] sculptures, but I’ve never done something on the scale of that piece, which was really interesting,” he shared.
Little did Warr know how much size and scale would play into the project until he mapped out his vision.
“When we first designed it, it was only about six or seven-feet tall and maybe two-feet wide. I was looking at it [thinking], ‘You know, it needs to be bigger — like eight-feet tall by almost five-feet wide.’ It needed to be substantial,” Warr recalled.
With Sol situated steps from the Roosevelt Row arts district where galleries and street murals offer interesting perspectives every day, Warr knew that his custom work had to reflect the artistic spirit of the area, along with the sprawling surrounding desert that defines it.
“I was really inspired by the saguaro cactus and the other types of cacti in the Arizona and New Mexico area,” he shared. “I wanted to create this piece that felt very alive, but at the same time has [an] identity that is very location-based and also fits into my aesthetic.”
The result is a stunning bespoke statement sculpture standing over eight-feet tall that anchors the development’s dynamically designed lobby. The oversized white piece delivers the signature softness of Warr’s work in a beautiful complement to the curved and textured furniture selections, while juxtaposing with the wall glazing and architectural edges of the staircase and bar to add traffic-stopping dimension.
Marking his first large-scale sculpture installation for a project of this kind, Warr’s collaboration with LG Group on Sol is another milestone in the Bainbridge, Georgia native and recent returnee’s rapidly growing business.
“I’m excited that LG Group wanted to make an investment in public art,” he enthused. “I think that’s really great for a developer to do. It’s important that a space like [Sol] gets what it deserves.”
Words: LG Group
Photography: Brent Warr
The Trend Toward Timelessness
In his own words, Brent Warr comments on the evolution of high-end decor as functional art and how he creates for keeps.
“It’s a very new idea in the past 10 or 15 years that furniture and lighting can be collected like a piece of art on the wall or a sculpture. Yes, you have decades-old pieces from designers like Charles & Ray Eames and Le Corbusier who are no longer living whose work is collected. But now, we’re in an age where furniture and lighting are viewed through a fine art lens, rather than just being functional and operational.
With the Sol sculpture and all of my pieces, we’re thinking about function, but at the same time also creating something beautiful — a piece of art that’s one of a kind, which will hopefully be passed on to [future] generations or, if the project closes, moved to another place to be seen.” For more about the artist, visit www.brentwarr.com
BRENT WARR
XLG GROUP X TXA TXA COMMUNE IN RAW FULTON MARKET ARCHITECTURE
The Arthur Harris warehouse is one of those special, historic spaces scattered throughout the city. We had the privilege of stewarding this living space—hosting one unrepeatable dinner to experience the raw architecture before it stepped into its next role.
In collaboration with TXA TXA Club, we opened this space for a singular purpose—a dinner that allowed friends to gather, share a meal, and experience a setting that beautifully blended its storied past with its evolving future.
—Luke Roberts, Creative Director, LG Group
“A DINNER THAT ALLOWED FRIENDS TO GATHER, SHARE A MEAL, AND EXPERIENCE A SETTING THAT BEAUTIFULLY BLENDED ITS STORIED PAST WITH ITS EVOLVING FUTURE.”
Located in Chicago's Fulton Market, the Harris warehouse preserved its original thirty-five foot ceilings and exposed bow truss design, an engineering technique popularized in the mid 20th century that allows a space to span greater distances without the use of other structural support.
Think: bridges, bowling alleys, supermarkets, auto repair shops. And of course, industrial warehouses. Spaces of communion, common interest, of collective purpose.
This kind of design—buttressed through bows and arches—is formed through an interconnected system of reliance, as each individual truss provides indispensable support for the network as a whole. A system, in essence, in which the collective whole is much greater than the sum of its individual parts.
“AND OF COURSE, INDUSTRIAL WAREHOUSES. SPACES OF COMMUNION, COMMON INTEREST, OF COLLECTIVE PURPOSE.”
“A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS BECOMES BOTH REPRESENTATIONALLY AND ACTUALLY STRONGER IN PURPOSE, PURSUIT, AND PRESENCE.”
But isn't this, too, how a community works? That together, driven by a shared intention and a common system of values, a group of individuals becomes both representationally and actually stronger in purpose, pursuit, and presence.
A bow string truss design is one in which form not only informs function, but also lends itself to an inherent elegance in aesthetic design.
We used this inspiration to create a menu with ingredients whose inherent forms and structures lent themselves to creating a kind of internal logic of play and purpose, structure and style, ultimately creating a dinner that galvanized a sense of community through culinary practice.
—Liz
Bendure, Creative Director & Co-Founder, TXA TXA
“ULTIMATELY CREATING A DINNER THAT GALVANIZED A SENSE OF COMMUNITY THROUGH CULINARY PRACTICE.”
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
1516 W CARROLL AVE FULTON MARKET, CHICAGO
MORE THAN A CLIENT RELATIONSHIP
When the weather turned cold and rainy during a build in East Garfield Park, the LG Builders, LG Advantage and The Roof Crop team didn’t let the elements dampen their spirits. Instead, they channeled their energy into something much bigger than themselves—constructing a greenhouse that will serve as a cornerstone for urban agriculture and community development.
The project represents the kind of meaningful partnership that goes beyond typical client relationships. For LG Group, The Roof Crop Foundation isn’t just a client—they’re friends and collaborators in building stronger communities. This latest endeavor saw our crew donate their time across four intensive days, working alongside TRCF team members to bring this vision to life.
A PROJECT CLOSE TO LEADERSHIP’S HEART
For LG Builders Vice President Kirk Bacastow, this project hits different. He’s always been passionate about community development, and seeing what The Roof Crop Foundation does really resonates with him.
“I love what these guys are doing,” Bacastow says about TRCF. “They’re building real community connections through urban agriculture. It’s not just about growing food—it’s about creating spaces where neighbors can come together, where local businesses can thrive, and where people can learn new skills. It was because of this mission, but more importantly, because I knew it could be of help, that I chose to join the board.”
WHAT’S BEING BUILT AT MUSTER POINT
The new Community Hive sits in Muster Point, right in East Garfield Park, and it’s designed to be exactly what the name suggests—a hive of activity. The propagation greenhouse will be headquarters for TRCF’s Urban Agriculture Plant Start program, plus an outdoor gathering space where local businesses and nonprofits can host events and sell their goods.
Through their hands-on programs, TRCF works with local organizations to teach people across the Chicago area about urban farming and sustainable agriculture. Participants harvest on rooftop farms, participate in demonstrations, and cook and eat what they’ve grown at Maxwell’s Trading,
WHAT’S NEXT
The greenhouse is complete, as site work continues to get everything ready for the summer opening. When fully operational, the Community Hive will anchor urban agriculture, education, and community events.
For our team, this project reinforces why we do what we do. Yes, we build commercial projects and residential developments, but when we can use our skills to build something that directly impacts a community, that’s when the work feels most meaningful.
Those rainy days swinging hammers and raising walls were just the beginning. We’re looking forward to seeing what The Roof Crop Foundation accomplishes in their new space and finding more ways to support their mission in East Garfield Park and beyond.
A LOOK AT THE BOOKS WE CAN’T PUT DOWN AND ARE EAGER TO PASS ON
A PARADISE OF SMALL HOUSES: THE EVOLUTION, DEVOLUTION, AND POTENTIAL REBIRTH OF URBAN HOUSING
In A Paradise of Small Houses, Podemski charts how these dwellings have evolved over the centuries according to the geography, climate, population, and culture of each city. He introduces the reader to styles like Chicago’s prefabricated workers cottages and LA’s car-friendly dingbats, illuminating the human stories behind each city’s iconic housing type.
Through it all, Podemski interrogates the American values that have equated home ownership with success and led to the US housing crisis, asking, “How can we look to the past to build the homes, neighborhoods, and cities of the future that our communities deserve?”
RADICAL ADAPTATION: TRANSFORMING CITIES FOR A CLIMATE CHANGED WORLD
This book considers the everyday conduits through which climate instability is revealing itself: the storm sewer drain on your street, the power lines transporting your electricity, the mix of vegetation in your backyard or neighborhood park –these are the pathways through which climate change is most likely to impact your life.
For many, these are the last places we expect it to. The first book to establish a framework for climate change adaptation, Stone’s aim is to understand how climate change is altering our lives in the present period – this period of transition between the ancient, stable climate of our ancestors and the unfolding, no longer stable climate of our children – and how our cities might adapt to these changes.
Stone’s concern is with the risks posed by a new environmental regime for which our modes of living are ill-adapted, and with how these modes of living must be altered – radically altered – to persist in a climate changed world.
Success in real estate development requires understanding how spaces shape human experience and how our choices create lasting impact. These four books explore the forces that drive thriving urban life: the psychology of our built environments, housing economics, climate adaptation, and the proven wisdom found in great neighborhoods. The best projects emerge when we ask not just whether they pencil out, but whether they contribute to places where people flourish. This quarter’s selections help us ground our decisions in both market opportunity and human potential.
THE NEW URBAN CRISIS
In recent years, the young, educated, and affluent have surged back into cities, reversing decades of suburban flight and urban decline. And yet all is not well, Richard Florida argues in The New Urban Crisis. Florida, one of the first scholars to anticipate this back-to-the-city movement in his groundbreaking The Rise of the Creative Class, demonstrates how the same forces that power the growth of the world’s superstar cities also generate their vexing challenges: gentrification, unaffordability, segregation, and inequality.
Meanwhile, many more cities still stagnate, and middle-class neighborhoods everywhere are disappearing. Our winner-take-all cities are just one manifestation of a profound crisis in today’s urbanized knowledge economy.
A bracingly original work of research and analysis, The New Urban Crisis offers a compelling diagnosis of our economic ills and a bold prescription for more inclusive cities capable of ensuring growth and prosperity for all.
THE GREAT INDOORS: THE SURPRISING SCIENCE OF HOW BUILDINGS SHAPE OUR BEHAVIOR, HEALTH, AND HAPPINESS
Along the way, Anthes takes readers into an operating room designed to minimize medical errors, a school designed to boost students’ physical fitness, and a prison designed to support inmates’ psychological needs. And she previews the homes of the future, from the high-tech houses that could monitor our health to the 3D-printed structures that might allow us to live on the Moon.
The Great Indoors provides a fresh perspective on our most familiar surroundings and a new understanding of the power of architecture and design. It’s an argument for thoughtful interventions into the built environment and a story about how to build a better world one room at a time.
GABE LEAHU
DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING LG GROUP
Q | When did you first know you wanted to pursue a career in this field and what brought you to LG?
A | I started working for a family friend’s architecture firm at 15 and never looked back. It was just 2-3 of us staying busy during the condo conversion heyday. We also did apartment renovations for Chicago Apartment Finders, whose owners I’d later encounter at LG.
The ease of condo and apartment work enticed me to skip college and jump right in. My mother caught wind and applied effective Eastern-European parenting skills to intervene. To appease her, I applied to one university: Illinois Institute of Technology’s top-rated architecture program that only admits 100 students annually. My plan would survive—until I was somehow accepted. I was devastated all summer until fortune struck: IIT regretted to inform me they’d mistakenly over-admitted and a lottery produced my name. My plan would survive again—until my mother caught wind. She spent 8 hours in the admissions office, made some poor lady sift through papers under her desk, and somehow I was re-admitted. I can only assume they kicked out some overseas kid with less risk of parental protest. My plan died.
After 5 years in architecture, a developer-architect hired me from his studio class. I worked on JeffJack development but was overworked and underpaid, drifting into construction management. If I was going to do construction management, I wanted to get good at it somewhere—that’s when I applied to LG. I was probably under-qualified, especially for the Deming town-homes, but my honesty made an impression. When Wendy asked where I saw myself in 5 years, I said self-employed. I’m writing this 12 years later.
Oh, and BTW—at 15, I never wanted that job. My best friend was supposed to get it, but my EasternEuropean mom somehow convinced the employer to hire me instead. I only found out from my less-thanbest friend 10 years later.
Q | What are some ways you stay motivated and focused throughout the work week?
A | I work best in pockets of time rather than long stretches. I’ve been fortunate to build enough trust with my employers to spread my workload beyond traditional hours. If I can work for 4 hours, then garden or play with my son Roen for 2 hours, and finish another 4 hours later... I guarantee those last 4 hours will be twice as productive and higher quality.
Q | What is one thing you cannot live without and why?
A | I cannot live without blood thinners. Jokes aside, I cant live without a worthy challenge to keep me sharp. Whether it’s becoming a master of gardening seed-to-harvest, finishing 1000 piece puzzles in one sitting, renovating a property as single-handedly as possible, or tackling work related challenges that are outside my comfort zone or expertise. The best challenge just started; being a good dad.
Q | What is your favorite project or memory from your time at LG Group?
A | Tough to pinpoint a singular item. I’ve always loved walking job sites and will never forget the intense community group and neighbor meetings, whether good or bad. The growing pains of our original office - cramped quarters and making do as we expanded. Being here for 12 years, I’ve watched LG evolve from those scrappy early days, and there’s something special about experiencing that growth firsthand. But really, it’s the people LG has brought together. I hear friends gripe about their coworkers. Only good memories here.
Q | Leave us with one recommendation for what to do this month?
A | Kiss your kids
Date your partners
Take care of yourselves... mentally, physically, and spiritually.
SUMMER
JACK CATE Project Manager | LG Builders
WELCOME TO THE TEAM
Jack joins the team as a Project Manager and brings nearly a decade of experience as an Owner’s Representative before transitioning to general contracting. With a strong background across hospitality, commercial, and industrial sectors, he excels at managing all phases of construction while building lasting relationships with clients, architects, and subcontractors. Jack’s expertise in preconstruction planning helps increase budget and schedule certainty through his collaborative approach focused on trust and mutual success. A California-raised son of Chicagoans, Jack returned to his roots in Logan Square in 2023, where he enjoys exploring the city’s culinary scene, playing softball, and perfecting his golf game.
MAURICE RANDLE JR. Project Accountant | LG Builders
Maurice joins the team as a Project Accountant for LG Builders and serves as the financial checkpoint for a variety of projects while working closely with project managers to ensure LG’s brand of service is always on display. With his keen attention to detail and collaborative approach, Maurice helps maintain the high standards that define LG’s reputation in the industry. A Chicago native, Maurice is thrilled to be helping shape the architectural landscape of his hometown.
VINCENT TUMINELLO Director of Field Operations | LG Builders
Vincent joins the team as Senior Superintendent and brings over 30 years of construction experience, most recently leading the field team for Pepper Construction’s Interiors Group. Prior to Pepper, he served in the same capacity at Power Construction as a founding member of their Workplace Group. Throughout his career, Vincent has excelled at uniting teams by establishing systems, standards, and processes while providing leadership and coaching to superintendent teams. He has embraced innovation through new technology implementation and mentorship programs, with his energy and relationship-building skills playing a key role in business development efforts. Vincent’s strategic approach to field operations and deep understanding of construction align perfectly with LG’s commitment to operational excellence.
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FLOW STATE
CURATED BY OFFSHOOT CREATIVE
On The Nature of Daylight
Max Richter
Says Nils Frahm
Time (You and I) Khruangbin
Opening Philip Glass
Your Hand in Mine
Explosions in the Sky
Ordinary Pleasure Toro y Moi
Air on A G String
Bach
Indoor Swimming at the Space Station Eluvium
Montreal Roosevelt
Rose Quartz Toro y Moi
Feel Good
Maribou State, Khruangbin
Dumb Love
Neil Frances
Piano Sonata No. 11 in A Major Mozart
Lightenup Parcels
Written on the Sky
Max Richter
Ambre Nils Frahm White Gloves Khruangbin
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