Why Chicago's LaSalle Corridor Conversions Need Digital Signage Built Into the Plan

Why Chicago's LaSalle Corridor Conversions Need Digital Signage Built Into the Plan

3 minute read | Updated April 7, 2026

Chicago is in the middle of one of the most ambitious urban redevelopment stories in the country — and it's playing out block by block along LaSalle Street in the heart of the Loop.

The LaSalle Corridor initiative isn't a speculative trend piece or a think tank projection. It's a named, city-funded, multi-building adaptive reuse program with real buildings, real timelines, and real money behind it. As of early 2025, six projects had been formally advanced under the initiative, collectively representing nearly $900 million in total investment and backed by an additional $300 million in TIF funding from the Community Development Commission.

For architects, developers, and property managers working in this space right now, the pressure is real: deliver historic buildings transformed into competitive, amenity-rich residential communities — on budget, on schedule, and in compliance with landmark preservation requirements — while meeting the expectations of a modern renter who has never lived downtown before.

That's a complicated brief. And one piece of it that consistently gets underplanned is lobby and building technology — specifically, where digital signage, resident communication systems, visitor management, and package solutions fit into the design, and when those decisions need to be made.

The answer, for any project of this scale and complexity, is earlier than most teams think.

What Makes the LaSalle Corridor Different

Office-to-residential conversions are happening in cities across the country. Chicago isn't unique in recognizing that underutilized downtown office inventory can be repositioned as housing. What makes the LaSalle Corridor different is the specificity and the structure of the program.

This isn't a zoning incentive applied broadly across the metro. It's a targeted initiative focused on a defined stretch of LaSalle Street, with city coordination, TIF support, and public-private partnerships that give the program real momentum. Chicago ranks third nationally in planned office-to-apartment conversions, and over 67.5 million square feet of Chicago office space has been identified as suitable for residential conversion — representing 18% of the metro's total office inventory, well above the national average.

The buildings themselves are another differentiator. LaSalle Street was the financial spine of Chicago for most of the twentieth century. The architecture reflects that history: Beaux-Arts banking halls, ornate lobbies built to communicate institutional permanence, high ceilings designed to impress corporate clients, and lower-level spaces that once housed trading floors and vault rooms. These aren't generic 1980s suburban office parks. They're architecturally significant structures with strong bones, unique spatial characters, and in many cases, active landmark designations that govern what can and cannot be changed.

That combination — historic character, complex spatial programming, landmark oversight, and the pressure to deliver market-rate and mixed-income residential units — creates a project environment where technology planning needs to be integrated early, not bolted on at the end.

The Projects Taking Shape Right Now

30 N. LaSalle is one of the most closely watched conversions in the corridor. The project will transform 432,000 square feet of office space into 349 residential units, with a completion target in the first quarter of 2026. The scope is substantial: a new building facade, a fully reimagined lobby, and nearly 25,000 square feet of amenity space. For a building of this size, with this level of architectural intervention, the lobby technology plan needs to be in the drawings — not handled during construction administration.

The Pittsfield Building is a 38-story Art Deco landmark that was recently approved for conversion into 214 residential apartments. Buildings like the Pittsfield carry real design constraints. The character of the lobby, the materials, the proportions — all of it is part of what makes the building worth saving. Integrating modern technology systems in a way that respects that character requires coordination between the signage consultant, the interior designer, and the preservation architect from early in the process.

These two buildings represent the range of what the LaSalle Corridor initiative includes: large-scale office towers being repositioned as residential communities, each with its own architectural identity, its own preservation considerations, and its own set of resident communication and wayfinding challenges.

Why Lobbies Are the Hardest Part to Get Right

In a new construction multifamily building, the lobby is designed from the ground up to serve residents. The team knows from day one that there will be a digital directory, a package room with a management screen, a video intercom system, and probably a TV or amenity display somewhere in the lounge. All of that gets coordinated during design development. Conduit goes in the right walls. Power drops land in the right places. The millwork is designed around the technology.

In an adaptive reuse conversion, none of that is guaranteed.

The lobby of a former corporate headquarters was designed to impress visitors — not to manage daily resident traffic, package volume, and guest access. The spatial logic is different. The infrastructure is different. And in a landmark building, the constraints on what you can do to the walls, the floors, and the ceiling are tightly regulated.

That means every technology decision in a converted lobby requires more coordination, more lead time, and more creative problem-solving than the equivalent decision in new construction. Where does the digital directory go — and how does it get power and data without cutting through a marble wall? How does the visitor management screen integrate with the intercom system when the intercom rough-in was never planned for that location? Where does the package management display mount in a package room that was retrofitted from a former server room or storage space?

These questions have answers. But they're much easier — and much less expensive — to answer during design development than during construction.

What Residents Actually Expect

The market context matters here. The residents who will lease apartments in LaSalle Corridor conversion buildings are choosing between these projects and purpose-built luxury multifamily developments in Fulton Market, the West Loop, and Streeterville. They have options. And they're used to buildings where technology is seamlessly integrated, not visibly patched in.

That means the lobby technology in a converted LaSalle Street tower needs to work as well as the lobby technology in a brand-new building — even though the building is a hundred years old and the infrastructure was never designed for it.

What does that actually look like in practice?

Digital directories need to be current, readable, and intuitive. In a mixed-income building with hundreds of units, residents and guests need to find people quickly. A printed directory behind glass doesn't cut it. A screen mounted on a podium with outdated unit information doesn't cut it either. A properly specified, well-placed digital directory — integrated with the building's unit management system — solves the problem cleanly.

Visitor management is increasingly expected to be handled digitally, not through a staffed front desk. Residents want to grant access remotely. Guests want a clear process when they arrive. Delivery drivers need a reliable way to reach the right person. Systems that handle all of this — video intercoms, access control integration, mobile credential support — need to be specified early and coordinated with the building's broader security plan.

Package management has become one of the most operationally complex problems in multifamily residential. Volume has increased dramatically over the past decade, and buildings that don't plan for it end up with package rooms that don't function, lobbies cluttered with Amazon boxes, and resident complaints that compound over time. A package management display — coordinated with the right room size, the right storage solution, and the right notification system — is a planning decision, not a furniture decision.

Resident communication screens in amenity spaces, elevator lobbies, and mail rooms give property managers a direct line to residents: upcoming events, maintenance notices, lease renewal reminders, local neighborhood content. In a building where the property manager may not have a full-time concierge, these screens carry real operational value. But they need to be in the right locations, with the right content management infrastructure behind them.

The Cost of Getting It Wrong

Teams that skip the early technology planning conversation on conversion projects tend to encounter the same problems.

Screens get mounted in locations that were never designed for them — on columns, on temporary pedestals, in spots where the sightlines are wrong and the power runs are visible. Conduit that should have been sleeved through a concrete wall during demolition gets value-engineered out and then has to be added back later at three times the cost. Package rooms get built to the wrong dimensions because no one specified the storage system during design. Intercom systems get installed in lobby locations that conflict with the millwork, because the millwork was designed without knowing where the intercom was going.

None of these are catastrophic failures. Buildings open. Residents move in. But the operational friction compounds over time, and the cost of fixing it — replacing hardware, re-routing conduit, relocating screens — is always higher after the fact than it would have been to plan correctly from the start.

For LaSalle Corridor projects specifically, where the buildings are architecturally complex, the timelines are aggressive, and the TIF funding structures create real schedule pressure, the margin for these kinds of do-overs is thin.

What Early Planning Actually Looks Like

Bringing a digital signage and building technology consultant into a conversion project during design development doesn't add significant cost or complexity to the process. What it does is ensure that the right questions get asked at the right time.

That means:

Lobby directory placement gets considered alongside reception desk design and millwork layouts — not after the millwork shop drawings are issued

Power and data drops for all resident-facing screens get included in the MEP coordination set — not added as RFIs during construction

Package room dimensions get sized to accommodate the chosen storage and display system — not retrofitted after the fact

Wayfinding strategy gets developed in coordination with the interior design team — so signage locations, mounting methods, and materials are resolved before finishes are selected

Preservation constraints get factored into mounting and installation decisions early — so there are no surprises when the landmark commission reviews the construction documents

For buildings like 30 N. LaSalle and the Pittsfield, where the lobby is a significant architectural feature and a major part of the resident value proposition, this kind of early coordination is the difference between a lobby that feels intentional and one that feels like technology was added after the fact.

A Note on Mixed-Income Considerations

Several of the LaSalle Corridor conversion projects are structured as mixed-income developments, combining market-rate units with affordable housing in the same building. That's an important part of the program's design — and it has implications for how technology gets specified and managed.

Mixed-income buildings need technology systems that are intuitive and accessible for all residents, not just those who are digitally native or accustomed to high-touch amenity environments. Directory systems need to be clear and simple. Package management processes need to be communicated effectively. Visitor access systems need to work reliably without requiring residents to navigate complex app-based workflows if they don't want to.

This is a place where thoughtful technology planning — not just hardware specification — makes a real difference in how a building operates and how residents experience it.

The Bottom Line for LaSalle Corridor Projects

The LaSalle Corridor initiative is producing some of the most architecturally interesting and operationally complex residential conversions in the country. The buildings are significant. The investment is substantial. The design teams working these projects are navigating real constraints — preservation requirements, TIF timelines, mixed-income programming, and the expectations of a competitive residential market.

Digital signage and building technology systems are a small part of the overall budget on a project like this. But they're a highly visible part of the resident experience, and they're a part of the project where getting the planning right — or getting it wrong — has compounding consequences.

The right time to have the conversation is during design development, when the floor plans are still flexible, the MEP coordination set is still being assembled, and the millwork hasn't gone to bid yet.

If your project is already past that point, there are still good paths forward. But earlier is always better.

Ready to Talk Through Your Project?

Whether you're in schematic design, deep into construction documents, or approaching a lease-up on a building that needs a technology refresh, iTouch can help you build a plan that fits the building, the timeline, and the budget.

We work with architects, developers, general contractors, and property managers across Chicago and the broader metro — on conversion projects, new construction, and existing building upgrades.

Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc. provides digital signage strategy, hardware, and installation for residential, mixed-use, and commercial properties throughout Chicago and the surrounding region.

Get in touch with a Navigo expert today. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the LaSalle Corridor conversion initiative, and why does it matter?

The LaSalle Corridor initiative is a targeted, city-funded adaptive reuse program focused on converting underutilized office buildings along LaSalle Street in Chicago's Loop into residential and mixed-use properties. As of early 2025, six projects had been formally advanced under the program, representing nearly $900 million in total investment and backed by an additional $300 million in TIF support from the Community Development Commission.

What makes it significant — beyond the dollar figures — is the specificity of the program. This isn't a broad zoning incentive applied across the metro. It's a structured, coordinated initiative with named buildings, defined timelines, and active public-private partnerships. For architects, developers, and property managers, that structure creates both opportunity and real schedule pressure.

Which buildings are currently part of the LaSalle Corridor program?

Two of the most prominent projects are 30 N. LaSalle and the Pittsfield Building. 30 N. LaSalle will convert 432,000 square feet of former office space into 349 residential units, with a completion target in Q1 2026. The project includes a new facade, a fully reimagined lobby, and nearly 25,000 square feet of amenity space. The Pittsfield Building — a 38-story Art Deco landmark — was recently approved for conversion into 214 residential apartments. Additional projects are active throughout the corridor, and the program continues to advance.

Why is Chicago such a significant market for office-to-residential conversions?

Chicago ranks third nationally in planned office-to-apartment conversions. More than 67.5 million square feet of Chicago office space has been identified as suitable for residential conversion — representing 18% of the metro's total office inventory, which is well above the national average. The LaSalle Corridor specifically concentrates a large portion of that opportunity in a defined geographic area, with architectural stock that is genuinely compelling: Beaux-Arts banking halls, high-ceiling lower levels, and grand lobbies that were built for a different era but have the bones to support a very different future.

Why does digital signage need to be part of the design plan from the beginning?

Because retrofitting technology into a finished building — especially a historically significant one — is expensive, disruptive, and almost always produces compromised results. Conduit that should have been sleeved through a concrete wall during demolition has to be added back later at a fraction of the original cost. Screens end up mounted on columns or pedestals because no one coordinated placement with the millwork. Package rooms get built to the wrong dimensions because the storage and display system was never specified during design.

None of these are building-ending failures, but they add up. They create operational friction that compounds over years. And in landmark buildings with tight preservation constraints, the cost of fixing after-the-fact technology decisions is significantly higher than planning correctly from the start.

What types of technology systems need to be planned for in a converted residential lobby?

Most office-to-residential conversions require a coordinated set of systems that all need to work together and all need to be accounted for in the drawings:

Digital directories allow residents and guests to find units quickly and accurately. In a building with hundreds of units, a printed directory behind glass isn't a functional solution. A properly specified digital directory — integrated with the building's unit management system — needs a planned location, power, and data.

Visitor management systems handle guest access, delivery coordination, and remote entry — increasingly without requiring a staffed front desk. These systems need to be coordinated with the building's intercom and access control infrastructure from the beginning of MEP coordination.

Package management displays are a growing operational necessity in multifamily residential. Volume has increased dramatically, and buildings that don't plan for it — in terms of room size, storage system, and display technology — end up with chronic lobby congestion and resident complaints.

Resident communication screens in amenity spaces, elevator lobbies, and mail rooms give property managers a direct channel to residents for announcements, events, maintenance notices, and building updates. Their value is directly tied to placement — screens in the wrong locations don't get seen.

Wayfinding signage is particularly important in converted office buildings, where former corporate corridors are being repurposed as residential hallways and amenity levels. Residents and guests need clear, intuitive navigation — especially in buildings where the spatial logic doesn't follow a standard residential layout.

How do landmark preservation requirements affect digital signage planning in LaSalle Corridor buildings?

Significantly. Buildings like the Pittsfield are architecturally and historically significant, which means installation methods, mounting hardware, penetrations through historic materials, and placement all need to be reviewed against preservation requirements. What you can attach to a marble wall, how you run conduit through a terra cotta facade, where you can place a screen in a landmarked lobby — all of these decisions require coordination between the signage consultant, the interior designer, and the preservation architect.

When that coordination happens early — during design development — there's time to find solutions that respect the building's character without compromising functionality. When it happens late, the options narrow and the costs go up.

What does early digital signage planning actually look like in practice?

It means bringing a technology consultant into the project during schematic design or early design development — before wall types are locked in, before MEP coordination is complete, and before millwork goes to bid. In practical terms, that looks like:

Lobby directory placement being considered alongside reception desk design, so the screen location, power drop, and data connection are part of the millwork drawings from the start. Package room dimensions being sized to accommodate the chosen storage and display system, not retrofitted after the fact. Wayfinding locations being identified in coordination with the interior design team, so mounting methods and materials are resolved before finishes are selected. Power and data drops for all resident-facing screens being included in the MEP coordination set, rather than added as RFIs during construction.

None of this requires a significant addition to the design team's scope. It requires the right conversation at the right time.

What are the unique challenges of technology planning in mixed-income conversion buildings?

Several LaSalle Corridor projects are structured as mixed-income developments, combining market-rate and affordable units in the same building. That has real implications for how technology gets specified. Systems need to be intuitive and accessible for all residents — not just those who are accustomed to high-touch amenity environments or comfortable navigating complex app-based workflows.

Directory systems need to be clear and simple. Package management processes need to be communicated effectively to everyone in the building. Visitor access systems need to work reliably without requiring residents to download three apps and create two accounts. Thoughtful technology planning — not just hardware specification — makes a meaningful difference in how equitably a building's systems serve its full population of residents.

How does the resident experience in a converted building compare to new construction, and how does technology factor in?

Residents choosing a LaSalle Corridor conversion building are making that choice against purpose-built luxury multifamily in Fulton Market, the West Loop, and Streeterville. They have options. And they're used to buildings where technology is seamlessly integrated — not visibly patched in or obviously added after the fact.

That means the lobby technology in a converted LaSalle Street tower needs to work as well as the equivalent systems in a brand-new building — even though the building is a hundred years old and the infrastructure was never designed for it. The architectural history of the building is an asset. The operational experience for residents needs to match it.

What happens if technology planning is addressed late in the project — during construction administration or after completion?

Late-stage technology integration is always more expensive and almost always produces worse outcomes. The specific consequences vary by project, but common patterns include screens mounted in suboptimal locations because the preferred location was already drywalled and painted, conduit runs that are visible because they couldn't be concealed in finished walls, package rooms that are undersized because no one specified the storage system during design, and intercom locations that conflict with millwork because the millwork was designed without knowing where the intercom was going.

For LaSalle Corridor projects specifically — where TIF funding structures create real schedule pressure, preservation requirements limit installation options, and the competitive residential market leaves little room for operational shortcomings — the cost of getting technology planning wrong is higher than average.

At what point in the project should we bring Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc.  into the conversation?

Ideally during schematic design or early design development, when the floor plans are still flexible and the MEP coordination set is still being assembled. That's when early involvement has the highest return — when the right decisions cost nothing extra to make and the wrong decisions haven't been locked in yet.

That said, Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc.  works with projects at any stage. If your project is already in construction documents, in construction, or approaching a lease-up with technology gaps that need to be addressed, there are still good paths forward. Earlier is always better, but it's never too late to get the plan right.

Does Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc. work with architects and general contractors, or only with property managers and building owners?

Both. Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc. works across the full project lifecycle — with architects and interior designers during design development, with general contractors during construction coordination, and with property managers and ownership groups during lease-up, stabilization, and ongoing building operation. For conversion projects specifically, earlier engagement produces better outcomes, but the relationship often continues well past opening day.

Does Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc. work on projects outside the LaSalle Corridor?

Yes. Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc. serves residential, mixed-use, and commercial properties across Chicago and the broader metro area. The LaSalle Corridor represents a concentration of high-profile, architecturally complex conversions happening right now, but the same planning principles apply to office-to-residential conversions anywhere in the city, new construction multifamily lease-ups, and existing building technology upgrades.

Ready to talk through your project?

Whether you're in early design, deep into construction documents, or preparing for a lease-up, Interactive Touchscreen Solutions, Inc. can help you build a technology plan that fits the building, the timeline, and the budget.

Contact us today to learn more about Navigo® for your property.