Skyward & Soulful: Near West Side Marks MLK History While a New Fulton Market Tower Tops Out

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Near West Side · July 15, 2026

Near West Side neighbors, this week your community is celebrating both its roots and its rising skyline — and the combination couldn't feel more fitting for midsummer.

First, a moment of community pride: a Near West Side congregation gathered over the weekend to commemorate 60 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke within its walls — a powerful milestone that connects the neighborhood's storied civil rights legacy to the vibrant, growing community it is today. It's the kind of living history that reminds us why place matters, and why the Near West Side's story is one worth telling again and again.

Meanwhile, construction cranes are writing a new chapter just down the street. The 19-story residential tower at 1221 W. Washington has officially topped out, marking a major milestone for what will become 287 new homes — with ground-floor retail — right in the heart of the Fulton Market District. And just around the corner at 900 W. Fulton, a demolition permit signals the next chapter for Midwest Property Group's ambitious three-building redevelopment, which will deliver nearly 10,000 square feet of street-front retail alongside new residential and office space when complete.

From honoring 60 years of civil rights history to watching new towers touch the sky, the Near West Side is proving it holds both memory and momentum in equal measure. Get out this week, explore your neighborhood — and follow Socialhood for all the latest updates!

Sources:
1. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/local-news/
2. https://chicago.urbanize.city/
3. https://chicagoyimby.com/category/fulton-market