370, 260 square feet of dining, shopping, entertainment, and living space. $265 million in investments. And after eight years of construction, it’s complete: among much more, the first movie theater, sports goods store, and bowling alley within 1.7 miles of Parker.

The New City Complex, named after the New City YMCA previously in its place, is located at 1501 N. Halsted Street. Near the North and Clybourn L station and the Lincoln Park Apple store. The complex, which opened gradually at the end of September, consists of five retail stores, five restaurants, the 14 screen ArcLight Cinema, Kings Bowl, Chicago’s largest Mariano’s grocery store, and 199 rental apartments.

Parker community members can now watch new releases or documentaries at the cinema, just the second in Lincoln Park; go shopping for apparel or candy; or dine out after school or during a science break and lunch.

Senior Partner at Chicago-based retail consultancy McMillanDoolittle Neil Stern believes that New City will be a success in Lincoln Park. The complex is surrounded by stores with high retail activity, which can benefit New City, according to Stern.

“Will competition impact existing retailers?” Stern told the Chicago Tribune. “Will Mariano’s take away from Whole Foods? Possibly.  But there isn’t a great sporting goods store around there, and there isn’t a movie theater around here.”

Structured Development and Bucksbaum Retail Properties are responsible for the development of this project. Structured Development originally started the project in 2007, but the construction was delayed during the 2008 economic crisis and when the company lost its investment partner. After three years of little progress, Bucksbaum Retail Properties decided to invest in the project, and construction resumed in 2013.

Structured Development Principal J. Michael Drew says that the New City Complex will bring marketing opportunities to its tenants.  

“It’s an established, mature retail corridor,” Structured Development Principal J. Michael Drew said during a Chicago Real Estate Daily interview. “The demographics and density are already there. It’s a really easy marketing effort to say, ‘Here is the next available site if you want to be in this market.’”

The New City Complex is 80% leased, according to Drew. He hopes that the New City stores will draw customers from stores on neighboring Kingsbury street. Drew hopes the complex will make $200 million in retail sales over its first year.

Sophomore Zoe Gardner, a Lincoln Park resident, is counting down the days until the arrival of the New City Complex.

“I think it’s really cool how students are going to have a lot more activities that are close by,” Gardner said, “and they can just allow people to have more fun close to school.”

Junior Marc Taylor, a Hyde Park resident, is also looking forward to experience the new activities the complex has to offer. The complex will be a great way for Parker students to spend their time outside of the building, he said.

Upper School English teacher Cory Zeller believes the complex will encourage social activity among students, but is partially against its establishment because of the area’s history.

“I think it’s nice to create a hub in a neighborhood that used to be a no-zone because of Cabrini-Green,” Zeller said. “So there’s a lot of mixed feelings about what they’re doing there partly because of the history of that site.”

Cabrini-Green, a Chicago Housing Authority public housing enterprise, located where the New City Complex is now, as notorious because of the outbreaks of crime that occurred around the area and the poor conditions of its tenants, who experienced neglect from the owners, from pest infestations to unrepaired household utilities. Cabrini-Green was demolished in 2011.

Dean of Students Edward Amos sees the New City Complex as an opportunity for students and adults alike to spend time together.

“If I’m not mistaken, there’s a bowling alley there, and there’s only a handful of those here in Chicago, Amos said. “I think that it will be a great place to bowl, and shop, and eat, and that whole area has gone through dramatic change in the past five to 10 years, so I think it’s great.”