There's progress at the West Loop site of the former Harpo Studios, Oprah Winfrey's production company, which was recently demolished to make room for McDonald's new corporate headquarters. The Chicago Plan Commission last week gave the go-ahead to developer Sterling Bay to build a "vendor village" at the site that would house the companies doing business with Mickey D's. And across the street, another part of the Harpo complex will be demolished to make room for a condominium project.

The $47.2 million, 224,000-square-foot McDonald's development is aiming to be a big economic boon to the neighborhood: According to Crain's, the village will bring workers from the fast food chain's suburban vendors to the city, and overall the project should bring 1,100 jobs—140 for construction of the building, and 960 long-term positions in the building.

A rendering of the Booth Hansen-designed condos going up at the site of a Harpo Studios facility (Booth Hansen)

The commission also approved the demolition of another Harpo structure across the street, and Curbed reports two condominium buildings designed by Booth Hansen will rise in its place. Each building will be nine stories tall and include 28 multi-bedroom, "family-style" condos priced up to $500 per square foot.

The McDonald's HQ should be complete by spring 2018, and construction on the condos at the Harpo site should start in April or May.

Sources:

Harpo Studios demolished to make room for new McDonald's headquarters [Chicago Tribune]

New McDonald's 'Vendor Village' gets plan commission OK [Crain's Chicago Business]

Another remnant of Oprah’s former Harpo Studios to be demolished [Curbed Chicago]