- 345 Memorial Dr, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
- 815-568-1880
Client: Hawksmoor (UK-born steakhouse)
Location: 500 N LaSalle Dr, Chicago, IL (River North)
Building: Former LaSalle Street Cable Car Powerhouse — a designated Chicago Landmark, built 1886–1887
Size: ~16,500 sq ft over multiple levels
Gallant Services: Preconstruction services, selective demolition, competitive bid → awarded GC
Grand Opening: June 2024
Hawksmoor selected Chicago for its biggest U.S. restaurant to date—an American “home of beef”—and chose the historic LaSalle Powerhouse, a late-19th-century cable-car facility that once helped bring ~100,000 commuters downtown daily.
The brief:
Celebrate the landmark’s fabric while delivering a world-class dining experience worthy of Hawksmoor’s reputation.
Historic‐structure due diligence. Coordinated early with design and ownership to align scope with Chicago Landmarks requirements and the building’s existing conditions (masonry, timber joists, barrel-vaulted ceilings).
Budgeting & phasing. Built a target‐value budget around a complex, multi-level fit-out (~16.5k SF) and a go-live tied to a summer 2024 opening.
MEP & kitchen planning. Front-loaded kitchen/exhaust and make-up air strategies for Hawksmoor’s charcoal cookery, balancing performance with preservation constraints (duct routing, vibration, and acoustic control).
Fabric protection. Developed demo plans that exposed and preserved original brickwork and timber while removing non-contributing partitions and obsolete utilities.
Environmental & structural checks. Sequenced abatement and temporary shoring to protect landmark elements during removals.
Trade partner strategy. Issued detailed bid packages with historic-restoration alternates (masonry repointing, timber repair, decorative lighting integration).
Value optimization. Locked pricing on long-lead elements (custom lighting, bar millwork, parquet flooring) and identified alternates that maintained the design narrative.
Gallant’s approach earned best-value selection and a notice to proceed as GC.
Revealed and restored barrel-vaulted ceilings, exposed timber joists, and historic brickwork—signature features referenced throughout the design narrative.
Installed a wraparound bar and period-appropriate fixtures that echo the building’s transport-era heritage while meeting modern hospitality durability and code.
Coordinated egress, accessibility upgrades, and event-floor loadings to support multi-level private dining and large functions (venue capacity listings cite up to ~ 500 guests).
Implemented heavy-duty exhaust, pollution control, and HVAC balancing for charcoal-based cooking—crucial to Hawksmoor’s brand (“best beef + salt + charcoal”).
Integrated custom decorative lighting and high-craft finishes (wood, leather, brass) to achieve the “Golden Age of Travel” aesthetic while protecting original surfaces.
The project showcases a beautifully restored landmark repurposed for a premier dining experience in River North.
The design and build deliver Hawksmoor’s signature atmosphere across ~16,500 sq ft, including multiple private dining options, without compromising the building’s character.
The opening drew strong local and national coverage (Eater, Forbes) and positioned Hawksmoor as a top new entrant in Chicago’s steakhouse scene.
Early alignment with Landmarks & design prevented rework and preserved irreplaceable features.
Detailed precon + bid strategy de-risked long-lead items and held the budget in a volatile market.
Craft-minded field management delivered premium finishes in a historic shell with minimal compromise.
~16,500 across multiple levels.
brick arches, timber joists, barrel-vaults (selectareas).
Multi-room offering; third-floor event space; venue listings cite up to ~500-guest capacity.
June 2024 (public launch). Eater ChicagoForbes
“Gallant understood the responsibility of working in a landmark. Their precon clarity, demo care, and finish quality helped us open with confidence in a space that honors Chicago’s history.”