Jim Letchinger, Founder and CEO of JDL Development, to Discuss Foundry Park Development

Feb 26, 2026, 4:30 PM•crainliveevents

Crain's Chicago Business

Few Chicago development stories have swung from hype to hard reality as sharply as Lincoln Yards. Now Jim Letchinger, founder and CEO of JDL Development, is leading the effort to restart the north end of the site as Foundry Park — a new, residential-led plan on a prominent stretch of the Chicago River near the former Finkl steel property.

Join us on Thursday, May 7, for a live conversation with Letchinger on what it takes to restart a stalled megaproject. We’ll discuss scaling infrastructure to match market demand, navigating city approvals and neighborhood expectations and building a walkable district with new open space, river access and a meaningful affordable housing component. We’ll also examine the lessons of Lincoln Yards — what went sideways, what’s changed and what Foundry Park could signal for Chicago’s next cycle of large-scale redevelopment.

Interested in purchasing a table of 10? Take advantage of our early bird pricing before prices increase on March 13th.

Meet Our Featured Speaker

Jim Letchinger

Founder and CEO
JDL Development

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Thank You to Our Partners

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Contact Haley Carlson at haley.carlson@crain.com.

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