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Luxury Condos, Sushi Restaurant Coming Soon To Former Disco Hall

By Alisa Hauser | September 29, 2016 9:46am
 A design rendering of what Sushi Taku will look like.
A design rendering of what Sushi Taku will look like.
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Courtesy of Tom Li

WICKER PARK —  Six luxury condos anchored by a sushi restaurant are replacing what was once a disco hall-turned single-family home on a busy stretch of Division Street in Wicker Park.

Located at 1904 W. Division St., just east of the Damen Avenue and Division Street intersection, the four-story modern building that's nearing the end of its construction will offer six condos and restaurant Sushi Taku on the street level, next to a tire repair shop.

Lehigh Cohen, a real estate agent for the project, said on Thursday that three of the six condos have buyers under contract and who are expected to close in the next few weeks.

A three-bedroom condo in the complex is $684,500, according to a listing.

Sushi Taku (pronounced "tock-ooh"), is named for a city near Tokyo, Japan, owner Tom Li said on Thursday.

Li said his restaurant has no connection to the Michelin-starred restaurant of the same name in Japan.

If everything goes as planned, Sushi Taku will open in late December after hiring at least 20 workers to staff the restaurant, Li said.

The Division Street outpost will be the fourth in Li's portfolio and first in the city, joining Li's suburban-based spots in Schaumburg ("Sake Sushi and Grill"), Orland Park ("Yucca," a Chinese restaurant) and Buffalo Grove ("Sushi Grove"). 

Li, who lives in Bridgeport, was raised in Naperville and as a teenager worked at restaurants owned by his parents.

The 2,300-square-foot restaurant will have at least 80 seats and patio seating in the warm months. Li said he plans to apply for a liquor license, though the focus of the restaurant will be creating a family-friendly environment rather than a bar or lounge vibe.

"There are a lot of restaurants, a lot of people, a lot of traffic on Division. We like the people and all the new businesses, that's what attracted us," Li said.

Last year, the building at 1904 W. Division was sold to a developer for $2 million.

From 1989 until last year, the home was owned by Arthur Detrich and Heidi Hough.

The enterprising couple maintained an expansive rooftop garden, using subirrigated planters from nearby Alliance Bakery and the Vienna Beef factory to keep their crops watered with rainwater.

"Yes, we sold the building after 26 years. Time for a new adventure," Hough said last year.

Condos anchored by Sushi Taku, under construction at 1904 W. Division St. [DNAinfo/Alisa Hauser]

Design rendering of Sushi Taku interior [Courtesy of Tom Li]

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