Graham C. Grady

Graham helps clients obtain government entitlements and solve problems with units of local government. With a focus on the city of Chicago and Cook County, he helps secure necessary approvals for land developments in the Chicago metropolitan area. A consensus builder and negotiator, he maintains excellent relations with community organizations, local elected officials and other stakeholders. Graham provides legal counsel for compliance, regulatory, public policy and encompasses zoning, land use, building code compliance, licensing, construction agreements, government contracts, procurement and legislative approvals.

In the land use area, his experience includes securing all types of land use entitlements through planned developments, zoning map amendments, special uses, variations, text amendments and public way approvals. He represents property owners, real estate developers and every classification of real estate including retail, residential, commercial, industrial and myriad specialized land uses. He regularly represents clients before the Department of Buildings and the Fire Department.

Graham has obtained approvals through boards and commissions, including the:

• Building Board of Appeals
• Chicago City Council
• Chicago Plan Commission
• Commission on Chicago Landmarks
• Committee on Standards and Tests
• Committee on Zoning
• Community Development Commission
• Zoning Board of Appeals

Healthcare:

• The Admiral at the Lake continuing care retirement community in Chicago, Illinois
• Highland Park Hospital redevelopment in Highland Park, Illinois
• Northwestern Healthcare redevelopment in Evanston, Illinois
• Northshore Medical Group, Lincolnwood, Illinois

Commercial and Residential:

• Solstice on the Park (Proposed in Hyde Park) luxury condominium designed by Jeane Gang
• City Hyde Park mixed-use retail and residential project designed by Jeanne Gang
• Gateway Plaza 31-acre mixed-use retail shopping plaza
• Holy Family Village unincorporated Cook County
• Greystar Overture Edgewater active adult community

Manufacturing/Industrial:

• Waste Management Calumet Industrial Disposal, bioremediation facility and Materials Recycling and Recovery Facilities
• University of Chicago Planned Development amendment
• Clark Oil Refinery, Blue Island, Illinois
• USX South Works 120 acre mixed-use planned development

Institutional:

• Navy Pier redevelopment for the New Shakespeare Theater
• McCormick Place West Building, MPEA Corporate Center and Conference Center
• Loyola University Planned Development

Panelist, “Trend Watch: Market Performance, Development & Design,” Bisnow’s Chicago State of the Market event, Aug. 9, 2023.

Presenter, “Advancing Equitable Neighborhood Development in Chicago,” Chicago Emerging Minority Developer Initiative Summit, April 22, 2022.

Speaker at Chicago Emerging Minority Developer Initiative Summit, March 15, 2022.

Moderator for the Lambda Alpha International Ely Chapter’s Monthly Program. Topic is “C-PACE Financing: An Innovative Means of Promoting Sustainability,” March 16, 2022.

Quoted, “The Chicago Emerging Minority Developer Initiative (CEMDI) Strategy Report,” a three-year plan to expand the capacity of Chicago’s Black and Brown real estate community, Dec. 13, 2021.

Panelist, “Advancing Equitable Development and Inclusive Growth with Chicago Emerging Minority Developer Initiative,” Bisnow Construction & Development Chicago event, Creating a Safe, Healthy, & Equitable City, Nov. 4, 2021.

Featured, “Graham Grady: Making Connections and Giving from the Heart,” The Chicago Community Trust, Aug. 12, 2021.

Panelist, “Illinois Cannabis: Complex Legal Issues,” ISBA’s Health Care Law Section Council and Young Lawyers Division seminar, April 20, 2021

Interviewed, WTTW broadcast BLACK VOICES – Diversity in Development: How Black and Latino Developers Can Change the Map, April 11, 2021.

Co-host, Qualified Opportunity Zone investing program, IEDC Annual Conference, Oct. 14, 2020.

Panelist, Bisnow webinar, “Racial Equality—Diversity & Mentorship in CRE: Hiring, Mentoring, and Retaining More Diverse Industry Professionals,” July 2020.

Commencement address, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Department of Communication, May 2020.

Panelist, University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy Multi-Family Investor Summit 2.0, Jan. 2020.

Panelist, Chicago Bar Association Young Lawyer’s Section Real Estate Law Committee seminar “Real Estate Law and Cannabis Legislation,” Nov. 2019.

Moderator for the CRE: The Counselors of Real Estate Midyear Meeting. Topic was “Opportunity Zones: Challenges and Opportunities,” April 2019.

Author, “Building Code Modernization Ordinance: My Take” Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago (BOMA/Chicago) blog post, April 2019 issue.

Moderator for the Civic Federation and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago’s “Best Practices for Financing Illinois’ Infrastructure” seminar. Topic was “Building an infrastructure plan that meets critical needs,” April 2019.

Public Service Announcement, Business Leadership Council’s “Get Out the Vote” initiative, WVON 1690 AM radio, March 29-April 2, 2019.