Pulte Homes plans to construct 164 townhouses at the suburban Chicago counterpart of a New Jersey project that’s gained national attention for being used as the fictional Lumon Industries office building in Apple TV’s “Severance.”
As a popular character on the show would say, "Please try to enjoy both projects equally."
The planned housing at Bell Works Chicagoland in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, is part of Inspired by Somerset Development's goal of repurposing outdated existing office campuses into mixed-use sites it calls a “metroburb,” or a self-contained metropolis in a suburb. The approach aims to attract the same amenities and businesses one would find in a city’s downtown, such as retail stores, restaurants, offices, coworking spaces and community services.
“Our vision for the metroburb model has always been to create more than just a vibrant hub for work, dining and retail. It’s about fostering a dynamic, all-encompassing community,” said Ralph Zucker, CEO and founder of Inspired by Somerset, in a statement. “Implementing a townhome component was a natural next step in evolving that vision, providing a unique residential offering that perfectly complements our growing ecosystem at Bell Works Chicagoland.”
Bell Works Chicagoland was previously an abandoned 1.65 million-square-foot office complex used by AT&T for its corporate campus. The company left the space in 2016, and New Jersey-based Inspired by Somerset purchased the building for $21 million in 2019.
National homebuilder Pulte held a ceremonial groundbreaking on the luxury townhouses this week in partnership with Inspired by Somerset and the village of Hoffman Estates, two years after receiving initial approval. Completion is expected in late 2026.
The homes will be located at 1705 Lakewood Blvd., the northeast portion of the Bell Works lot. Pulte said the units will include high-end interior finishes and an integrated smart home system. According to plans approved by the village, the homes will have three floors designed in a rowhouse style, three bedrooms with an optional fourth bedroom, two-car garages, and a total square footage of about 2,100. Prices are expected to begin in the mid-$400,000s.
Pulte is also constructing 69 townhouses in Hoffman Estates at the site of a former office space at 1950 Hassell Road.
An additional 300-unit apartment building on the Bell Works lot is in the planning stages.
New Jersey inspiration
Inspired by Somerset’s first stab at a metroburb was the redevelopment of the Bell Labs Holmdel Complex, designed by architect Eero Saarinen. It became the backdrop for the mysterious workings of Lumon, the omnipresent corporation in “Severance,” and has since gained national attention.
The developer purchased the 1.6 million-square-foot New Jersey building in 2013, and the office space landed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.
Inspired by Somerset sold a portion of land around Bell Works New Jersey to luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers for the residential development of 40 homes for the Reserve at Holmdel neighborhood, priced initially at $1.2 million to start when built in 2017. The builder also constructed the nearby Regency at Holmdel neighborhood, aimed at buyers aged 55 and up.
Pulte and Inspired by Somerset did not immediately respond to requests to comment.