The Bowery breaks ground on former Solo Cup property

Shovels have hit the dirt.

The long-awaited redevelopment of the old Solo Cup property is underway, as The Bowery officially broke ground Tuesday, July 28, at 1700 Old Deerfield Road.

On the site, developer M/I Homes and Habitat are building 227 for-sale townhomes designed to expand Highland Park’s housing options.

“We are delighted to be here this morning to celebrate the groundbreaking of The Bowery,” Mayor Nancy Rotering said. “We are thrilled that this beautiful townhome neighborhood will welcome more than 200 new families to our community.”

M/I Homes and Habitat will transform more than 9 acres of open space into 48 townhome buildings with a total of 227 three-bedroom residences. Thirty-four of these new townhomes will qualify as affordable units.

Development for The Bowery has now begun, including demolition and prep of the land, and construction reportedly will start no later than October.

By spring 2027, The Bowery plans to open a fully decorated model and sales office and begin home sales. For the homes, it will be a three-year build up.

Each townhome will offer an attached two-car garage with additional street parking, and the development will include a resident clubhouse, dog park, publicly accessible tot lot and a preserved open space with walking trails.

Rotering called the project a “vital investment” in the community. She said diversifying Highland Park’s housing stock through multifamily developments welcomes new families, supports seniors aging in the community, and aligns with the City Council’s broader vision for an “inclusive and welcoming community,” she said.

The property has been “in limbo” for the past two decades, covering a couple of failed development attempts, and the current project has been in the works for the past two years, since October 2024.

“We feel very fortunate to be part of this project,” said Scott Barenburgge, vice president of land at M/I Homes. “Watching it break ground today feels bittersweet, because it’s like an end to celebrate all the work that has been done, while also feeling like a beginning on the development and reconstruction side.”

Barenbrugge called The Bowery “one of the best assets” in the North Shore. He said it is rare to have 227 homes slated for construction in a location that is infilled, fully built out, around “fantastic” schools, and with easy access to the highway and employment.

President of Habitat Matt Fiascone is happy to bring housing to Highland Park, as the developer has not previously worked in Highland Park.

“Being part of this event celebrating the two-year-long process of this project feels really good,” Fiascone said. “We take pride in being providers of high-quality housing and everything that we do.”

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