Eli’s Cheesecake Expansion Completion
Chicago’s favorite cheesecake just completed the nearly 42,000 sf warehouse expansion
Summit Design + Build celebrated the ’cheesecake’ cutting for the Eli’s Cheesecake Bakery Expansion with A 1,000-pound cheesecake. With the 42,000 sf expansion, the facility now has over 100,000 sf of production space, allowing increased bakery operations, additional production and packaging lines, and warehousing. The groundbreaking was attended by the Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, Marc Schulman (President, Eli’s Cheesecake), Tim Crane (CEO, Wintrust Financial), Robert Martwick (Senator, State of Illinois), Nicholas Soposato (Alderman, 38th Ward), Adam Miller (President, Summit Design + Build, General Contractor), Michael Fassnacht (CEO, World Business Chicago).
Eli’s Cheesecake has made it their mission to give back to the community for three generations, and the legacy they are creating continues to multiply. From mentoring and training individuals with special needs to be able to work in the warehouse, to providing jobs for asylum-seekers and immigrants, Eli’s Cheesecake goes above and beyond to expand the impact they are leaving on the world, especially in the city of Chicago. With an immense amount of support from local state and government officials, as well as residents of the 38th Ward and Chicago, Eli’s Cheesecake now has the ability to expand its reach and demonstrate what it means to a company that works for the community.
This expansion brings the current footprint up to 105,000 sf of warehouse space, almost doubling their current production and staffing capabilities, and upping their personnel by 50 already.
Michael Aragona served as the original project architect for the initial construction of the bakery in the 1980s, as well as the present expansion in 2023.
About Summit Design + Build
Summit Design + Build, LLC is a provider of full-service general contracting, construction management and design/build construction services for the commercial, industrial and residential markets. Headquartered in Chicago’s Fulton Market and with regional offices in Tampa, Florida, North Carolina, and Austin, Texas, Summit Design + Build has been involved in the design and construction of over 400 buildings and spaces totaling more than 10 million square feet over the firm’s 18-year history.
About Eli’s Cheesecake
43 years ago, Eli Schulman declared cheesecake to be the signature dessert at his legendary Chicago steakhouse, Eli’s The Place For Steak. It was there that he dreamed up a new way to make cheesecake. His unconventional fast and hot baking method resulted in the “Chicago-style” cheesecake, famous for its rich creamy texture and cookie crust. A third-generation family-owned business, inspired by Eli’s Founder, Eli Schulman’s words of wisdom, “Charity will never bust you” and “Treat others as if you are others.” What began in his restaurant’s kitchen has grown into one of the country’s largest cheesecake and dessert bakeries, employing over 250 individuals.
