GT Prime Location, Design, Opening Timeframe Revealed in River North

Some of the mystery behind one of the most anticipated restaurant openings of the near future has been revealed. GT Prime, the forthcoming meaty sibling of Boka Restaurant Group and chef Giuseppe Tentori's ever-popular GT Fish & Oyster, is heading to a new building that's under construction at 707 N. Wells St. First reported in January 2014, the Boka Group would only say at the time that the long-in-the-works restaurant would be near GT Fish in River North—which is in fact two blocks south.

The rendering, by architect Pappageorge Haymes Partners and published yesterday by Curbed Chicago, shows a sleek and modern facade on the Wells Street building but is just "a rough sketch," according to Boka Group partner Rob Katz. "Based on construction of the high rise going in, they turn the space over to us in August, then we start construction," Katz says of the opening timeframe. Expect GT Prime to open in "very early 2016."

Karen Herold of Studio K Creative is handling GT Prime's design, which Katz says "will be an absolutely jaw-dropping space." It's 5600-square-feet and roughly 130-140 seats, encompassing the ground floor plus a mezzanine that will hold a 24-seat private dining room and overlook the kitchen.

It's shaping up to be a busy time for the Boka guys, as Stephanie Izard's Duck Duck Goat and their steakhouse collaboration with the Bristol guys in the Google building, Armour & Swift, are slated to open prior to GT Prime. More updates to come soon.