Green Street, the heart of Campustown, might look a little different this school year. As construction continues, one can see that Green Street is going through a growth spurt.

“Enrollment continues to increase, Parkland College enrollment is continuing to increase with their Pathways program, and there are more people with interest in living in Campustown,” said T.J. Blakeman, city implementation planner. “Added people means added interest in retailers that want to be in Campustown.”

The city is currently in the early design phases of reconstructing Green Street between Fourth and Neil streets. Blakeman said the construction should be completed in 2016.

McDonald’s

The golden arches are returning to Green Street. McDonald’s will occupy a JSM Development space at 616 E. Green Street. Jill Guth, JSM director of commercial leasing and marketing, said in an email that McDonald’s has been looking in the area for several years, and JSM was finally able to provide them with a space that accommodated their needs.

This is not McDonald’s’ first appearance on Green Street. It had a location in the 600 block of Green Street up to the late 1990s, Guth said.

Skyline Tower

Green Street has a new high-rise building this school year.

Skyline Tower, Bankier Apartments’ 14-story, 40-apartment building, is located at 519 E. Green Street on the corner of Green and Sixth streets. Construction began June 1, 2013, and Bankier Apartments Property Manager Margie Colter said the finishing touches were put on the property prior to move-in day. The first floor of Skyline Tower is occupied by Gameday Spirit.

The building is also a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified building.

“It is a green building,” Colter said. “There’s a lot of really neat things going on in that building.”

Skyline Tower includes green technology such as bamboo floors and vegetation on the roof to keep rainwater from the storm drains.

112 E. Green Street

Roland Realty’s new Green Street property is ready for business.

The building has five levels of apartments and one level of commercial space on the ground level. Kurt Bulicek, leasing manager, said a Chinese restaurant and a convenience-liquor store are expected to occupy the space.

“(The apartments) are extremely spacious,” Bulicek said. “They are definitely luxury apartments. A lot of places in town have granite counters, hardwood floors, unit washer and dryers, TVs, and this building has all of that.”

Angelica can be reached at [email protected].