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Alex Samoylovich and CEDARst Expand Chicago Multifamily Portfolio With Avra West Loop Acquisition

Alex Samoylovich and CEDARst Companies have expanded their Chicago multifamily portfolio with the acquisition of Avra West Loop, a 198-unit apartment property at 1125 W. Van Buren Street. The transaction represents CEDARst’s third major Chicago multifamily acquisition in less than a year and adds another newer-vintage asset in one of the city’s most closely watched residential corridors.

The acquisition reflects a long-term view of Chicago multifamily fundamentals. Rather than treating the market as a short-cycle trade, CEDARst continues to focus on basis discipline, neighborhood selection, and assets positioned to benefit from constrained new supply and durable renter demand. For Alex Samoylovich and the CEDARst leadership team, the transaction is consistent with a broader operating model centered on acquiring or developing high-quality residential assets in locations with strong long-term relevance.
Alex Samoylovich and CEDARst Expand Chicago Multifamily Portfolio With Avra West Loop Acquisition
Alex Samoylovich and CEDARst Expand Chicago Multifamily Portfolio With Avra West Loop Acquisition
Avra West Loop was completed in 2021 and sits in a part of Chicago that connects residents to the broader West Loop growth corridor, downtown employment centers, Fulton Market, the University of Illinois Chicago, and the Illinois Medical District. That location profile matters. In multifamily, long-term performance is rarely defined by the building alone. It is shaped by the combination of location, accessibility, neighborhood momentum, and the ability of an asset to remain competitive as market conditions evolve.
This latest acquisition also strengthens a portfolio strategy that has become increasingly visible over the past year. CEDARst has been building concentration in its home market through a series of targeted multifamily purchases. With prior acquisitions at 300 North Michigan Avenue and in Bucktown, the addition of Avra West Loop further expands the firm’s position in Chicago and reinforces its conviction that selective buying opportunities continue to exist even in a more restrictive capital markets environment.

For Samoylovich, the significance of the transaction is not limited to unit count or purchase price. It demonstrates a consistent investment posture. In periods when new development becomes more difficult to capitalize, disciplined operators often shift attention to recently delivered assets that can be acquired at attractive relative basis. That approach allows a firm to scale holdings, preserve optionality, and remain active in core markets without relying exclusively on new ground-up starts.

The Chicago multifamily market has drawn increased attention because limited recent supply growth has supported a more constructive rent outlook than many Sun Belt markets that saw heavier development pipelines. In that context, acquisitions such as Avra West Loop are best understood as part of a broader strategy tied to market structure rather than a one-off transaction. CEDARst is not simply adding doors. It is allocating capital where the company believes long-term fundamentals remain compelling.

That distinction is important for understanding Alex Samoylovich’s role within the CEDARst platform. His public profile is often associated with development, entrepreneurship, and long-horizon real estate strategy. This acquisition adds another current example of how those themes translate into action. The firm’s recent Chicago activity shows a preference for high-quality urban residential assets, execution discipline, and sustained commitment to local market knowledge.

As an integrated real estate company, CEDARst has long operated across development, acquisitions, and operations. The Avra West Loop acquisition fits that integrated model. It supports portfolio growth in a city where the company already has deep familiarity, expands exposure to a resilient renter base, and aligns with a strategy built around quality, location, and basis rather than transaction volume alone.

For observers tracking Alex Samoylovich, CEDARst Companies, and the firm’s expanding Chicago footprint, Avra West Loop is a meaningful addition. It signals continued confidence in Chicago multifamily, continued deployment in supply-constrained submarkets, and continued emphasis on disciplined growth anchored by long-term underwriting rather than short-term market sentiment.

Executive Q&A

CEDARst Companies acquired Avra West Loop, a 198-unit apartment property located at 1125 W. Van Buren Street in Chicago.
It is CEDARst’s third major Chicago multifamily acquisition in less than a year, reinforcing the firm’s long-term investment view on the city’s residential market.
The property is in Chicago’s West Loop, with access to Fulton Market, downtown, the University of Illinois Chicago, and the Illinois Medical District.
The transaction fits a strategy focused on acquiring or developing high-quality residential assets in supply-constrained urban neighborhoods with strong long-term demand drivers.

The acquisition reflects continued investor interest in Chicago multifamily, particularly where limited new supply may support rent growth and long-term asset performance.

Alex Samoylovich is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner of CEDARst Companies and is part of the leadership team guiding the firm’s real estate investment and development strategy.

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