That’s a Chicago Transit Authority subway car sitting atop the second-floor amenity deck of the “L” apartments in the city’s Logan Square neighborhood. The six-story complex, designed by Brininstool + Lynch Architects, is two blocks from the CTA’s Blue Line, which can get you to the Loop or O’Hare International in 25-30 minutes.
Developer Property Markets Group wanted “a hub that would pull people together,” says Brian Koles, PMG’s Director of Residential Experience. The CTA car sits in a shallow pool in the 1,200-sf amenity deck, which sports a dog run, barbecue pit, lounge chairs, and space for yoga, mixology classes, and—coming soon!—a bocce tournament. “When the weather warms up, the deck is slammed” with singles, families, and extremely well-behaved canines, says Koles.
L opened a year ago and leased up in four months. In addition to the 110 one- and two-bedroom units, 10 three-bed units are devoted to co-living (average bedroom rental: $1,110/month), making it the largest such space in Chicago. Koles says L’s co-livers are older, make more money, and have better credit scores than other L renters.
The decommissioned CTA car was retrofitted by Chicago Salvage Works. ARCO/Murray Construction Company did the installation.
Catch the video at: vimeo.com/207575664.
Related Stories
| Jan 21, 2011
Harlem facility combines social services with retail, office space
Harlem is one of the first neighborhoods in New York City to combine retail with assisted living. The six-story, 50,000-sf building provides assisted living for residents with disabilities and a nonprofit group offering services to minority groups, plus retail and office space.
| Jan 21, 2011
Nothing dinky about these residences for Golden Gophers
The Sydney Hall Student Apartments combines 125 student residences with 15,000 sf of retail space in the University of Minnesota’s historic Dinkytown neighborhood, in Minneapolis.
| Jan 21, 2011
Revamped hotel-turned-condominium building holds on to historic style
The historic 89,000-sf Hotel Stowell in Los Angeles was reincarnated as the El Dorado, a 65-unit loft condominium building with retail and restaurant space. Rockefeller Partners Architects, El Segundo, Calif., aimed to preserve the building’s Gothic-Art Nouveau combination style while updating it for modern living.
| Jan 21, 2011
Upscale apartments offer residents a twist on modern history
The Goodwynn at Town: Brookhaven, a 433,300-sf residential and retail building in DeKalb County, Ga., combines a historic look with modern amenities. Atlanta-based project architect Niles Bolton Associates used contemporary materials in historic patterns and colors on the exterior, while concealing a six-level parking structure on the interior.
| Jan 20, 2011
Worship center design offers warm and welcoming atmosphere
The Worship Place Studio of local firm Ziegler Cooper Architects designed a new 46,000-sf church complex for the Pare de Sufrir parish in Houston.
| Jan 19, 2011
Baltimore mixed-use development combines working, living, and shopping
The Shoppes at McHenry Row, a $117 million mixed-use complex developed by 28 Walker Associates for downtown Baltimore, will include 65,000 sf of office space, 250 apartments, and two parking garages. The 48,000 sf of main street retail space currently is 65% occupied, with space for small shops and a restaurant remaining.
| Jan 7, 2011
Mixed-Use on Steroids
Mixed-use development has been one of the few bright spots in real estate in the last few years. Successful mixed-use projects are almost always located in dense urban or suburban areas, usually close to public transportation. It’s a sign of the times that the residential component tends to be rental rather than for-sale.
| Jan 4, 2011
An official bargain, White House loses $79 million in property value
One of the most famous office buildings in the world—and the official the residence of the President of the United States—is now worth only $251.6 million. At the top of the housing boom, the 132-room complex was valued at $331.5 million (still sounds like a bargain), according to Zillow, the online real estate marketplace. That reflects a decline in property value of about 24%.
| Jan 4, 2011
Grubb & Ellis predicts commercial real estate recovery
Grubb & Ellis Company, a leading real estate services and investment firm, released its 2011 Real Estate Forecast, which foresees the start of a slow recovery in the leasing market for all property types in the coming year.
