This eight unit condominium development benefits from several advantages that in concert have resulted in a superior small development project. The first of these is it’s location. When this rare, Boulevard facing building site was offered, the developer (a long time resident of the area), appealed to the seller for a chance to build a project that would hold its own with the surrounding stately vintage architecture. Additionally, the substantial adjacent open space permitted a 20% increase to the allowable buildable floor area for a similarly sized lot  elsewhere in Chicago. This resulted in eight two bedroom, two bath units varying in size from 1020  to 1650 sq. ft.

At first glance, this project conveys the familiar image of the  city “6-flat”, yet this masks its internal complexity.  Six of the eight units face the Boulevard. The first and garden levels are combined to form two duplex units. The second floor contains two flats, and the third and fourth floors house two additional duplex units. These top units were planned for double height living room spaces to maximize the light and view afforded by the width of the boulevard.  The top floor recedes from the front of the building to keep the facade in scale with the neighboring buildings  and to maximize the size of the second outdoor deck, which provides a tree top view of the downtown Chicago Loop. The remaining two units are accessed through a secondary stair entrance located on the side of the building. These units are also duplexes and occupy the whole width of the building. This results in more centralized plans that are virtually free of  corridors and provide views and natural light from three sides. These units face the rear yard and also have extensive open decks.      

The developer, an accomplished custom contractor for many premier residences in Chicago, brought an unusual affinity for higher quality materials and better skilled tradesmen to bear on this project.  This is evident in his willingness to use premium materials and a special color palette in contrast to the monotonous red brick/ grey limestone combination typical of small development projects in Chicago. Details such as the battered pier bases, three brick colors, arching privacy trellis at the in-ground patios, and plant friendly dry laid masonry retaining walls help this project fit in comfortably with its elegant neighbors.