The recently opened 198-unit Optima Lakeview luxury rental apartment building in Chicago is bursting with amenities such as the region’s first year-round rooftop pool, contact-free in-home package delivery, housekeeping services, on-site room service, fitness programming, and a virtual personal assistant. Emphasizing wellness and outdoor space, Optima designed the building with setbacks providing multiple residences with private outdoor landscaped terraces, complete with trees, built-in grills, and fire pits. Terraces range from 67 sf to about 1,600 sf.
Most shared amenities are connected by the seven-story atrium running through the building’s core that is topped by a skylight. Natural light floods this space including strategically placed planters on various floors surrounding the atrium that will form a hanging garden when the plants mature.
A rooftop sky deck offering views of Lake Michigan, Wrigley Field, and the Chicago skyline is equipped with fire tables and heaters suitable for the city’s colder climate. The 35-by-25-foot rooftop pool will stay heated and swimmable year-round. Residents can use the rooftop’s spa, theater, lounge seating, and a dozen grills and kitchen stations. The rooftop also includes a glass-enclosed party room appointed with TV, various seating arrangements, and a full chef’s kitchen. Residents’ pets can enjoy the outdoors in the building’s 2,000 sf heated dog park.
An indoor basketball/pickleball court, sports lounge and golf simulator are all located near the main entrance and are flanked by street-level windows. Upstairs, residents have access to a fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment, a yoga/stretching room, sauna, pet spa, and a children’s play area with an emphasis on active gross motor play. Additionally, a residents’ club, game room, and chef’s kitchen provide space for parties and events.
Those working from home have access to two wired conference spaces and a business center, along with several indoor and outdoor seating areas. Multiple technology providers offer residents with choice for digital connectivity. The building recently became the first North American residential development to earn WiredScore Gold Rating for Digital Connectivity.
The building’s modern exterior uses a sophisticated palette of warm-toned exterior materials, including transparent bronze glass and rich, dark brick that complements the architecture of the surrounding neighborhood. One-, two- and three-bedroom units come with high-end finishes and smart home technology. Private balconies or terraces are per plan.
Units average 1,053 sf with enough space to give residents flexibility to dedicate space for a home office, bar, children’s play area or pet area. Custom wardrobes with built-in shelves and drawers for clothes and storage convey more natural light to the interior. Rents start at $2,500 per month.
On the building team:
Owner and/or developer: Optima, Inc.
Design architect: David Hovey Sr., FAIA, CEO and Founder of Optima, Inc.
Architect of record: David Hovey Sr., FAIA, CEO and Founder of Optima, Inc.
MEP engineer: F.E. Moran (HVAC); IMEG (Electric); Warren F. Thomas Plumbing (Plumbing)
Structural engineer: WSP USA
General contractor/construction manager: Optima, Inc./Matt Cison & Mike Schwerzler
Related Stories
| Nov 14, 2011
303 East 33rd Street building achieves LEED-NC
The 165,000 sf 12-story residential building is the first green development to be LEED certified in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan.
| Oct 17, 2011
Austin's newest urban apartment complex under construction
Complex sits on a four-acre waterfront site along Lady Bird Lake with spectacular city and lake views, and is slated to open spring 2013.
| Oct 12, 2011
FMI’s Construction Outlook: Third Quarter 2011 Report
Construction Market Forecast: The general economy is seeing mixed signs.
| Oct 6, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: NEXT Living EcoSuite showcased
Tridel teams up with Cisco and Control4 to unveil the future of green condo living in Canada.
| Sep 29, 2011
Kohler supports 2011 Solar Decathlon competition teams
Modular Architecture > In a quest to create the ultimate ‘green’ house, 20 collegiate teams compete in Washington D.C. Mall.
| Sep 23, 2011
$5M pledge renewed for Habitat for Humanity
The five-year commitment, which will run through 2015, includes $5 million of donated interior and exterior locks and keys for homes built with Habitat for Humanity homeowner partners and volunteers.
| Sep 23, 2011
Under 40 Leadership Summit
Building Design+Construction’s Under 40 Leadership Summit takes place October 26-28, 2011 Hotel at the Monteleone in New Orleans. Discounted hotel rate deadline: October 2, 2011.
| Sep 20, 2011
Jeanne Gang wins MacArthur Fellowship
Jeanne Gang, a 2011 MacArthur Fellowship winner described by the foundation as "an architect challenging the aesthetic and technical possibilities of the art form in a wide range of structures."
| Sep 12, 2011
Living Buildings: Are AEC Firms up to the Challenge?
Modular Architecture > You’ve done a LEED Gold or two, maybe even a LEED Platinum. But are you and your firm ready to take on the Living Building Challenge? Think twice before you say yes.
