Luxury 16-story condominium building opens in Chicago

The Chicago office of architecture firm Lamar Johnson Collaborative (LJC) yesterday announced the completion of Embry, a 58-unit luxury condominium building at 21 N. May St. in Chicago’s West Loop. Working closely with Sulo Development, LJC designed the 16-story high-rise building with an Art Deco-influenced exterior, single-family home-inspired floor plans, high-quality finishes and expansive private outdoor spaces boasting views of the Chicago skyline and surrounding cityscape.

Embry, which opened with 80% of its residences pre-sold, was designed from the inside out, with meticulous attention given to creating spacious column-free layouts and features more akin to a single-family home than a typical condominium.

This focus on the residential experience also informed Embry’s exterior architecture, which features large framed window openings surrounded by dark bronze-colored aluminum panels adorned with Art Deco-inspired fluting, channels and beveling designed to change hues as the sun moves across the sky.

Designing for Luxury at Embry

“Lamar Johnson Collaborative approached the design of Embry with a human scale that harkens back to classic prewar multifamily residences, albeit with all the modern conveniences that today’s buyers expect,” said Alan Barker, AIA, LEED AP, Principal and Residential Market Leader at LJC. “The result is a building that feels new while simultaneously referencing the past and weaving in the vibrancy and sophistication of the surrounding West Loop neighborhood.”

Residences

Ranging from 1,828 to 5,187 sf in size and priced from $1.4 million to $7.5 million, the homes at Embry are offered in two-, three- and four-bedroom layouts, including four duplex units and two penthouses with 2,300-sf private terraces that were engineered to accommodate private swimming pools. The team at Lamar Johnson Collaborative worked closely with interior design firm Kara Mann Design (KMD) on Embry’s residences, which are available in three distinct, curated finish palettes.

Homes feature arched entryways, foyers with herringbone wood flooring, gallery hallways, chef-inspired kitchens, spacious great rooms, full-size walk-in pantries and laundry rooms, and ventless gas fireplaces with hand-carved stone mantels. 

Common Spaces

LJC and KMD also collaborated on Embry’s common spaces, such as the lobby and 7,000 sf of shared amenities that serve as an extension of residences. These include a fitness center with an outdoor exercise area, private dog run, outdoor golf practice green and resident lounge with a white quartzite fireplace, game tables, an illuminated wet bar and an outdoor terrace with fire pits.

The building also offers secure storage for each residence, a mail and package room, and street-level landscaping and rooftop planters designed by LJC’s landscape architecture team with a focus on utilizing native species.

Embry’s heated parking garage has spaces for 78 vehicles and is visually concealed behind a repeating graphic patterned screen that references the property’s location along North May St., eliminating the need for an unsightly parking podium.

Neighborhood

Situated on a tree-lined and mostly residential block, Embry is a short stroll from dining and shopping options along Randolph Street’s renowned “Restaurant Row” and the vibrant heart of the Fulton Market District. The location is convenient to the West Loop’s leading employers, and is close to several of the city’s top schools.

The property is within a half mile of the Morgan CTA Green Line and two Blue Line stops and offers easy access to Interstates 90 and 290.

“Embry successfully responds to the needs of today’s luxury buyers, who have no shortage of housing options, by offering elevated architecture, finishes and floor plans that truly live like single-family homes,” said Barker.

Embry was built by McHugh Construction, which broke ground on the project in late 2021. GI Stone served as the development’s stone subcontractor, sourcing from Italy, Turkey, Brazil and Spain. Ventana, a sister company of LJC, fabricated and installed the building’s detailed metal panel and glass window wall facade.

On the Building Team:
Developer: Sulo Development
Architect, Landscape architect: Lamar Johnson Collaborative
Interior design: Kara Mann Design
GC: McHugh Construction