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55 West Chestnut is a 29-story apartment tower in the River North area of Chicago’s Near North Side.
55 West Chestnut was built in 1967 as retirement housing for teachers. It was originally named Fewkes Tower after John M. Fewkes, the founding president of the Chicago Teachers Union.
In late October 2014 the building was acquired by Planned Property.
Harry Weese & Associates was the building’s architecture firm.
The apartments
55 West Chestnut has a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom, one-bath apartments.
Floor plans and near real-time availability are online.
The apartments are among the smallest in a contemporary building in the area: two-bedrooms encompass 724 square feet, one-bedrooms 578 to 601 square feet, and studios span 424 square feet. Closet space is limited in the larger of the one-bedroom plans.
Two-bedroom units have side-by-side bedrooms rather than the more popular split-bedroom plan.
The units do have space-expanding floor-to-ceiling bay windows. Floors are carpeted.
Some units have updated kitchens with dishwashers, new cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.
None of the units have balconies or in-unit washer / dryers. Air-conditioning is via window units.
Views. 55 West Chestnut is bordered by mostly low- and mid-rise development, resulting in decent views in all directions from the higher floors.
Amenities, services, policies
55 West Chestnut’s common-area amenities have been updated in recent years.
The building has an outdoor patio with seating areas and grills, a fitness room, a business center and a party room.
Parking is available on-site, both indoor and outdoor.
Management and leasing staff are on-site, and the building has door staff. Cats are welcome; dogs are not.
The location
The building has an excellent Near north side location but lays claim to a location in the middle of the Gold Coast.
55 West Chestnut is three blocks beyond the southern boundary of what YoChicago and the Gold Coast Neighbors Association define as the Gold Coast.
That said, neighborhood boundaries in Chicago are fluid. 55 West Chestnut’s immediate area has become more solidly affluent over the years, and many local businesses have come to boast of being in the Gold Coast.
Loyola University’s Water Tower campus is three blocks from the property and Loyola’s new Quinlan School of Business will be built a block east of the building. Northwestern and Lurie Children’s hospitals are a short walk further east.
Shopping. Residents of 55 West Chestnut enjoy convenient access to grocery shopping.
There’s a locally-owned Potash Markets a block away.
Four short blocks southeast is what Whole Foods bills as its “Gold Coast store” despite its River North location.
A number of convenience stores are nearby and Jewel, Plum Market and a new Target are not far away, as are a number of Walgreens and CVS pharmacies.
The nearest of several nearby Starbucks is a block east at State and Chestnut.
The 900 North Michigan shops, anchored by Bloomingdale’s, Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile shops, and Water Tower Place are just to the east. Oak Street boutiques are a few blocks to the north.
Dining, nightlife. Head a few short blocks north on State St and you’re in one of the most vibrant restaurant clusters in Chicago – the so-called Viagra Triangle.
Locals just call it “the triangle,” after the shape of Mariano Park.
Just past Mariano Park, from whose shape the triangle derives its moniker, is the storied Division Street strip, home to Mothers, the legendary Butch McGuire’s and more than a dozen other establishments.
If you head south from 55 West Chestnut you’ll pass a pleasant strip to the east along Chicago Ave before entering the thriving River North restaurant and nightlife scene.
Parks, recreation. Residents of 55 West Chestnut have limited access to parks and recreational opportunities. The nearest park with facilities for active play is more than a half-mile from the building.
Washington Square Park is a tranquil oasis a short block north of 55 West Chestnut. Connors Park, a compact tree-shaded triangle, is two blocks east.
According to the building’s website, the popular Oak Street Beach “is just a volleyball serve away.” That’s one helluva serve – the beach is about six-tenths of a mile from 55 West Chestnut.
Transportation. Public transportation is excellent.
55 West Chestnut is a few minutes’ walk from the Brown / Purple Line stop at Franklin and Chicago and the Red Line stop at State and Chicago.
The location has fairly quick access to I-90/94 and the city’s expressway grid via the Ontario St / Ohio St on / off ramps.
A Zipcar car-sharing location is nearby. Taxi service is readily available 24/7.
The competition
You’ll find additional options at YoChicago’s comprehensive River North apartment guide.
Rentals are typically available in a number of nearby condo buildings, sometimes at sharply lower rents than in the managed apartment buildings.
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Note: Planned Property is a YoChicago advertiser.