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Roosevelt Collection is a mixed-use development in the South Loop. The development includes 342 apartments, nearly 400,000 square feet of retail space, and a sprawling multi-level parking garage designed to accommodate 1,500 cars. The project’s master plan included a 43-story apartment tower and a 1-acre park, both of which are unbuilt.
The apartments, which were originally offered as condominiums, are above the retail space on the top six floors of two 8-story buildings separated by a plaza / auto court. First occupancy was in 2009.
Centrum Properties was the developer of the property. Hirsch Associates was the architecture firm. Walsh Construction was the general contractor.
The apartments
Roosevelt Collection offers 23 different floor plans of 1- and 2-bedroom apartments. Several of the one-bedroom plans have an en suite bath and a separate powder room. Two-bedrooms have either one or two baths.
Floor plans and a near real-time availability check can be accessed online.
The apartments have a “soft loft” aesthetic, with high concrete ceilings, large windows and exposed pipes.
Roosevelt Collection was built as a condominium and has higher-level finishes than many of its competitors. Kitchens have gas ranges, stylish range hoods and built-in microwaves. Open-plan kitchens have large islands and some have pantries.
Units have hardwood floors in living areas and carpeted bedrooms. All of the apartments have in-unit washer / dryers and balconies or terraces. Two-bedrooms typically have the split-bedroom layout that’s popular with roommates, and have stall showers in the master bath.
Most of the units have good closet space. Baths have custom tile tub surrounds.
Short-term furnished housing is available through VIP Corporate Housing.
Views. Roosevelt Collection is not a view building.
Some of the units have decent views to the north and east.
Amenities, services, policies
Roosevelt Collection has a limited amenities package.
The building does not have a pool and has only a small sun deck. There’s a fitness room, a resident lounge with billiards and a business center / conference room.
Roosevelt Collection has on-site leasing, management and maintenance staff and 24/7 door staff. The building is pet-friendly, subject to limits, but dog owners will notice the lack of a dedicated dog run.
The location
Roosevelt Collection’s website bills its location as being “in the heart of the South Loop.” That’s a seriously misleading description.
The complex is at the neighborhood’s western edge, with poor proximity to South Loop attractions compared to other apartment buildings.
Roosevelt Road is a major east-west thoroughfare, and Roosevelt Collection is on a long stretch that’s elevated above its surroundings. There’s nothing but vacant land in three directions from the complex.
Roosevelt Collection does have superior access to the University of Illinois at Chicago, compared to other South Loop apartments.
Shopping. Residents at Roosevelt Collection have good access to grocery shopping.
Target is directly east of the Roosevelt Collection, on the same block.
Trader Joe’s and Jewel-Osco are four-tenths of a mile east of Roosevelt Collection and Whole Foods is the same distance west. There are full-service pharmacies in the Jewel and Target, and a Walgreens is two blocks east on Roosevelt Rd.
Retail space at the Shops at Roosevelt Collection languished vacant for years, but has been filling relatively rapidly in recent months, with an emphasis on fashion.
There’s a large and growing cluster of big-box shops just west of the river along Roosevelt Rd.
Dining, nightlife.
The Roosevelt Collection has poor access to dining and nightlife options compared to other South Loop apartments.
You can grab a sandwich, a snack or a dessert, or choose from a limited beer and wine selection, at Bridgeport Coffee, which opened in the plaza.
The Showplace Icon theaters at Roosevelt Collection is one of the few first-run movie venues in downtown Chicago. The lounge bar gets busy in the evening and has food available.
Chop Steak House has recently opened in the development and serves burgers and a variety of other options.
The South Loop has under-rated dining and nightlife scenes, with scores of options. Very few of them are accessible in less than a 10-minute walk from Roosevelt Collection.
Parks, recreation. Access to parks and recreational opportunities is another area in which the Roosevelt Collection comes up short.
It’s easy to be deceived by a map view, which shows two small parks near the Roosevelt Collection. Circuitous routes are necessary to gain access to those parks. There’s no parkland readily accessible to the property.
Grant Park accommodates a wide range of active recreational pursuits and spots for quiet contemplation. Only passive recreation is available at the point nearest the Roosevelt Collection, a half-mile from the property.
Transportation. Public transportation from the location is good.
The CTA’s Roosevelt Road station, three blocks east of the property – about an 8-minute walk – has Red, Green and Orange Line stops for easy access to north, south and west side locations and to Midway Airport.
A wide variety of CTA bus routes criss-cross the area, with stops near the building.
Taxi service is sporadic at the location. The nearest Zipcar and Enterprise CarShare locations are several blocks away.
I-90/94 and I-290 can generally be reached within a few minutes.
The competition
Rentals are typically available in a number of nearby condo buildings, sometimes at lower rents than in the managed apartment buildings.
You’ll find additional options at YoChicago’s comprehensive South Loop apartment guide.
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