By Dan Schuyler

The bustling West Loop continues to fly in the face of the sagging economy, and leading the resistance is the Mod mid-rise condo project at 1222 W Madison St.

The 56-unit first phase of this 92-unit, ultra-modern creation is establishing its own architectural context in the neighborhood, the result of the futuristic mindsets of developers Stillpoint Development, The Pickus Companies and Castlebar Enterprises.

“The developers definitely wanted modern,” says Chris Payne of Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson, architects for the project. “We started with bold red panels and a lot of glazing on the outside and carried the contemporary look into the lobby, and we went with an open floor plan in the unit interiors.”

And it is these unique unit interiors that Stillpoint principal Daniel Boyd says are one of the project’s most salient features. Boyd says the countless hours spent by the developers in designing the floor plans have resulted in the most efficient use of interior space of any building he has ever seen.

“Mod was designed from the inside out,” Boyd explains. “We pored over the floor plans to ensure total functionality in even the smallest units. We definitely didn’t come up with a shell and then jig-saw the units to fit. We let the interiors dictate the exterior.”

Boyd cites a number of examples, such as the minimal use of hallway space and the fact that even the smallest unit has a 20-foot span from the front windows to the kitchen bar, allowing for placement of a table with surrounding chairs.

“Where else can you find a dining room in a 900 square-foot one-bedroom residence?” he asks.

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By Andrew Peck

With its long list of building amenities, conveniences and customizable options, JFJ Development’s Broadway 3030 truly is a departure from the ordinary.

Located between Wellington and Barry avenues on Broadway, the project is set to break ground in September with a projected opening sometime in early 2010. Developer Jon Zitzman knows that to build an enormous, 53-home concrete structure in Lakeview East is to become a fixture in one of the city’s most vibrant communities.

“With this project, we’re not targeting any specific buyer,” Zitzman says. “This is a neighborhood that is home to an extremely diverse population. We want to be inclusive of all the many different lifestyles and personalities that make this community great.”

As with all of JFJ’s projects, a high level of personal customization is possible at Broadway 3030. For Zitzman, this isn’t just a major selling point – it’s part of his professional philosophy.

“We are dedicated to catering to the lifestyle of the individual,” Zitzman says. “If they want to move walls around or turn a two-bedroom into a large one-bedroom, they have that option.”

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The intersection of Cermak Road and Michigan Avenue in the South Loop once was home to the infamous Lexington Hotel, a hideout for Chicago’s most notorious gangster, Al Capone.

If Scarface thought his hotel was the lap of luxury, he would be awe-struck by its eco-friendly, LEED-certified successor. The Chieftain Group’s Lexington Park Condominiums is a unique project that connects a 35-story glass-and-concrete condo tower with a neighboring seven-story, low-rise loft building.

“In a way, Lexington Park is still a hideaway or hidden treasure,” says Britta Rivera, vice president of sales for Chieftain’s U.S. branch. “There are not a lot of high rises in this area, and Lexington Park kind of has the place to itself.”

What’s really nice about that, Rivera says, is that Lexington Park has gorgeous views of the city and the lake.

“Remember, the shoreline bends in this area,” she says. “And that gives our residents a truly natural panoramic view.”

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By Andrew Peck

In a softened market, buyers become more judicious during their home searches. Many prospective home buyers seek the freedom to express themselves through their home, and in today’s real-estate environment, customization is king.

At Superior 110, a glass-and-steel tower under construction at the northwest corner of Superior and Clark streets in River North, homeowners have the ability to customize every inch of their living space with the help of JFJ Development and its president, Jon Zitzman.

“When I founded my company 15 years ago, my mission was to provide more quality construction than a majority of the market was offering,” Zitzman says. “My goal was to build a reputation over time as a developer who doesn’t cut corners and conducts business at the highest level of integrity. Building custom condos is an extension of that philosophy.”

Buyers have a number of options within Snaidero’s standard line of cabinetry and bathroom finishes. But every buyer has the ability to meet with a design coordinator at a design showroom and can choose from literally any of the products found there.

“If somebody wants something specific built in, they can get it,” says Greg Eldridge, the @properties sales agent in charge of marketing Superior 110. “People come in all the time and say, ‘I saw this tile at the Merchandise Mart and I’ve just got to have it.’ And if we can get it, we’ll get it.”

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Motoring along the Edens Expressway is rarely a pleasant experience, but if a driver looks west at the appropriate time, the gleam and grace of Optima Old Orchard Woods undoubtedly will provide a few moments of aesthetic relief.

Strategically located at 9645 Woods Drive in Skokie, equidistant between four vibrant northern suburbs, this complex of three 20-story, glass-and-steel buildings is nestled between the Edens, the Harms Woods forest preserve, and Old Orchard and Golf roads.

Designed by its developer, David Hovey, the buildings – the Maple, the Oak, and most recently, the Elm – exude a multitude of forms and shapes, the result of Hovey’s ingenious blend of art and architecture and the minimalist style that he developed as a student of Mies Van Der Rohe at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

“There is no doubt that the design of the project is one of its main attractions,” says Andy Zajac, vice president of sales and marketing for Optima. “Mr. Hovey has created a high-rise complex in the suburbs that has no competition. When you couple that with views that extend 25 miles to the west over the forest preserve and all the way to Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline to the east, you have an unbeatable combination.”

Each Optima tower features such common amenities as a two-story fitness center with a pool and spa and a two-story party room with catering kitchen. There is also an environmentally sensitive green-roof system and sky garden, a reflecting pool and fountain in a grand courtyard, and an exterior color scheme that is in harmony with the building’s natural surroundings. Heated indoor parking is also included with each unit.

Each residence has panoramic views of the city or the forest preserve. The homes are filled with natural light, the result of floor-to-ceiling windows. Units feature state-of-the-art baths and kitchens with stainless-steel appliances, gas ranges, granite counters, and designer cabinets. Window treatments and washers and dryers are included, and an optional gas fireplace is available.

All of these features make Optima Old Orchard Woods a true destination community, explains Zajac.

“What you have here is an urban complex in a suburban setting, yet you are just minutes away from first-class shopping at Old Orchard Shopping Center, a half-hour from the Loop via the expressway, and in a couple of years, the Skokie Swift will likely be extended to stop just two blocks way,” he says.

In June, 430 of the 665 units at Optima had sold. The buyers have represented a broad demographic spectrum, from first-time home owners to empty-nesters who are scaling down, and from single professionals to young married couples with children.

“The complex is beginning to evolve to the point where it is its own community,” says Zajac. “Social groups, fitness groups and others with similar interests are developing close associations now that they have been here for a while.”

Optima’s residences range from one to three bedrooms plus penthouses and vary in size from 700 square feet to over 3,000 square feet. One-bedroom units start in the $250s, two-bedroom units begin in the $310s, three-bedrooms are priced from the $460s, and penthouses range from $1 million to $1.7 million.

A sales center is located at the site and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A condominium in a Chicago suburb is a far cry from an office building in Warsaw. Yet the two are similar in the eyes of Michael Glazier, a principal of Sertus Capital Partners, the developer of Everleigh, a 144-unit, nine-story condominium project under construction at 1646 River St in Des Plaines.

Glazier takes advantage of every business opportunity, whether it’s a project in Poland or a project in Des Plaines. Everleigh represents his response to the ever-increasing demand for luxurious urban-like living in the Chicago suburban market.

“‘Sertus’ in Latin means ‘linked’ or ‘connected,’” says Glazier, who wanted to create a luxury condominium lifestyle near suburban transit systems.

“Everleigh is just a block from the Metra station. That location makes it a convenient extension of city living into DesPlaines for those who work downtown or want proximity to O’Hare or the expressways.”

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The Gammonley Group’s Prairie Pointe at Central Station is almost sold out, with just 10 residences remaining for sale. The marketing program has been a howling success, according to Emma Kinnison, a sales consultant for the developer of the 24-story condominium tower at 1600 S Prairie Ave in the South Loop.

“There are so many reasons why this building has been so popular,” says Kinnison. “Besides the wonderful construction quality and all of the amenities, buyers love the location on Prairie Avenue, where so much of Chicago’s history was recorded. It has once again become an intimate, quiet neighborhood, yet it’s just a stone’s throw from the lake and minutes from all that the city has to offer.”

Kinnison has another theory about Prairie Pointe’s popularity.

“About 40 percent of our units are one-bedrooms, and they are the most spacious of any in the area. People really appreciate the roominess of the units, and that has given them an edge over a lot of other buildings,” she says.

Designed by Fujikawa Johnson Gobel Architects, Prairie Pointe really introduced a new architectural aesthetic to the neighborhood, according to Jerry Johnson, the firm’s president.

“We had no context to guide us with this project,” says Johnson. “There was a lot of vacant land and railroad tracks, and really nothing else, though by the time we finished, activity in the area had begun to pick up.”

The dearth of buildings in the neighborhood actually worked to Prairie Pointe’s advantage, Johnson says, because it afforded unobstructed views for virtually all of the residents.

“You can literally look into Soldier Field from many of the residences,” he says. “Obviously we planned the footprint of the building to take maximum advantage of the available vistas.”

In May, 10 of the original 156 luxury townhouses and condos remain available, led by a 2,700 square-foot penthouse that features a 1,500 square-foot terrace and is priced at $1.82 million. Five one-bedroom units in the $380s remain, along with a one-bedroom-plus-den in the $550s and three two-bedrooms in the $450s.

The Gammonley Group has been developing quality projects in the Chicago area for two decades now, including nearby 1111 Wabash. A mixture of traditional, contemporary and a touch of ultra-modern architecture appeals to a wide variety of buyers, according to Deborah Chiet, director of sales and marketing for Gammonley.

“The design of the building has attracted a diverse group of buyers,” says Chiet. “But I have to emphasize that the location, away from the hustle and bustle, yet with views that include the lake, Navy Pier, Soldier Field, the museum campus and much more is a huge draw.”

Building amenities include an elegant lobby with 24-hour door staff, entertainment room, an adjacent park and dog run, conference room, fitness center, and a sundeck with whirlpool.
Some of the unit amenities include nine- and 10-foot ceilings, hardwood flooring in living areas, spacious balconies or terraces, gas log fireplaces, and multimedia wiring.

The kitchens come fully equipped with granite countertops, 21.6 cubic-foot refrigerators, built-in gas cooktops and self-cleaning ovens, 42-inch upper cabinets, and double-bowl, stainless-steel sinks.

The master bedroom has a spacious walk-in closet, and the baths have cultured marble vanities, designer wood cabinetry, and ceramic tile flooring.

The sales office is located at the building in suite 1707. It is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

It’s clear what co-developers Stillpoint Development, The Pickus Companies and Castlebar Enterprises had in mind when they baptized Mod, a nifty 92-unit, contemporary-style condominium development under construction in Chicago’s vibrant West Loop.

“The developers definitely wanted modern,” says Chris Payne of Sullivan, Goulette & Wilson, the architects for the project, emphasizing that “contemporary” was the order of the day both inside and out.

“We started with bold red panels and a lot of glazing on the outside and carried the look into the lobby,” Payne continued. “And we went with an open floor plan in the unit interiors. Lots of clean lines and a very contemporary look.”

Planned in two stages – a 56-unit building at 1222 W Madison St and a 36-unit property next door at 1224 W Madison St – the developers clearly created the Mod design for the upwardly-mobile young professional, though the location and the development’s eco-friendly features appeal to a broad spectrum of buyers.

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What better way to size up a new building than to listen to those who will make it their home?

A “straight-from-the-horse’s-mouth” survey of Emerald buyers turned out to be music to the ears of all who had a part in making the project a reality.

Emerald recently began welcoming its first residents into its two 12-story glass-and-concrete towers at Monroe and Green streets in the West Loop. Among those buyers are Scott and Margaret Verhey, who work in the city and wanted to purchase an in-town home.

“Everything went right,” says Scott. “We like the fact that common amenities such as the fitness center are all useful and don’t unnecessarily inflate the costs to the residents. Most important though was the seamless, competent service we received from the entire staff. It’s almost unheard of for a new building to deliver on all of its promises and to do everything on schedule.”

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In the boom of new construction throughout the West Loop, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd. But one development has found a way to make its mark. C/A 23 is making a splash by offering full-floor 1,900 to 4,000 square-foot condos.

“If you’re looking for this kind of square footage, you’d usually have to buy a townhouse, which is very vertical,” says Geoff Ruttenberg, CEO of The Brixton Group, which is developing the property.

“From a practical standpoint, having this amount of square footage on one floor means a convenient, enjoyable lifestyle. It’s a unique option in a very urban, hot neighborhood.”

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