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NEMA Chicago, part of the NEMA national residential rental brand, is a 76-story, 800-unit apartment tower in the South Loop. The building has ground-level retail space and a parking garage. Pre-leasing began in January of 2019, with first occupancies slated for May 1, 2019.
Crescent Heights is the developer. Rafael Viñoly Architects is the architecture firm and McHugh Construction is the general contractor.
The Rockwell Group‘s David Rockwell is the interior designer.
NEMA is the tallest building south of Van Buren in Chicago, and is designed to LEED Silver standards. The building’s square structural bays at varying heights are evocative of the Willis Tower, Chicago’s tallest building.
The apartments
Apartments range from studios to 4-bedroom, 4-baths. Signature and Skyline Collection apartments offer different levels of finishes.
All of the apartments have high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, wide plank flooring, Lutron lighting, programmable thermostats, custom cabinetry, full-size in-unit washer / dryers, and upscale kitchens and baths with custom cabinetry. All of the apartments are “smart-home ready.”
Some of the units have large recessed balconies.
Two- to 4-bedroom “Skyline Collection” residences on the 49th through 76th floors have extended ceiling heights and premium finishes. Some of the apartments have large private terraces and soaking tubs.
Views. The building’s prominent location at the base of Grant Park guarantees spectacular views in every direction.
East-facing units have views of Lake Michigan over Soldier Field and Northerly Island.
Amenities, services, policies
NEMA has nearly 70,000 square feet of amenities and offers “hospitality-style service and building-wide event programming.”
There’s a 75-foot indoor lap pool, and a landscaped outdoor pool deck with whirlpools and day beds. Private entertaining areas have 65-inch TVs, grills, ice makers and refrigerators.
The large, well-equipped fitness center has an adjacent basketball court and a squash court. It also boasts the only boxing ring in a Chicago apartment building. Spin, yoga and Pilates studios offer group and private instruction.
There’s a game room and a golf simulator.
NEMA has multiple resident lounges and a demonstration kitchen with Subzero and Wolf appliances.
A 48th floor lounge and adjacent terrace, reserved for Skyline Collection residents, offer spectacular views of Grant Park and Lake Michigan.
NEMA has a co-working space with nine conference rooms and a kitchenette.
There’s a “kids’ club” playroom.
NEMA has on-site leasing, management and maintenance staff and 24/7 door staff. The building is pet-friendly, subject to limits.
The location
NEMA occupies a high-visibility site at the south end of Grant Park.
The location affords residents quick access to the Museum Campus, the Loop, Soldier Field and McCormick Place.
NEMA residents have ready access to a number of local colleges and universities, including DePaul, Roosevelt, Columbia, The Art Institutes and the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Shopping. Residents at NEMA have convenient access to grocery shopping.
Trader Joe’s and Jewel-Osco are around the corner from the building.
Target and Whole Foods are a bit further west along Roosevelt Rd, and there is a Mariano’s on Clark St. There are also several convenience stores in the immediate area. There are full-service pharmacies in the Jewel and Target, and a Walgreens is two short blocks west on Roosevelt Rd.
The South Loop has long had a rap as being under-retailed, but that’s changing as the Shops at Roosevelt Collection rapidly fills its space.
There’s a large and growing cluster of big-box shops just west of the river along Roosevelt Rd, and State Street shops and Magnificent Mile shops are a few minutes’ away.
Dining, nightlife.
There are scores of dining and nightlife options within a few blocks’ walk of NEMA, and their number is growing.
Long-time local favorite Flo & Santos is just over a block from the building.
Breakfast options are abundant, but you can expect a weekend wait at the Bongo Room, Eleven City Diner, and Yolk.
Sandwich lovers have a Jimmy John’s nearby and are about a block away from Jersey Mike’s, Potbelly and Five Guys.
Sports enthusiasts can grab a donut at Stan’s and wash it down with a brew at Wabash Tap or The Scout, neighborhood hangouts that are packed during Bears games.
Blues lovers can head a few blocks north to Buddy Guy’s Legends.
We’ve only ventured a few short blocks from NEMA – and we haven’t even listed what’s within those blocks. You’ll find a wide variety of dining and nightlife options in the immediate neighborhood.
Parks, recreation. NEMA has Grant Park as its front yard.
Spanning nearly half a square mile, the 319-acre park accommodates a wide range of active recreational pursuits and spots for quiet contemplation.
Millennium Park, at the North end of Grant Park, is one of the most exciting and architecturally interesting public spaces in the country. NEMA residents will pass the Art Institute on the way to Millennium Park.
Maggie Daley Park and Northerly Island beach are a short bike ride from NEMA.
Transportation. Public transportation from the location is excellent.
The CTA’s Roosevelt Road station has Red, Green and Orange Line stops for easy access to north, south and west side locations and to Midway Airport. The Metra Electric line reaches the University of Chicago’s Hyde Park campus in under 15 minutes from a stop just north of NEMA.
A wide variety of CTA bus routes criss-cross the area, with stops near the building.
Taxi and Uber / Lyft service is near-instantaneous at the front door. Zipcar and Enterprise CarShare locations are nearby.
I-90/94 and I-290 can generally be reached within a few minutes.
The competition
You’ll find additional options at YoChicago’s South Loop apartment guide.