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The number and types of on-site amenities can play a major role in a renter’s choice of developments. Do you enjoy summer days by the pool, or would you rather go to the beach? Would you use that on-site fitness center, or do you have a private gym membership? Are you ever going to throw a party in that community lounge, or are you just going to grab a cup of coffee from it each morning as you go to work?
The new-construction rental high-rises in downtown Chicago offer something for everybody, from fitness centers to on-site auto detailing. In this post I’m going to break down the facilities at two Lincoln Property Company developments: Echelon at K Station at 353 N Desplaines St in the Fulton River District, and 1401 South State at 1401 S State St in the South Loop.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of amenities is a swimming pool. And Echelon at K Station (seen in the pictures above) has one on its fourth floor terrace, which has stellar views of the downtown skyline. 1401 South State (in the images below) has an outdoor terrace, but all it has for entertainment is a fire pit and gas grills — no pool.
Both towers have adjacent parks — Echelon’s is public, while 1401 South State’s is an enclosed space sitting directly below the “L” tracks. Animals aren’t allowed inside 1401 South State’s private park, but the building does have a dog run where owners can take their pets. Echelon’s neighboring park is a large, grassy, dog-friendly space, and it’s about twice the size of 1401 South State’s private park.
Echelon’s large lounge and party suite, located on its entrance level, has a flat-screen TV and pool table and can be rented out by tenants for parties. 1401 South State has a social room and wireless cafe on the fourth floor that leads out to its terrace.
Each building has similarly-sized fitness centers and offer on-site dry cleaning services.
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
You realize you are comparing 2 completely different neighborhoods?
Amazing that 1401 S. State won’t let their residents use the park they build for their dogs. Instead they have ruined the parkways in Dearborn Park II. When the snow melted there was so much residue from the dogs that most of the grass was destroyed. Apparently renters cannot do more than cross the stree with their dogs. How about letting them use the park that was built, fenced off and other neighborhood residents locked out of for their dogs.
J:
As Jeremy said in his second paragraph, he was looking at two Lincoln Property Company developments, and acknowledges immediately afterward that they’re in two different downtown neighborhoods.
Is anyone going to mention how hideous 1401 S State is?
From my north facing view a few blocks south, 1130 South Michigan used to be the eyesore in the area, until they replaced the windows on that building which dramatically improved its appearance — to the point of my forgiving the strange, large, square, off-white, wavy box which crowns it. Then, all was well with my view.
Alas, they built 1401 S State. This abomination is so ugly it makes me angry every time I see it. The cheap metal panels erected on its roof, the strange vertical cages attached to its western side, the prison bar enclosed parking area, the exposed cement stair/entryway, the nonsensical cutout areas throughout, and the glaring flourescent lighting shining brightly from each unit — this building is the sole reason I am investing in window treatments.
That’s because I think some people like 1401. Unlike the concrete mess that is Marquee or those Michigan Ave Towers (I and II), this is fairly elegant and modern. Most of the things you mentioned as flaws were done on purpose, not because they had to cut corners.