Earlier posts in our series on the best apartment towers in the South Loop concentrated on their location. We spotlighted the South Loop apartment buildings with the best views, the most convenient grocery shopping, the best access to public transit, parks and beaches, retail shoppingthe expressway grid, dining and nightlife, retail shopping, and the shortest walk to the Loop.
We then shifted focus to the buildings themselves, beginning with affordability, the topic that’s top-of-mind with many renters, and moving on to the best building amenities, boutique ambiance and pet-friendliness.
In our final group of posts, we turned our attention to the apartments, spotlighting the buildings with the best apartment finishes and features, private outdoor space and studio / convertible floor plans.
Affordability is a consideration for one-bedroom renters, so we only looked at apartments renting for less than $2,000 a month in making our selection. We also eliminated one-off plans that are rarely available for rent.
Our first-choice selection is a 1-bedroom with two full baths and a den / foyer at Astoria Tower. As of several days ago there were three units of this type available at $1,662 to $1,790 a month on a 9-month lease and $1,702 to $1,870 for 12-month leases.
The apartment has hardwood floors, an in-unit washer / dryer, a private balcony and condo-quality finishes in the kitchen and baths. It has features that work well for a couple or an individual who wants a lot of space. One of the two full baths has a stall shower. The foyer area is large enough to function as a den or home office.
The plan does have some negatives: a smallish bedroom, limited closet space and a balcony that opens off the bedroom rather than the living area.
Chime in with a comment if you disagree with our selection.
You’ll find links to our objective, visually-rich apartment reviews of South Loop buildings, and links to near real-time availability checks for most of the buildings, at our at-a-glance list, and some tips and advice at our Guide to renting in the South Loop.
Note: Astoria Tower is one of our advertisers.
Next topic: Two-bedroom floor plan.