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13Thirteen is a 3-story, 70-unit loft building at 1313 W Randolph St in the West Loop.
The 130,000 square foot Art Deco building was built in 1927 and housed the Wholesale Florist Exchange. It was converted to residential lofts in 2012.
The first floor of the building is retail space, part of which was recently leased to Kids & Company and part of which is occupied by a Yoga studio.
Hartshorne Plunkard was the architecture firm for 13Thirteen, and Summit Design + Build was the general contractor.
The apartments
13Thirteen has a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments.
Five of the 6 floor plans marketed on the building’s website as 2-bedroom apartments have a second “bedroom” that doesn’t meet Chicago building code standards and is labeled a “multipurpose room” on the plans. There’s no natural light or ventilation to that room, and it lacks a closet on one of the plans. The dimensions of the multipurpose room also appear to be misstated in the floor plan, above. Only two of the building’s 19 floor plans have bedrooms with windows. The apartments do not have private outdoor space.
Most of the building’s floor plans have a long and narrow “bowling alley” configuration that results in a lot of space being lost to travel.
Floor plans and near real-time availability information can be accessed online.
The apartments have 11-foot ceiling heights, and a soft-loft aesthetic with exposed spiral ductwork.
Kitchens have stylish cabinets, quartz countertops and stainless steel appliance packages with gas ranges and built-in microwaves. All of the apartments have in-unit washer / dryers and individual heating and air-conditioning units.
It’s been my experience that apartments often have a very different feel once you’re inside them than the one you glean from their floor plans, so visit the space if you’re interested. It might not be as dysfunctional as it appears from the plans.
Residents of the building have expressed a number of pros and cons to living there.
Views. 13Thirteen, at only 3 stories in height, is not a view building.
Amenities, services, policies
13Thirteen has an unusually good amenities package for a loft building of its size.
13Thirteen has a rooftop resident lounge. There’s an adjacent outdoor seating area with a grill station and city views. The building also has a theater room, business center and conference room and a fitness room.
13Thirteen has indoor heated garage parking and bike storage. Cats and dogs are accepted, subject to limits.
The location
13Thirteen is half a mile west of the lively “restaurant row” district on Randolph St. Proximity to the Illlinois Medical District hospitals is a plus for the location.
Shopping. Residents at 13Thirteen have limited grocery shopping options nearby compared to other West Loop buildings.
A recently-opened Target is about three-quarters of a mile from the building.
The new Mariano’s three-quarters of a mile southeast of 13Thirteen has been generating a lot of positive buzz and drawing crowds to a large selection of prepared foods and craft beers.
You’ll find the occasional boutique and gallery in the neighborhood, but retail venues are fairly scarce. There is an “adult store” just east of 13Thirteen. State Street shops, anchored by Macy’s, are more than a mile-and-a-half east.
Dining, nightlife. The West Loop has a rich and varied dining and nightlife scene, much of it clustered further east of 13Thirteen.
The annual Taste of Randolph street fair is a great way to sample Randolph Street’s offerings.
Alhambra Palace, just east of 13Thirteen, is a must-visit although not a place you’re likely to dine on a regular basis.
Residents at 13Thirteen don’t need to venture to the well-known Randolph St and Greektown destination strips. They have a short stroll to Nohea Cafe, Palace Grill, La Lucé, Urban Belly, Viaggio and West End, to name just a few of the nearby options.
Parks, recreation. The location has good proximity to public parks and recreational opportunities.
The more than 7-acre Skinner Park, three short blocks from the property, has a children’s playground, baseball fields, basketball courts, an athletic field for football or soccer and hosts popular events including Movies in the Parks. There’s also a full complement of facilities, including a pool, field house and tennis courts, at the 13-acre Union Park, two blocks west of 13Thirteen.
Hockey players will enjoy the close proximity to Johnny’s IceHouse East, a 5-minute walk away on Madison St. The United Center is within easy walking distance.
Transportation. Public transportation is decent, but not as good as in other West Loop locations.
13Thirteen is about equidistant from the new CTA Pink and Green Line stop at Morgan and the stop at Ashland.
A number of CTA bus routes serve the area, providing fairly quick access to the Loop and to the Medical District.
13Thirteen has good access to the city’s expressway grid. Taxi service is readily available. Zipcar car-sharing locations are several blocks away.
The competition
You’ll find additional options at YoChicago’s comprehensive West Loop apartment guide.