The Elle apartments, 801 S Financial Pl, South Loop

The Elle is a 496-unit, 33-story rental high-rise at 801 S Financial Pl in the South Loop.

First occupancies began in late-November, 2017.

Atlanta-based Wood Partners was the developer, Pappageorge Haymes Partners is the architecture firm and Walsh Construction was the general contractor.

The apartments

The Elle offers a mix of studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, 2-bath and 3-bedroom, 2-bath apartments.

The apartments are larger than you’ll find in some other new buildings. Studios range in size from 466 to 616 square feet, 1-bedrooms from 609 to 847 square feet, and 2-bedroom, 2-baths from 1,130 to 1,305 square feet. Penthouse-level 3-bedroom, 2-baths span 1,437 to 1,476 square feet.

Floor plans and near real-time rent and availability info are online.

The apartments feature expansive windows with roller blinds, plank flooring throughout, custom closets, in-unit washer / dryers, Nest thermostats and keyless Bluetooth smartphone entry. Gigabit internet service is available.

Kitchens have quartz countertops, duotone cabinets with high-gloss uppers, tile backsplashes, under-cabinet LED lighting, Grohe fixtures and a stainless-steel Whirlpool appliance package that includes a gas range, dishwasher, built-in microwave and side-by-side refrigerator / freezer.

Corner 1- and 2-bedroom apartments have balconies.

Views. Since there are no high-rise buildings within a block of the building, The Elle has good views of the Loop and South Loop skylines.

Amenities, services, policies

The Elle has extensive amenities.

A Dollop Coffee outlet will serve coffee and house-made sandwiches in the lobby.

Amenities are located on the fourth floor and include a large outdoor pool deck with private cabanas, a fire pit, gas grills and a whirlpool. The large outdoor lawn area has a bocce court.

The Elle has a club lounge and a demonstration kitchen.

A well-equipped fitness center has a separate yoga and flux studio.

There’s an entertainment space with a multi-screen theater.

A co-working hub has smart conference rooms. High-speed Wi-Fi is available throughout the common areas.

The Elle is pet-friendly, subject to limits, and has two outdoor pet parks and an interior “pet spa.” The on-site garage has 348 parking spaces.

The Elle has on-site management, maintenance and leasing staff, and 24/7 door staff.

The location

The Elle is one of the closer-to-the-Loop buildings in the South Loop. It has good proximity to the Willis Tower, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the Board of Trade and other financial trading institutions in the Loop.

The Elle is just west of the Printers Row neighborhood, and within walking distance of a number of local colleges and universities.

Shopping. The Elle has decent access to grocery stores.

The nearest major grocery is Target at Clark and Roosevelt.

A Trader Joe’s and Jewel Osco are located southeast of the building on Roosevelt Rd.

There are several convenience stores nearby, including Urban Pantry and the family-owned South Loop Market.

The most convenient retail cluster for The Elle residents will be the Shops at Roosevelt Collection, a few blocks southeast.

There’s a large and growing cluster of big-box shops just west of the river along Roosevelt Rd, and State Street shops are easily accessible.

Dining, nightlife.
There are a number of friendly, neighborhood-oriented spots near The Elle.

Umai, a Japanese restaurant, is a short walk east on Polk St. Other nearby Printers Row venues that merit a visit include Flaco’s Tacos, Hackney’s, Kasey’s Tavern, which bills itself as “Chicago’s second oldest tavern”, and Bar Louie.

There’s a fast food strip a few blocks east of the building in Columbia College’s Dwight Lofts building, with Dunkin Donuts, Subway and Pat’s Pizza.

Lou Malnati’s and Pauly’s Pizzeria are half a mile east on State St.

Jazz Showcase serves up live music seven nights a week and at a Sunday matinee at Dearborn Station, a short stroll east of The Elle.

Parks, recreation. The Elle has limited access to public parks and outdoor recreational opportunities. That said, Grant Park and Millennium Park are within walking distance.

Transportation. Public transportation from the location is good.

Metra’s LaSalle Street Station, a block north of the building, provides access to Chicago’s south side and southern suburbs.

The nearest CTA train stops are a Blue Line station at LaSalle and Congress and a Red Line Stop at Harrison, both a 7-minute walk from The Elle. Other nearby stops are at LaSalle and Van Buren and Quincy and Wells, each a 10-minute walk from the building.

A wide variety of CTA bus routes criss-cross the area, with stops within a few blocks of the building.

Enterprise CarShare and Zipcar car sharing locations are nearby.

Expressway access to and from The Elle is excellent. I-90/94 and I-290 can be reached very quickly via Congress Pkwy.

The competition

You’ll find additional options at YoChicago’s comprehensive South Loop apartment guide.