AMLI River North, 71 W Hubbard St, River North

AMLI River North, 71 W Hubbard St in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, is a 50-story, 409-unit apartment tower with 262 parking spaces and 4,500 square feet of ground level retail space.

Construction began in October 2011, and the building opened for occupancy in 2013.

AMLI Residential Partners is the developer, Walsh Construction the general contractor, and Solomon Cordwell Buenz the architect.

The apartments

There are 8 separate studio layouts, 11 1-bedroom floor plans (some with a bath-and-a-half), 5 variations on 2-bedrooms and a single 3-bedroom layout. The building has six floors of “penthouses.” The floor plans are more spacious than you’ll typically find in new downtown apartment construction. Floor plans and current rents and availabilities are accessible online.

Apartment features include wood flooring in living areas and Berber carpet in bedrooms, in-unit washer / dryers, and kitchens with 42-inch cabinets, under-mount sinks, granite countertops and tile backsplashes.

A number of the floor plans offer features that are uncommon in rental buildings, including baths with separate tubs and showers, double-bowl vanities, desk nooks, bonus rooms and storage areas. Some of the floor plans have private balconies.

Furnished short-term rentals in the building are available through Manilow Suites, Habitat Corporate Suites and VIP Corporate Housing.

Views. AMLI’s dense, close-in location limits the view corridors from many of the units. High-floors facing south and east are likely to offer the best views.

Amenities, services, policies

A 12th floor amenities level includes a fitness center with a yoga studio, a library, dining room, club room with kitchen, game room and cyber cafe.

The amenities level has access to a 22,700 square foot outdoor deck above the parking structure with a pool, fountain, private cabanas, outdoor kitchen, fire pit area, lawn area and dog run.

AMLI River North has on-site leasing and management staff and 24/7 door staff. The building is smoke-free and pet-friendly. AMLI River North was designed to qualify for the US Green Building Council‘s LEED Gold designation.

The location

Residents at AMLI River North are greeted by a lively restaurant and bar scene literally outside their front door in an architecturally-mixed, visually interesting environment.

Walk Score gives the location a “Walker’s Paradise” score of 95 and a Transit Score of 100.

Shopping. The nearest full-service grocery is a Jewel two blocks east and three blocks north at 550 N State St. Whole Foods is a block east and six short blocks north. There’s a small convenience store across the street from AMLI.

A CVS Pharmacy is a block away on Kinzie St. Walgreen’s is four short blocks north.

Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile is a few blocks east of the property and State Street shops are a few blocks south.

The River North Gallery District has taken some hits from the economy in recent years but remains a vibrant art scene. Home furniture and design shops are abundant in the neighborhood.

And yes, some of River North’s gritty past is still very present within a half-block of the building.

Dining, nightlife. None of the new apartment towers can come close to matching the number and variety of restaurants, bars and nightlife within a few short blocks of AMLI River North’s location. It’s a destination scene that draws tourists and visitors from throughout Chicagoland.

Parks, recreation. AMLI’s otherwise strong River North Location draws a blank on convenient access to park space: there isn’t any nearby.

The expanding Chicago Riverwalk is two short blocks south of the property. It’s a fun scene with a wide variety of dining options.

Transportation. The location affords equally good access to the Loop and to North Michigan Avenue. Public transportation is excellent, with a number of CTA bus routes within a block or two, and a CTA Red Line stop within a 2-minute walk. Taxis are plentiful 24/7 in the area.

The location has fairly quick access to I-90/94 via the Ontario St and Ohio St on / off ramps.

The competition

You’ll find additional options at YoChicago’s comprehensive River North apartment guide.

Rentals are typically available in a number of nearby condo buildings, sometimes at sharply lower rents than in the managed apartment buildings.