Glance up from nearly any street in the South Loop, and you’ll see cranes and half-built structures crowding the sky as a new neighborhood grows up. Walking these blocks on Monday, we were struck by the way that 1555 Wabash is likely to stand out, at least from the street, in this pocket of the South Loop.
Jonathan Splitt Architects has never designed a project this large, but that didn’t stop the firm from making a bold statement. In a neighborhood dominated by masonry, the facade of 1555 Wabash is all glass, folding back to create eight corner units per floor.
The 14-story building will include 176 condos in a “soft-loft” style. Its wide terraces, which have more space and shelter than the balconies on some other nearby condo buildings, also will set it apart.
The granite counters, stainless steel appliances, kitchen island, mix of hardwood and carpeting and other finishes seem comparable to the standards at other projects in this price range, but the 10-foot ceiling heights should give these units slightly more breathing room than the condos at competing projects such as 1349 Wabash and Vision on State, where ceiling heights are around nine feet. That’s a good thing – unless you like smooth finished-looking ceilings. These ones are exposed concrete, in keeping with the loft aesthetic.
“It has a very contemporary feel,” says Christina Popp, a sales associate for New West Realty, which is marketing and developing the project. “It’s not your average white-box.”
Construction is underway and the development is half sold, according to Popp, who expects first deliveries by summer of 2008. Prices start in the $280s, and the price per square foot comes in around $320, she says. The units range from 767 to 1,486 square feet.
The ground floor will house retail space, and the building will also include a fitness center, sun deck and garage parking.
