It’s not uncommon for developers of downtown condo high-rises to offer plush “lifestyle” amenities such as spas, massage rooms and upscale restaurants. But to say that Canyon Ranch Living – Chicago, a 67-story tower planned for 680 N. Rush St., is part of the “lifestyle concept” is like saying that Beethoven wrote some symphonies.
Other luxury high-rises have fitness centers? Canyon Ranch will have a 75,000-square-foot wellness center, where in addition to working out, residents can get a massage, take a yoga class, swim in a lap pool and have a fitness regiment designed specially for them.
Some towers have a concierge and valet to help residents’ lives run smoothly. In addition to the usual luxury services, Canyon Ranch offers access to a team of physicians, behaviorists, therapists, nutritionists, physiologists and nurses.
That other high-rise has a restaurant? Canyon Ranch Living – Chicago will include a 100-seat gourmet restaurant with a menu geared toward the health-conscious. But don’t expect skimpy salads or wan little plates of cottage cheese, says Kerry Dickson, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Related Midwest, the developer.
“The food is fabulous,” he says. “It’s not diet-oriented like one might think. The objective of the chefs and nutritionists is to prepare great-tasting gourmet meals that are good for you.” Related Midwest (formerly LR Development Company) recently changed its name when it became part of Related, a national real estate developer.
Chicago’s Canyon Ranch project, which will include 257 condos and 126 hotel condos, has its origins in a hotel and resort that began in Tucson, Ariz. in the ’70s and has since expanded to include spas and health resorts across the country. But combining a wellness facility and luxury condos is a new concept, Dickson says.
“There is nothing comparable to this project anywhere, although we are introducing a similar concept in the Miami area,” he says. “We are offering a luxury product that combines living and wellness in a single lifestyle, so that you don’t have to gather your experts to live a healthy life.”
All of this will take place inside a salubrious elliptical glass tower designed by Chicago architects DeStefano & Partners in conjunction with Robert D. Henry Architects, a New York firm that focused on the interiors.
“Our objective was to create a unique piece of architecture with a strong presence on the skyline,” says Scott Sarver, president of DeStefano + Partners, who points out that the oval shape provides wider panoramic views. “The shape also reacts against some of the heavier boxy buildings in the area, and in that sense we are creating a new context in a neighborhood that has a mixture of architectural elements, some of which are pretty extreme.”
The residences have one to two bedrooms, plus a family room and den, and one to 2.5 bathrooms. The hotel suites range from studios, some of which have alcoves, to one-bedrooms.
Features include five-inch plank rift and quartered white-oak flooring in living areas, quartz kitchen countertops, Miele and Sub-Zero kitchen appliances, Kohler digital thermostatic showerheads and body sprays in master bathrooms, Kallista faucets and bath accessories, private outdoor terraces, floor-to-ceiling windows and pre-wiring for audio visual systems.
Prices range from the low $800s for a one-bedroom of 1,032 square feet to more than $4 million for three-bedroom units and penthouses of up to 3,400 square feet. The hotel suites range from the mid-$700s to the high $900s and range from 625 to 1,310 square feet. Valet parking rights are $50,000.
Marketing began in April 2007, and construction is slated to begin in late 2007 or early 2008. The building will be completed and ready for delivery three years later, according to Nancy Nugent, director of sales for the project.
“Canyon Ranch Living – Chicago brings to the marketplace the next vision for how people would like to live,” she says. “Chicago has become a global city, full of peak performers who either live here or have second or third homes here, or who simply want to stay here occasionally, and Canyon Ranch Living – Chicago appeals to all of them. The synergy between luxury and wellness in this beautiful sleek glass tower brings a new perspective to our city.