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Kingsbury Plaza is a 43-story, 420-unit apartment tower at 520 N Kingsbury St in River North. The property, which was completed in 2007, is adjacent to the East Bank Club.
The Habitat Company was the developer, Solomon Cordwell Buenz was the architect, and McHugh Construction was the general contractor.
The apartments
Kingsbury Plaza offers studio, convertible, 1-bedroom, 1-bedroom + den and 2-bedroom apartments. Floor plans and near real-time rent and availability info are at the building’s website.
The apartments have floor-to-ceiling windows and engineered hardwood floors in living areas, individually controlled heater and cooling, in-unit washers and dryers and private balconies.
Kitchens include granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, large sinks and built-in microwaves.
Master bedrooms in 2-bedroom units include walk-in closets and bathrooms with double-bowl vanities.
Short-term furnished rentals in the building are available from VIP Corporate Housing.
Views. Kingsbury Plaza’s location in a largely low-rise area at the west edge of River North affords spectacular views of the Loop and Near North Side skylines.
The building’s orientation tilts slightly to the northeast maximizing the views from most of the units, and affording views south along the Chicago River. High-floor units have glimpses of Lake Michigan.
Amenities, services, policies
The most striking feature of Kingsbury Plaza’s amenities is the pool deck, which has a large park-like area adjacent to it.
The green lawn is by far the largest I’ve seen, on site or by helicopter, on any residential Chicago rooftop. It’s a very special amenity in River North, a neighborhood notable for its scarce park space.
Colorful floral plantings, which vary seasonally, add to the space’s attractiveness. There are stainless steel grills and table seating beneath a latticed trellis.
The feeling of openness on the deck is enhanced by views of River North’s varied architecture in the foreground and the skyline in the background.
The amenities deck at Kingsbury Plaza is on the south side of the building. Surrounding buildings are mostly below the deck’s level ensuring sunlight when the sun is shining.
If you’ve visited a number of Chicago high-rises you’ve probably noted that the sun only occasionally bathes the sundecks at some of them.
There’s a fully-equipped fitness center that looks out onto the pool deck and skyline views to the south.
A resident lounge / party room has an adjacent catering kitchen with coffee and tea service.
There’s a tranquil walkway, popular with dog owners, along the river on the west side of the building.
Additional amenities include a business center, dry cleaners, lockers, bicycle storage and a receiving room.
Kingsbury Plaza has on-site leasing, management and maintenance staff, and 24/7 door staff. The building is smoke-free and pet-friendly, subject to limits.
The location
Kingsbury Plaza is in a relatively quiet pocket of River North, directly adjacent to the East Bank Club and a short walk from the Merchandise Mart.
Shopping. The nearest full-service grocery store is a new Jewel-Osco less than half a mile from Kingsbury Plaza. It may be the city’s best Jewel.
Whole Foods, Whole Foods and Mariano’s have outlets within a mile of Kingsbury Plaza. There’s a CVS Pharmacy nearby on Hubbard St.
Retail development in the immediate area is sparse, but the shops along Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile and The Shops at North Bridge are only a few minutes away.
The River North Gallery District has taken some hits from the economy in recent years but remains a vibrant art scene.
Dining, nightlife. River North dining, bar and nightlife options within a short walk of Kingsbury Plaza are beyond plentiful and draw weekend throngs from throughout Chicagoland. Coffee shops and sidewalk cafés are a short walk away.
The building’s location has quick access to the thriving West Loop restaurant and club scene and to the growing array of options in the adjacent Fulton River District.
A block south of the building, is the newly opened 3 Greens market, which is a marketplace and restaurant by the group that owns the very-popular Au Cheval.
Parks, recreation. The popular 3-acre Montgomery Ward Park on the Chicago River is two short blocks to the north. It’s primarily a passive recreation area sloping down to the river but it does have an excellent children’s playground and an adjacent dog park. The park hosts a number of Night out in the Parks events.
There’s an additional dog park nearer the property at Ohio and Orleans.
Kingsbury Plaza has good proximity to Chicago’s expanding Riverwalk.
Transportation. Public transportation is excellent. The CTA Brown and Purple lines stop at the Merchandise Mart. The CTA’s #65 bus route provides frequent (although not always rapid) access to Streeterville and North Michigan Ave, and busses along Wells and LaSalle connect to Loop and Near North destinations. Taxis regularly cruise the area.
A Zipcar outlet is on-site and Enterprise CarShare cars are available at the Merchandise Mart.
Access to the city’s expressway grid is excellent, via the nearby Ohio / Ontario off / on ramps to I-90/94.
The competition
You’ll find additional options at YoChicago’s comprehensive River North apartment guide.
Note: Kingsbury Plaza is a YoChicago advertiser.