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Left Bank is a 36-story, 451-unit luxury apartment complex at 300 N Canal St in Chicago’s Fulton River District.
Fifield Companies developed Left Bank. Power Construction was the general contractor and DeStefano & Partners the architecture firm.
Left Bank was completed in 2006 as the first building in the 2,145-unit K Station development.
The apartments
Left Bank has a mix of studio, convertible, 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom apartments in 13 different floor plans.
Floor plans and near real-time availability information are accessible online.
The monthly rents are toward the lower end of the range for newer buildings in the area, in part due to the apartments being smaller than you’ll find in some of the neighboring buildings. Living / dining areas and bedrooms in a number of the plans are limited in size.
Kitchens have gas ranges, a mix of stainless steel and black appliances, granite counter tops and in-unit washer / dryers.
Units have floor-to-ceiling windows, some in angled bays. Most of the floor plans have private balconies. The apartments are carpeted throughout except for kitchens and baths.
Views. The openness of Left Bank’s location currently provides good view corridors to the north, south and west. The prized east / southeast views, however, have been curtailed by two new office towers just southeast of Left Bank.
Amenities, services, policies
Left Bank has a limited amenities package compared to the newer Fulton River District buildings.
Left Bank has a 24-hour fitness room, and a resistance pool and hot tub.
Left Bank’s landscaped outdoor terrace is on the northwest side of the building, limiting its exposure to sun during part of the day.
Left Bank has an appealing resident lounge. The building hosts social events that enable residents to meet one another.
Furnished guest suites are available to accommodate overnight visitors.
Dogs are limited to select floors and 25 pounds in weight. Cats are OK.
Left Bank has on-site leasing and management staff, and 24/7 door staff.
Location
Left Bank is the closest-to-the-Loop of the Fulton River District apartment complexes.
Left Bank’s location affords residents quick access to the Loop, River North, River West and the West Loop.
Shopping
Left Bank has the least convenient access to full-service grocery stores of the Fulton River District apartment complexes.
There is a small convenience store in the building, and the French Market at Ogilvie Station is a few short blocks south.
Left Bank is four short blocks from a strip center that includes a new, heavily-reviewed Jewel-Osco, a Radio Shack, a Pet Stuff, a Chase bank branch, a Hair Cuttery, a cleaners and a nail salon.
Another large grocer near Left Bank is the Mariano’s on Halsted.
There’s a dearth of retail shopping near Left Bank in the Fulton River District and West Loop, but the building has decent access to the retail clusters in the Clybourn Corridor and along Roosevelt Road, and to Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent Mile shops.
Dining, nightlife
The thriving restaurant and nightlife scenes in Greektown, River North and the West Loop are all within a few minutes of Left Bank.
The heart of Randolph Street’s restaurant row, boasting some of Chicago’s hottest attractions, is just over a 10-minute walk from Left Bank.
Some of the more popular dining and nightlife venues in the immediate area include Carnivale, Jefferson Tap & Grille, Piccolo Sogno Italian restaurant, the Paramount Room, Iguana Café and New Line Tavern.
Bucktown and Wicker Park are minutes away by cab, bike or Blue Line trains.
Parks, recreation
Left Bank has limited access to parks and recreational opportunities.
Fulton River Park is the nearest park. It has a pet-friendly area, a playground and a gently-sloped lawn.
Movies in the Parks draw a crowd on summer nights.
There’s a riverfront park deck at the nearby River Point office tower.
Kayak rentals are available at a number of locations for residents who want a closer look at the nearby Chicago River.
Transportation. Left Bank has good access to public transportation. It’s just a few blocks from the CTA’s Grand Ave Blue Line station, which is also served by four CTA bus lines. The Blue Line provides direct access to O’Hare Airport and west-suburban Oak Park and Forest Park.
The Pink and Green Line stop at Clinton St is a short block south and west of the building.
Left Bank is less than a 10-minute walk from the CTA’s Brown and Purple Line stop at the Merchandise Mart. It’s a few blocks north of the Metra’s Ogilvie Transportation Center and the adjoining Chicago French Market.
Left Bank is a block south of a protected bike lane path that provides quick access to River North, the Loop, Wicker Park and Bucktown.
A number of CTA bus routes are within a few blocks of Left Bank.
Zipcar rentals are available at the building.
Left Bank has quick access to I-90/94 via the Ontario / Ohio on / off ramps and Randolph St.
The competition
You’ll find additional options at YoChicago’s comprehensive Fulton River District / River West apartment guide.