Schatz Development threw a “topping out” party Thursday for 600 North Fairbanks, its curving glass tower in Streeterville designed by Murphy / Jahn. Guests rode a construction elevator to the 32nd floor, which has its glass walls in place but is otherwise still unfinished.
Helmut Jahn’s minimalist design doesn’t aim to cover up the building’s guts, so it seemed somehow appropriate to be muching on hors d’oevres among copper pipes and heating ducts. That stuff will eventually be hidden, but the concrete ceilings and columns won’t, said Noah Schatz, president and CEO of Schatz Development. As we stood on the balcony, he pointed out that Jahn’s devotion to minimalism is evident in the smallest details. For example, there are no mullions filling in the spaces between the glass panes on the building’s exterior – just empty grooves.
The view from the balcony was stunning, encompassing the lake and the towers of Streeterville (including Cityfront Plaza, Centrum Properties’ development across the street at 240 E Illinois). But it wasn’t for the faint of heart. The railing has a steel top but a glass center, making for some shaky, acrophobic moments for me. The building is so light and transparent that in parts you can see through from one side to the other, Schatz said.
600 North Fairbanks is nearing a sellout, with just 11 of the 227 one-, two- and three-bedroom condos remaining for sale, according to Andrena Rodgers, vice president of sales and marketing for Schatz. Prices on the remaining units range from the $430s (for a one-bedroom on the 26th floor) to a $1.5 million penthouse.
