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The Regal is an 84-unit, 8-story loft building in the South Loop.
The Regal was built, circa 1908, as a brick and timber warehouse and converted to loft apartments in 1987. Philadelphia-based Historic Landmarks for Living was the developer of the loft conversion.
The apartments
The Regal offers 8 different floor plans that it bills as 1-, 2- and 3-bedrooms. The 2-bedrooms can usefully be considered as 1-bedroom plus den units with two baths, and the 3-bedrooms as 2-bedroom plus den apartments with 2 1/2 baths. The second and third “bedrooms” in the 2- and 3-bedroom units are raised lofted areas that are not fully enclosed for privacy.
Floor plans and a near real-time availability check can be accessed online.
The apartments have a classic loft aesthetic with high ceilings, large windows, hardwood floors in living areas, exposed ductwork, brick walls and timber ceilings. Units have good closet space.
Open-plan all-electric kitchens have been remodeled since the original conversion and feature cherry cabinets, granite countertops, and black appliances with built-in microwaves. All of the lofts have in-unit washer / dryers.
The units do not have private outdoor space.
Views. West-facing units at The Regal have decent views of the Willis Tower and the western part of the Loop.
Amenities, services, policies
The Regal’s amenities package is limited to a bicycle room. There are plans for addition of a fitness center, business center and community room.
The Regal has on-site management. The building accepts pets, subject to limits. Parking is off-site.
The location
The Regal is one of the closer-to-the-Loop buildings in the South Loop but has one of the South Loop’s least advantageous locations for proximity to shopping, dining, parks and cultural attractions.
The Regal does have good proximity to the Willis Tower, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the Board of Trade and other financial trading institutions in the Loop.
The Regal is three blocks west of the Printers Row neighborhood.
WalkScore gives the location a “Walker’s Paradise” rating of 94 and a “Rider’s Paradise” transit score of 100. The WalkScore ratings for the building are unreliable and based on information and distance estimates that are just wrong. The Regal does not have walkability and access to transit even remotely comparable to other properties with the same scores.
Shopping. The Regal lacks convenient access to a major grocery store.
There are several decent convenience stores several blocks away, including South Loop Market and Urban Pantry.
The most convenient retail cluster for The Regal residents will be the State Street shops, anchored by Macy’s.
Dining, nightlife.
You’ll have to walk a few blocks from The Regal to gain access to dining and nightlife options.
Cactus Bar & Grill, two-and-a-half blocks north of The Regal, is a lively scene when the weather is warm. O’Neil’s on Wells, across the street from Cactus, draws a drinking crowd. Tutto Italiano, a block-and-a-half north of The Regal, is a local favorite for moderately-priced Italian fare.
Once you reach Van Buren St you can head in any direction and find dozens of fast food options and bars and restaurants that cater primarily to Loop workers.
Parks, recreation. The Regal has poor access to public parks and outdoor recreational opportunities.
There’s a large stretch of vacant land along the river across Wells St from The Regal, and the southern part of it has become popular with dog owners.
Transportation. Public transportation from the location is good.
The nearest CTA train stop is a Blue Line station at LaSalle and Congress, a 5-minute walk from The Regal. Other nearby stops are at LaSalle and Van Buren and Quincy and Wells, each an 8-minute walk from the building.
The nearest CTA bus routes are several blocks from the building.
Metra’s LaSalle Street Station is near the building and provides access to Chicago’s south side and southern suburbs.
Taxi service is sporadic at the location. Enterprise CarShare and Zipcar car sharing locations are nearby.
Expressway access is one of the building’s few strengths relative to its competitors. I-90/94 and I-290 can be reached very quickly via Congress Pkwy.
The competition
Rentals are typically available in a number of nearby condo buildings, sometimes at lower rents than in the managed apartment buildings.
You’ll find additional options at YoChicago’s comprehensive South Loop apartment guide.
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