By Matthew Power Located across the Chicago River from a four-level athletic and dining facility called the East Bank Club, this new community revitalizes an area of warehouses and abandoned railroad yards. A massive project built at an average cost of about $100 per square foot, it includes 54 mid-rise units, 84 townhomes, and 208 high-rise apartments.
Architect George Pappageorge notes that the development has the advantage of river views from many units, and materials were carefully chosen to give the buildings a sense of proportion. "The building uses offsets to incorporate balconies while reducing the appearance of bulk and mass," he notes. "A stone base gives way to walls made of brick above the first floor, which are stratified by color. Then a steel cornice ties the building to the adjacent townhomes and terminates each masonry projection."
Brick masonry is a recurring theme. Pappageorge faced the townhomes into a courtyard onto two brick-paved interior streets. He surrounded them with attractive stone façades that shield residents from noise generated by a nearby commuter railroad. The approach created a more pleasant approach and walking area. In addition, the architect added exterior lighting and landscaping to enhance the sense of place.
Photo: George Pappageorge
Category: Community with mixed housing types; Entrant/Architect/Land Planner: Pappageorge/Haymes, Chicago; Builder: E.W. Corrigan, Oak Brook, Ill.; Developer: The Habitat Co., Chicago; Landscape Architect: Joe Karr & Associates, Chicago Back to the Builder's Choice Index
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