We picked another doozy of a day for a building tour. Snow and sleet closed in as we made our approach to K2 at Kinzie Station, the final apartment tower at Fifield Cos' hyper-successful Fulton River development. Pappageorge/Haymes was the primary architect for the all-but-superficially complete 34-story tower. Randy Fifield, Vice Chair and Principal of Fifield Cos, met Curbed in the gleaming lobby (even by cloudy day standards). On a spin through the common spaces, it's clear a big advantage is that all major amenities are contained on the entry level. They include an HD movie theater, multi-part lobby and lounge area, conference room, locker rooms, computer room, and art space. As luck would have it the life of the building begins with an exhibit of authentic Salvador Dali prints, on loan of course. The pool deck rolls right off the main floor, which would be considered the ground level except that it's lofted above three floors of parking with primary access from an elevated stretch of Halsted.
The site is surrounded by asphalt and industry, but a beautification program with ample plantings will go some distance in ameliorating the crude environs. Plus, as the building stands unimpeded, great views are had from even the lowest floors. The model one-bed and an unfurnished one-bed on the fifth floor prove this point. Both were corner units which afforded a two-sided window wall with attached balcony. Chicagoans like to moan about west views, but the westward vantage was especially interesting with rail yards, the Kennedy, and a crossroads of neighborhoods interacting energetically. Finishing touches are being made to the building's 496 apartments, divided among 25 different floor plans. Rents start at $1,650 for one-beds and skyrocket to $6,500 for select 3-bed penthouses. That puts prices more-or-less in line with neighboring Alta. Speaking of Alta, the Class A rental building with 800+ units recently sold to Canadian investors for some $300M. That was a fortuitous circumstance, according to Fifield, but one they're always open to.
K2 is LEED Silver certified, and Fifield was adamant about her company's desire to coexist with the larger West Loop/Fulton River District as a good green neighbor. Fifield's promotion of a Kennedy Cap and its existing K Station parkette at Kinzie and Milwaukee were mentioned as examples. K2 itself offers ample bike storage, electric car charging stations, a parking ratio lower than some new towers, and construction materials with low toxicity. Considering the high concentration of Fifield property interests in the area, a cynic might offer that the micro and macro green initiatives are designed to bolster both livability and rents. Would that be such a terrible motive? K2 will begin occupancy March 1st, and leasing is well underway.
·K2, K Station's Swan Song, Has Topped Out [Curbed Chicago]
·Video: First Look Inside K2, Chicago's Newest Apartments [YoChicago]
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