In the South Loop, two new developments call for more apartments, coliving units

Already of abuzz with construction, Chicago’s South Loop could welcome two more residential developments to the mix.

At a recent town hall meeting hosted by 4th Ward Alderman Sophia King, developers presented plans for a new apartment tower at 410 S. Wabash Avenue and a “coliving” at nearby 633 S. LaSalle Street.

Both projects are being pursued “as of right” with no requested changes to the sites’ underlying zoning, according to Mack Thurman, Alderman King’s director of communications and policy. Here’s a quick look at what was discussed.

4th Ward

410 S. Wabash Avenue

Proposed for the parking lot at the southwest corner of Wabash and Van Buren, this 24-story apartment development will rise roughly 260 feet along the southern edge of Chicago’s central business district.

It calls for 344 rental units: 220 efficiency units, 60 one-bedrooms, 61 two-bedrooms, and 3 three-bedroom apartments. The ground floor features retail space and a lobby set back from Wabash, topped by a 104-space parking garage.

The proposal at 410 S. Wabash Chicago comes from architecture firm Antunovich Associates and LMC—a company owned by Miami-based Lennar, the nation’s largest homebuilder. The two firms most recently collaborated on the 15-story, 176-unit Marlowe apartments opened last summer in River North.

633 S. LaSalle Street

4th Ward

Three short blocks away, London-based “coliving” company The Collective is looking to replace the parking lot at 633 S. LaSalle Street with a 17-story project along Printer’s Row.

An increasingly popular housing option, the coliving concept offers residents a more affordable entry point in a neighborhood by providing smaller, fully furnished private bedrooms and shared common spaces. A single payment from the tenant covers rent, utilities, furniture, and even linen service.

A South Loop coliving development recently opened at nearby 30 E. Balbo Drive. The concept is also being tried out in Chicago’s Logan Square and University Village neighborhoods.

According to the presentation, The Collective’s Chicago expansion will include various indoor and outdoor amenities, including an onsite coworking space. Jointly designed by FitzGerald Associates Architecture and Berkelhamer Architects, the transit-oriented project will provide parking for bicycles but no cars.

The company aims to begin construction as early as this summer and open in early 2021.