Conversion of Chicago’s old Plymouth Building into student housing nearly complete

The 1899 South Loop office building is being transformed into 30 off-campus apartments

By Jay Koziarz Aug 11, 2017, 10:26am CDT

An adaptive reuse project aimed at breathing new life into the historic Plymouth Building at 417 S. Dearborn has entered the home stretch. Now branded as “The Plymouth,” the joint venture between LG Development and Chicago Apartment Finders cofounder Justin Elliott will see the former office space converted into 30 two-, three-, and four-bedroom off-campus student apartments serving nearby colleges such as Roosevelt, Robert Morris, DePaul, and Columbia.

In addition to the dwelling units, The Plymouth project also calls for amenities such as a fitness center, bike room, rooftop terrace, and coffee shop with attached study lounge designed by NORR Architects. Gutted in a previous attempt to convert the structure to residential use, the narrow eleven-story building will also see its neo-gothic facade restored.

The apartments will come fully furnished with everything a student would need minus linens and towels. Monthly rents reportedly start at roughly $900 a month for a bed in a shared room and rise to $1,300 to $1,400 for a private room. The Plymouth is aiming to open next month—just in time for the start of the 2017-2018 academic year.