May 27, 2005
550 St. Clair courts modern aesthetic
It wasn't long ago that real estate agents and developers were insisting that modern design would not sell when it came to Chicago real estate. Today, cutting-edge design has built a strong and growing track record in Chicago, and new projects like 550 St. Clair are touting their contemporary aesthetic as an asset that sets them apart in a crowded market.

"We asked our architects, Brininstool & Lynch, to design a modern and sleek building," said developer Mark Sutherland, a principal in Sutherland Pearsall Development Corp. "The building is all about thoughtful design. It's one of the few modern buildings in a market filled with new highrises that are designed to look historic."

Does everyone in the market want modern? Certainly not, said Ron Ruby, of First Chicago Realty, the project's exclusive sales agent, but there is enough demand for progressive design in a market still dominated by retro-looking buildings to create a niche for the 112 condos that will be built in the 26-unit tower at 550 N. St. Clair.

"We expect buyers at 550 St. Clair to be a mix of singles and couples age 25 to 65," Ruby said. "These will not be your typical downtown condominium buyers. We expect to attract people who appreciate design and architecture."

The design has the simple elegance Brininstool & Lynch has become known for in Chicago, with clean lines, floor-to-ceiling glass and a sense of the building's skeleton manifested in strong columns.

"This is a building that looks to the future instead of the past," Brininstool said. "Our firm designed both the exterior and interior of 550 St. Clair to reflect the flexibility and simplicity needed for the way people live today. For example, two-bedroom and three-bedroom residences can be configured in multiple ways, according to the needs of the buyer. Pocket doors slide into the wall to open the rooms up in some units, or close to provide privacy."

Sutherland emphasizes that the architects chose finishes, surfaces and fixtures that would complement the overall design. The condos range from studios to three-bedrooms, priced from the $200s to more than $1 million.

Features include Sub-Zero refrigerators, Bosch cook tops, Italian cabinets, granite countertops, marble master baths, Grohe faucets, hardwood floors, eight-foot solid-core doors, in-unit washers and dryers, balconies or terraces, and ceiling heights of 10 to 11 feet.

The building will have a 24-hour doorman and security desk, a lap pool, a fitness room, individual storage, bike storage and saunas. Five-fifty St. Clair also will include 4,500 square feet of retail space and 129 parking spaces.

At press time, presales for 550 St. Clair, www.550StClair.com, were scheduled to begin in June in a sales center at 201 E. Ohio.