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Astoria
Tower brings deco design, |
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The name of the building
is a nod to the character of the neighborhood, but the project also introduces
a number of new concepts to the South Loop, starting with a stepped exterior
and a brick and stone façade reminiscent of the art deco era of
the 1920s and ’30s. “The art deco
look is not seen much in new buildings today,” says Keith Giles,
a partner at Frankel & Giles Real Estate, the exclusive sales and
marketing agent for the development. “Most of the contemporary buildings
seem bland by comparison, and the design of Astoria gives it a real presence
on the street.” The cast stone and
salmon-colored brick façade of Astoria is unique, especially in
the South Loop, and it’s likely to make a strong statement. There
are other new buildings that display a deco influence, but few that are
so committed to the idea. In addition to the masonry façade and
the strong vertical emphasis, hallmarks of the deco highrise, Astoria
Tower has numerous setbacks that culminate in a pyramid cap – both
iconic elements of art deco. While it shows a certain
reverence for the past, Astoria Tower takes a sharp departure from what’s
become a standard configuration for residential highrises in Chicago.
As at many buildings, the ground floor will house a furnished lobby and
retail space – around 15,000 square feet, according to Giles. But
the 244-car heated parking garage that occupies most of second through
the ninth levels will be hidden. Instead of showing
largely blank walls to the neighborhood or engaging in the typical, awkward
effort to mask a parking base with faux windows, architect Pat FitzGerald,
of FitzGerald Associates, wrapped residential units and some office space
around the core of parking on the exposed sides of the building, on State
Street and 9th Street. It’s a smart solution to what has proved a
cumbersome problem for builders who must include a large number of parking
spaces in their new highrises but have not shown much creativity in integrating
them into recent towers. “You can’t
see the garage from State Street or Ninth Street,” Giles says. The amenities package
is just as original and signals a new level of luxury in the growing South
Loop. A “Life Center,” which includes an indoor swimming pool,
exercise room and landscaped terraces, is located immediately above the
garage, on the 10th floor. There’s also a business center, a library,
a billiards room, a golf simulator, an Internet café and a private
movie theater. “What we have
done is to bring a whole lot of activities together where people live,”
says Bill Warman, a principal in Warman Development. The amenities and
services are coordinated through a concierge who makes arrangements at
the request of the residents. “Everything is
a la carte, so there is no cost to the residents until they use the amenities,”
Warman says. “It’s just like a hotel, but it’s home.” Most of the condos
are located on the floors above the Life Center. They range from studios
to three-bedrooms and include nine-foot ceilings, oversized windows, stainless
appliances, granite kitchen countertops and hardwood floors. All of the
units except the studios have balconies or terraces. “The standard
finishes package is excellent,” Warman says. “And there are
a lot of small and medium size units available, most of which are priced
at under $400,000.” Prices begin in the
$160s for the studios and one-bedrooms. One bedroom-plus-den with two
baths begin in the $240s, while two-bedroom, two-bath units start in the
$320s. Three-bedroom penthouses were priced in the $890s. Unit sizes range
from 546 square feet for some studios to 1,260 square feet for some two
bedrooms. Deeded parking is priced at $37,000. “This building
is attracting a lot of interest,” Giles says. “The location
is great. It’s close to everything. There’s a lot of action
in this area now, and the vibrant streetscape plus the unique design and
the huge amenity package really make it unusual.” Project sales manager
Jim Psyhogios seems almost to surprise himself when he says that Astoria
Tower is almost 50 percent sold after only eight weeks of marketing. “Astoria Tower
simply sells itself,” Psyhogios says. “The hotel-like services
are a real plus, and it’s all at no cost to the residents. But everything
is at your fingertips if you want it.” Construction on Astoria
Tower, www.AstoriaTower.com,
is planned to begin in spring or summer of 2006, with first occupancy
scheduled for fall 2007. |
Once
the “Greek Town” of New York City, the Astoria neighborhood
in Queens has become a blend of many different cultures and lifestyles.
The South Loop is undergoing a similar demographic evolution, and Warman
Development & Design acknowledged the parallel when it chose Astoria
Tower as the name for the 30-story highrise development planned for the
northeast corner of State and Ninth streets.