A Grand view
Grand on Grand offers top views in hot River North location by Dan Schuyler

When Sutherland Pearsall Development Corporation acquired the northwest corner of Grand and Wells in prime River North, it obviously had highrise construction in mind.

But not just any highrise.

“Residential towers have been popping up all over the place in recent years,” says Sutherland Pearsall partner Mark Sutherland. “We wanted to create something different, not the same-old-same-old, and we felt this location was the place to do it.”

So up went the Grand on Grand, a 28-story glass and concrete tower located at 200 W. Grand, containing 111 condo residences, including 16 penthouses on the top six levels. Already more than 80 percent sold, the building has been a marketing success, with deliveries scheduled to begin early this summer.

“Our marketing progress should convince people that this is a quality building,” says Sutherland. “We were determined to create a luxury product at affordable prices, and we succeeded in doing just that.”
But what sets the Grand on Grand apart from other highrises?

“First there are the views,” Sutherland says, referring to the fact that the building offers panoramic views on all four sides. “We definitely had the views in mind when we acquired the property, and we limited the number of units to a maximum of six per floor, so that at least four out of every six residences are corner units. And above the 21st floor, we have the large penthouse units with walkout patios and absolutely spectacular views in every direction.”

To help ensure that the views will last, the developer went a step further, purchasing the air rights to the north of the building. “This assures our homeowners that the unit with the fabulous view they purchased remains just that – a quality unit with an extraordinary view,” Sutherland says.

Designed by architect James Loewenberg of Loewenberg Associates, the Grand on Grand presented some interesting challenges. Loewenberg points out that this pocket of River North is mostly low-rise, with many of the buildings in the area extending to the lot lines.

“We positioned the Grand on Grand to be east-west oriented with a Grand Avenue address, but we also wanted the building to be a part of the Wells Street scene,” Loewenberg says. “We accomplished this through the use of setbacks, a plaza, and building materials which draw from the surrounding structures.”

The developer and architect agree that it is difficult to characterize the Grand on Grand in terms of style.

“We set out to create a building that was unique and had architectural pizzazz,” Sutherland says. “So we asked the architects to push the design a little. We ended up with a structure that I would call ‘moderne’ in the French sense of the word. It has a retro-deco feel, yet it is making a subtle new design statement.”

Loewenberg agrees, noting that the use and positioning of window walls, steel and exposed concrete give the building “a postmodern look, which we combined with new forms and shapes created at the top by the patio walkouts and setbacks on the penthouse levels.”

Building amenities include a landscaped outdoor plaza, an indoor parking garage, a dog run, 24-hour door staff, a secured telephone entry system and a fully-equipped fitness center with an adjacent sundeck. An on-staff design consultant is available to assist buyers with with the interior design of their new condos.

The units have one to three bedrooms, with larger penthouse units above the 21st floor. Typical one-bedrooms have 800 to 850 square feet and are priced from under $300,000. Two-bedrooms are approximately 1,250 square feet and begin under $380,000, while the three-bedroom condos (exclusive of the penthouses) start under $450,000 for around 1,400 square feet. A deeded indoor parking space is included in the price of each unit, and multiple parking spaces are available.

Although penthouse sales often lag behind the sale of other units in a new building, the Grand on Grand has experienced an unusually rapid sellout of these high-quality residences. Only two remain for sale.
“Living in a penthouse is more than just prestige. It’s being able to have the best that money can buy,” Sutherland says.

Loewenberg emphasizes that all of the unit interiors were designed to create a feeling of spaciousness. “The residences have what I would call a softer-than-soft loft feel about them,” he says. “And when you couple this with the large balconies and terraces and add in the views, it creates a very open sensation.”

Unit amenities include ceiling heights of nine feet (11 feet in penthouses), expansive balconies and terraces, solid core interior doors, hardwood floors in living and kitchen areas, bedroom carpeting, track lighting in kitchen and living room, high-speed Internet and satellite TV connections and marble and tile bathroom floors. Fixtures are by Kohler, American Standard, Moen and Jacuzzi. Kitchens have Canac cabinets, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

While at press time more than 80 percent of the units were sold, a number of each type remained for sale, with a wide variety of size and pricing. First Chicago Realty Corp. is exclusive marketing agent for the property.

Meanwhile, Sutherland Pearsall has just begun to market its newest South Side property, Drexel Parc Lofts, a 58 unit soft-loft conversion located at 4537 S. Drexel, in North Kenwood, close to the Kenwood Historic District and a ten-minute drive from the Loop.

The Drexel Parc units should be ready for first occupancy later this year, and First Chicago Realty Corp. also is the exclusive marketing agent for the project.