Vetro. The name of one of the South Loop’s newest highrises is Italian for glass, the dominant material in a dramatically designed building that the developer promises will be as distinct as its moniker.

Critical of what he sees as a glut of poorly designed and "average-looking" buildings currently under construction across the South Loop, developer and architect Thomas Roszak says Vetro, a 31-story, 233-unit building planned for 601 South Wells Street, will be different.

The building’s contemporary design includes a soaring 25-foot candilever at the north end and glass and metal panels at the base and the top of the building which will be illuminated.

The structure, which is reinforced concrete with an all-glass façade, gives the appearance of “three glass cubes shifting across each other,” says Roszak, president of Evanston-based Roszak ADC, a 17-year industry veteran who formed his own architectural and development company eight years ago.

“Our design is head and shoulders above anything else out there in the South Loop,” Roszak says. “People have accepted a certain norm as being the standard and we are trying to do things a little differently, better looking, with good engineering.”

Innovative glass doors

An example of this is the sliding glass doors that will be a feature of many of Vetro’s unit floor plans, according to Roszak. The doors, which are common in Europe but are only beginning to appear in American highrise design, allow a homeowner to play with the flow and dimensions of their space, opening them up to create one large area, or using them to partition smaller areas and create private spaces without sacrificing natural light. 

In November, 2005, prices ranged from the $172s for a 523 square-foot one-bedroom unit to $950s for a 2,067-square-foot penthouse unit. Parking is $37,500. Features include nine-foot ceilings on floors seven to 29, and 11 feet ceilings in the 10 penthouses on floors 30 and 31. Also offered are nine-foot floor-to-ceiling glass windows with operable vents. The units include brushed chrome door hardware, solid core maple entry doors and pre-finished wood flooring in the entry, living, dining and work areas, with a choice of wall-to-wall carpeting in the bedrooms.

High-tech features

Determinedly high-tech, the development offers multi-line high-speed telephone and cable TV prewire in the live, work and sleep areas. Kitchen features include Frigidaire stainless steel appliances, Kohler sinks and Grohe faucets, while cabinetry is by Poliform or Aya. In the bathroom there are Kohler marble vanity tops, Kohler toilets and on some plans, a 5’6” Kohler soaker tub.

At a time when energy bills are soaring, particularly in the Midwest, the developer says its gas hot water heater and cooling and heating systems are energy efficient.

Amenities of the building include yoga and Pilates classes, a fitness center, and a seventh floor terrace for sunbathing and socializing.

Selling fast

As the South Loop highrise market hits its stride, with an influx of developments offering a more affordable downtown lifestyle than can be found on the Gold Coast or in Streeterville, Roszak says his Printer's Row development is attracting single professionals, double-income couples without children and empty nesters. The company began marketing the development in late September 2005, and two months later was reporting that the building was already 40 percent sold.

Nearby drawcards

What's drawing buyers? Professionals are in easy walking distance to the Chicago Stock Exchange and Chicago Board of Trade, he says. The location also offers views of Lake Michigan, which is six blocks away, as well as Sears Tower and the city skyline.

For Bears fans, Vetro is just minutes from Soldier Field, while arts buffs are close to the Theater district and the city's lungs, nearby Grant Park, are close by.

Roszak says the expected retail and commercial “renaissance” of South Wells Street and Roosevelt Road over the next five years would further boost Vetro's desirability.

In November 2005, Roszak said he expected contractor Bovis Lend Lease would break ground in spring 2006, with first occupancy planned for the fall of 2007.

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