Of the more than 40 new residential highrise developments active downtown in July 2005, only one had a Lake Shore Drive address.

One reason that 600 N Lake Shore Drive, a two-tower project by Belgravia Group and Sandz Development, earned that distinction is the scarcity of available land on Chicago’s highly developed north lakefront. Another, however, is the watchful eye of powerful neighborhood interests, and the developers had to clear that hurdle before getting approval.

The grassy parcel just north of Sandz and Belgravia’s 530 Lake Shore highrise, was owned by the Alter Group for years, and prospective developments there by Atlantis and Bejco never came to pass.

Neighborhood concerns

The new developers stayed within the bounds of the planned-unit development zoning that already existed for the site, but the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents complained about the shadows the new development would cast on the adjacent Oak Street Beach. Belgravia and Sandz said scaled back their plans. The result is the “fraternal twin” condominium highrises – a 40-story tower and a 46-story tower – at 600 N Lake Shore Dr.

“We moved this building a couple different times—even in the 11th hour—as a response to the neighborhood concerns, and we ended with something that everyone can be happy with,” said Demetri Stavrianos, an associate at architecture firm Pappageorge / Haymes. “If you’re doing your job right as an architect you’re concerned about the legacy you’re leaving with the neighborhood.”

First tower underway

The first 40-story tower was scheduled to begin construction “within weeks” as of late July 2005, when around 60 percent of its 154 condominiums, priced from the $370s to $1.73 million, were sold.

The phase I condos will have one to three bedrooms and 1.5 to 3.5 bathrooms. Features include stainless steel appliances, granite countertops, marble bathrooms, oak floors and walk-in closets.

The building will have 24-hour door staff, a concierge, a business center, a rooftop sculpture garden, a rooftop sundeck, community rooms with full-service kitchens, and a dry cleaner. Heated indoor parking spots are $40,000 to $50,000.

The towers have been designed to optimize a location facing the lake on one side and Streeterville on the other.

The "lake effect"

“In a sense you have to respond both to the city and the lake,” Stavrianos said. “Whenever you look at these buildings they’ll always have that dynamic separation between the city architecture and the ‘lake effect.’”

The courtyard on the west, for example, reflects Streeterville in its poured, painted concrete, while the tower’s glass and steel were dictated by lake views.

“The lake effect pieces will be more streamlined, more modern,” he says. “It has a fluidity when you use glass and metal.”

A sales center for 600 N Lake Shore Dr is located at 481 E Ohio St, and first occupancy for is planned for summer 2007. Sales on the second tower are scheduled to start the first quarter of 2006.

More highrises

More ultra-luxury developments