With 98 units, the Grand Orleans is small compared to many new condominium projects in downtown Chicago, which is one reason director of sales Claudia Stachura describes it as a “boutique” development and “more of an intimate building.”
There are seven condos on each of the 14 residential floors which sit atop a seven-level parking garage with 113 spaces.
The building gets its name from its site on the northwest corner of the intersection of Grand Avenue and Orleans Street, a high-visibility spot a block south of the Ohio Street exit ramp, where thousands of cars daily stream into the downtown area from the Dan Ryan and Kennedy expressways.
Designed by the Chicago architecture firm Papageorge Haymes Ltd., the building is a rectangular reinforced concrete tower with covered balconies on all sides. It has a slightly curved western facade overlooking the city sprawling toward the horizon and is part of the River North neighborhood tucked in the elbow of the north branch of the Chicago River and the main channel to Lake Michigan.
The $42 million condo structure marks the return to downtown of Robin Construction Corp., an 80-year-old company which built such prominent urban projects as Sandburg Village, the Carlyle at 1040 N. Lake Shore Drive and Imperial Towers at 4250 N. Marine Drive.
In recent years, the Chicago company has concentrated on suburban condominium projects such as the Park Claridge in Highland Park, Barclay Place in Lincolnwood and Lincoln Ridge in Skokie.
The building is about 75 percent sold and move-ins have begun. The early buyers are primarily young professional couples and empty-nesters attracted by the neighborhood, which is an eclectic mix of commercial and retail outlets, art galleries, home furnishings showrooms and restaurants.
The building, which will have 1,500 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor, as yet unoccupied, is across the street from a large, new Office Depot and the well-established Clark & Barlow Hardware store.
The lobby is impressive but not large. It has a 24-hour doorman station and sets a nice tone through the use of rich materials in its minimalist design.
One nice feature before reaching the lobby is an enclosed anteroom with a simple bench, a subtle but thoughtful detail so those waiting for a cab or a car are protected from weather, whether it be snow, rain or hot sun.
The manager’s office and a future exercise room is off the lobby. It is a good location for the manager’s office, but I am not so sure about the exercise room. I personally would find that walking through such a public space–and a formal one at that–in my exercise garb intimidating, especially following a vigorous workout.
The sales office, models and design center are on the 17th floor so prospective buyers are treated to some of the best views the building has to offer. Residences begin one floor above the sales center.
Because the building is in its final sales stages, the choice in available floor plans is somewhat reduced. One-bedrooms are sold, but larger and smaller plans are available.
The furnished model is a three-bedroom plan on the southwest corner of the building. The unit has 1,777 square feet including two balconies–a 12 1/2-by-6-foot space off the master bedroom and a 14-by-5 1/2-foot balcony off the living/dining room.
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Curiously, the model is shown as a two-bedroom plan. The walls of the third bedroom shown on the floor plan in the buyer’s kit have been removed to open the space to the adjacent living/dining room.
I like the plan as shown, but was told that the cost for buyers wanting to remove the walls to duplicate this look is significant.
Visitors to the unit step from the hallway into a foyer with a good-size coat closet to the right of the front door. At the end of the foyer, the master suite is to the left and a short hall to the kitchen and living area is to the right.
From the foyer, the hall has a sizable closet on one wall and the powder room on the opposite wall. The 11-by-9-foot galley-style kitchen is separated from the living/dining area by a dining counter.
Though the kitchen is small, the 42-inch cabinets help with storage and a window overlooking the outside balcony adds a view and light, opening up the limited space.
The dining/living room is at the corner of the building and benefits from windows on two walls. The space is about 14 by 22 feet on the floor plan, but is enhanced considerably by removing the walls to the 10-by-10-foot third bedroom.
The second bath is off this expanded living area, as is the closet for a stackable washer and dryer unit. The second bedroom, 11 by 12 feet, which also could be used as a home office, is to at the left of the foyer. It is shown with a very large walk-in closet in addition to a wall of closets in the master bedroom.
From the foyer, those entering the master suite go past the walk-in and into the master bedroom, roughly 12 1/2 by 16 feet. Sliding doors open to the balcony and provide windows for the room. The door to the interior master bath, which has both a shower and tub as well as dual sinks, opens from the bedroom.
The floor plan has been designed for maximum light for residents in the prime living spaces on the perimeter of the building. However, the traffic flow does feel somewhat constricted.
I like the model as shown with the larger living/dining area and think squeezing in three bedrooms would give the unit a cramped feeling.
The second model is an unfurnished 585-square-foot “convertible” plan. This also has a foyer inside the door. It has a shallow closet along one side suitable for linen storage or small item storage and a deeper closet on another wall.
To the left of the foyer is the living-dining-sleeping room, about 12 1/2 by 17 1/2 feet. At the back of the living/sleeping space is an alcove that makes a nifty separate kitchen, about 9 by 9 1/2 feet, with, considering the size of the room, decent cabinet and counter space.
To the right of the dining/sleeping area is a short hall, about three or four steps, with a storage closet on one wall and a closet with stackable washer/dryer hookup on the opposite wall. The bath is comfortable for one person.
This is a small unit. Take away the 12 1/2-by-6-foot balcony, foyer, bath and kitchen from total square footage and the remaining space for living-dining-sleeping is probably tolerable only to a struggling graduate student, as a pied-a-terre for those who need an overnight sleeping space or someone who lives an extremely spare lifestyle.
This is a building with easy access to the expressways for those traveling out to a job in the city or suburbs or for those who want to spend weekends in the city.
It has appealing standard amenities–9-foot ceilings, wood flooring in the public rooms of the condos and attractive cabinets and appliances–but the units probably are most suitable for singles or couples who prefer pared-down and cozy living.
The balconies are one of the most appealing features of the units, but serious buyers might want to subtract the square footage of those outdoor spaces, which at best can be used three seasons of the year, to find out the true size of the interior space they are buying.
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Grand Orleans
Base prices: $199,500 to $644,500
Parking $33,500 to $37,500 per space
FACTS AND FIGURES
Studio, two- and three-bedroom condominiums
Square feet: 585 to 1,777 (including balconies)
Estimated monthly assessment: $210 to $698
Developer: Robin Construction Corp.
AMENITIES
Nine-foot ceilings, one or two balconies per unit; pre-finished maple wood floor in entry and kitchen. 42-inch kitchen cabinets, granite countertops.
Community: 21-story building with 98 residences on 14 floors and parking levels.
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GETTING THERE
Address: 330 W. Grand Ave.
Phone: 312-222-4900
At the intersection of Grand Avenue and Orleans Street in River North neighborhood of Chicago.
Web site: www.grandorleans.com
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