The 492-unit skyscraper known as 727 West Madison welcomes its first residents.
After eight long years of planning and 18 months of relatively speedy construction, the 45-story apartment tower known as 727 West Madison (once upon time One South Halsted) has opened its doors in Chicago’s West Loop.
Rising just shy of 500 feet tall, the skyscraper extends Chicago’s skyline west and holds the distinction of the city’s tallest building on that side of the Kennedy Expressway. An eye-catching elliptical shape and spiraling exterior glass pattern penned by Chicago design firm FitzGerald Associates Architects set the tower apart from its neighbors.
Curbed Chicago recently stopped by the newly completed rental tower for a first look at its sculptural design and three boldly decorated model apartments—including one unit designed by popular clothing and home goods brand Anthropologie.
Approaching the building from Madison Street, the high ceilings and glass walls of the lobby meet the sidewalk as a cohesive extension of the curvaceous tower above. It’s worth noting, however, that the effect is less apparent around the corner along Halsted Street due to the development’s boxy 375-car parking garage and retail arcade.
Inside, the ground-floor lobby is flooded with natural light and features richly textured wallpapers, warm metallic accents, and polished terrazzo floors. Evanston-based interior designer Morgante Wilson Architects found multiple opportunities to subtly reference 727 West Madison’s elliptical shape within circular lighting elements, curving furniture and area rugs, and a barrel-vaulted elevator lobby.
The tower’s expansive 7th-floor amenity level features a midcentury-meets-contemporary vibe with a neutral palette set off by splashes of blue.
Here residents of the building’s 492 rental apartments will find a cozy library, a coworking space with conference rooms, a party room with a demonstration kitchen and TVs concealed as art, a fitness center, a game room, and a large lounge complete with circular swinging chairs overlooking downtown’s skyline.
The outdoor terrace, pool deck, and a 45th-floor “sky lounge” designed by Studio K are still under construction and set to open in May.
727 West Madison’s model apartments are located on the building’s 25th floor. They include a two-bedroom unit decorated by local firm Michael Richman Interiors with bold gray walls and geometric touches, a gold-accented studio apartment by Chicago’s Brianne Bishop Design, and a one-bedroom unit decked out in colorful patterns by Anthropologie.
All apartments feature moveable islands with open shelving and large kitchens with five-burner ranges and white quartz countertops. The units—offered in studio, convertible, one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts—take full advantage of the building’s floor-to-ceiling windows and its curving, out-of-the-box design.
Move-ins at 727 West Madison started at the end of November and the building is already eleven percent leased, according to its developers F & F Realty and Fifield Realty Corp. “For this time of year the leasing is really encouraging,” said Randy Fifield.
Rents starts at $1,750 per month and are being offered without the heavy concessions and incentives that other new downtown apartment buildings have employed in the past.
Despite the years it took to get the project off the ground following the great recession, banks tightening lending, and getting approval from the city and neighborhood groups, Fifield believes that 727 West Madison was well worth the wait. “This building has already made it into the top ten most prolific buildings in the city of Chicago,” said the developer.
