Magellan Development Group LLC

Grand Plaza is a mixed-use building with two residential towers atop a podium comprised of retail, parking and common areas. The building, which houses 764 units, fills one square city block in the heart of Chicago’s River North neighborhood. Situated between Chicago's downtown and Gold Coast, Grand Plaza makes up one square block in the heart of River North, three blocks from North Michigan Avenue between State, Dearborn, and Ohio Streets and Grand Avenue. Amenities include a Club Floor that fills an entire city block, featuring a library, business center, billiards and game room, fitness facility, spa with whirlpool and resistance pool, and landscaped terrace with outdoor pool, barbeque area, running track and golf putting greens. Both residence towers are toped with 6 floors of duplex apartment homes including fireplaces and dramatic two-story living rooms.

A planned unit development (PUD) had to be created on one parcel that carried two different zoning classifications, which is one of the largest mixed-use PUDs in the River North area. The project includes 105,000 s.f. of retail space on the ground and second floors and retail tenants include a grocery store, home-goods store, bank, restaurants and cultural facilities. A 1,000-car parking facility is located on the third through eighth floors with access points on two sides of the building in order to maximize the use of one-way streets surrounding the site.

The development team collaborated with CTA officials, utility companies and the Board of Underground to avoid conflicts with the construction over the CTA Red line, ComEd sidewalk vaults and other utilities in the area. The public amenities required analysis of accessibility issues including adherence to the City of Chicago Accessibility Code, Illinois Accessibility Code, FHAA and ADA guidelines.