Posted by hayley | April 6, 2010 | No Comments » |
The plan for our Chicago developments at Lakeshore East has been green from the get-go. As a master-planned community, Lakeshore East needed to provide a village feel in downtown Chicago for urban dwellers who still wanted a neighborhood lifestyle. As a contribution to downtown Chicago, the development needed to rehabilitate the neglected East Side of the city. What used to be a busy port at the intersection of Lake Michigan and the Chicago River had become a forgotten site difficult for developers and architects because of its 36-foot drop from street elevation to ground level on its south end.
We remedied this, of course, with the award-winning Park at Lakeshore East. What better way to create a foundation for a neighborhood of green residential developments than with the perfect front yard, a 6-acre botanical garden?
Together with The Office of James Burnett, an internationally awarded landscape architecture firm, we planned the park to accommodate the space and to be a selling point of our new neighborhood. Landscaping became an integral part of the Lakeshore East story, not a decorative project at the end of the building process.
The Plants
We wanted the park to be beautiful for our residents but also for all the inhabitants of Chicago. For pedestrians, the layout of vegetation provides variety as you move through the park. There are more than 500 trees of 220 different varieties and 100 different kinds of plants and flowers throughout the green space.
The Spaces
Also important are the spaces for congregation and play within the park. The great lawn provides ample open space for picnics and activity. Throughout the park, there are intimate seating areas to provide meaningful and honest sensory experiences. The gated dog park was created just for our pet owners — we couldn’t give the residents of our pet-friendly apartments and condos a front yard that didn’t take into account their four-legged friends! Finally, the children’s play park, open to one and all, includes interactive water features and play structures on colorful, safe play surfaces. The play area is bordered by shade arbors and seating for parents to observe their children in close proximity. And its centerpiece is a computerized spray fountain that children can run through and enjoy, a delight for summer!
The Water
Like with the children’s fountain, water features are incorporated throughout the park space. The waterfront park is meant to be a nautical experience. Along with views of the River and Lake, water gardens animate the space and are ultimately the crescendo of the park. According to Magellan co-CEO James Loewenberg, “Fountains carry water throughout the park, creating a sense of movement, a steady reminder of place as well as a link with the environment that is both relaxing and energizing. Not to mention green.”
We love the sustainable landscape we’ve installed in downtown Chicago, and we are proud to consider it the soul of one of the nation’s most ambitious renewal projects.
If you’re in Chicago, come by the Park and see yourself. As Spring approaches, it’s a beautiful place to spend the afternoon! Or learn more about the Park and other Lakeshore East amenities by visiting the Lakeshore East area of our website.
