"To me, this is the best location in the city," said Billy Houlihan, who leases a top-floor apartment at Elm Street Plaza in the Gold Coast neighborhood. Apartments with floor-to-ceiling bay windows and stunning views of the city are keeping renters happy at Elm Street Plaza in the Gold Coast.
"One of the nicest things about the windows is that they open, making the apartments bright and airy," said Equilla Randle, leasing consultant for the Habitat Company, which own and manages the building.
The 33-story rental high-rise at 1130 N. Dearborn has 396 apartments. Rents for studios range from $999 to $1,200; 1-bedrooms from $1,299 to $1,500 and 2-bedrooms from $1,929 to $2,300 (rents subject to change without notice). Renters who sign a lease and move in have a 30-day money-back guarantee if the development doesn't meet expectations.
All of the apartments have contemporary kitchens, wall-to-wall carpeting, spacious closets and a storage locker on the same floor as the apartment. Central heating and air conditioning also are featured and are included in the rent. Cats are welcomed, but no dogs are allowed. Reserved, covered parking is available next door.
"These apartments are large and have a lot of living space," said Randle, noting that apartments range in size from 507 to 1,000 square feet of space.
Renters at Elm Street Plaza enjoy amenities such as an outdoor swimming pool, landscaped courtyard, fitness center, laundry center, dry cleaners and a 24-hour maintenance staff. For grocery shopping, there is a Treasure Island adjacent to the building and a Jewel grocery store a block away.
"I love living here, it's outstanding," said Billy Houlihan, 58, an international vacation planner. Houlihan has been renting the top-floor 2-bedroom penthouse apartment at Elm Street Plaza since June.
"Everything is so clean and we have a lot of maintenance people here who fix things right away. It's the best maintenance crew I've ever seen in my life, they're so visible. Plus, the staff has a good attitude and are always smiling and helpful," Houlihan said.
The perks that come with living in the Gold Coast also appeal to Houlihan. "To me this is the best location in the city. Everything I need is right here. The neighborhood has lots of restaurants, grocery shopping is nearby and transportation access is easy. Plus, people in the neighborhood are very friendly," said Houlihan who moved to Chicago from Boston.
As for his penthouse, Houlihan says he loves the floor plan. "The bedrooms are on opposite ends, so that's nice. I also like having a master bathroom inside the master suite. The kitchen is small, but I have a nice dining room and all the kitchen appliances are nice and clean," he said.
"I love the outdoor pool. It has lawn chairs and is very nicely landscaped. And, Oak Street Beach is only about four blocks away and I go there as well," Houlihan said.
