Architecture, Floor Plans, Finishes Propel Sales at Chicago High Rise

By Matthew Marin, Associate EditorChicago–Finding its mark with design-savvy buyers looking for a sophisticated city residence with high-end finishes and spacious floor plans, Superior 110, a high-rise condominium development in Chicago, is about 50 percent sold with first deliveries available in fall 2008, announced the project’s locally based JFJ Development.Superior 110, a 27-story, glass-and-steel building, features 62 units, offering floor plans of one bedroom plus a den to three bedrooms plus a den, one-and-a-half to three-and-a-half baths, and 1,150 to 2,820 square feet of living space. Base prices start in the $500,000s, and parking is available for $40,000 to $48,000 per garage space. Construction began last April.“The fact that we sold nearly 10 percent of Superior 110 in one month, and at a time when Chicago real estate is experiencing a cool-down, is pretty compelling,” says Jon Zitzman, president of JFJ Development. “It goes to show that a healthy market always exists for the right package of location, style and features.” Designed by Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, the building is a slender, elliptically shaped building that maximizes the total square footage permitted by local zoning. The designers also used the building’s smaller footprint to create an intimate, boutique atmosphere. There are no more than four residences per floor, and each luxury home is a corner unit with a curving expanse of floor-to-ceiling windows and views in at least two directions. “We wanted to capture as many beautiful views from the residences,” Jim Plunkard, principal of Chicago-based Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, tells MHN. Buyers of Superior 110 have been impressed with the building’s contemporary architecture, River North location and the stylish finishes in every residence, notes Zitzman. Each unit offers features such as 9½-ft. drywall ceilings, real plank hardwood floors in the living areas and floor-to-ceiling windows.  Residences also feature a gourmet kitchen with a preparation island; Snaidero cabinetry; 1¼-in. stone slab countertops; a full height glass tile backsplash; Grohe fixtures; and stainless steel appliances by Sub-Zero, Wolf, Bosch and Dacor. Baths come with porcelain tile flooring, Snaidero vanities with 1¼-in. stone slab countertops, and Grohe and Kohler fixtures. Master baths include an oversized shower with 1-in. glass tile surround and base, while guest baths have a whirlpool-soaking tub, per plan. “We chose every finish to exceed what buyers would typically find in a new-construction building,” says Zitzman. “Luxury buyers won’t have to put additional money or effort into upgrading the home to the level they expect.” Additional details in every home include Lightology designer light fixtures; 42-in. plasma television with five pre-wired locations for surround sound speakers, and a GE Smarthome System, providing a central control for lighting, entertainment, security and temperature systems. According to Zitzman, another factor in the building’s strong sales is that construction is underway and progressing rapidly. “We’ve been well ahead of our construction schedule since we broke ground this spring, and are on target to deliver our first homes next fall,” he says. “Buyers see the building rising out of the ground and realize they won’t have to wait long before they can move in.”