Fifield and Carroll Properties Break Ground on Evanston’s First Post-Downturn High-Rise Rental

By Jeffrey Steele, Contributing Writer

Evanston, Ill.—E2, a 356-unit luxury apartment project in the downtown district of Evanston, Ill., is now under construction. Chicago-based Fifield Cos. and Carroll Properties are jointly developing the project.

Officials of Fifield Cos. believe the increasingly vibrant central business district of the university town is ripe for such a luxury rental property. “Downtown Evanston is the most urban area outside of downtown Chicago,” Randy Fifield, Fifield Cos. principal and vice chairman, tells MHN. “E2 is the first new high-rise built in Evanston in 15 years that captures the way people want to live today. The service and amenity package is unprecedented in Evanston.”

Two structures, one rising 16 stories at 1881 Oak Ave. and the other 14 stories at 1890 Maple Ave., will comprise the development. The buildings will be connected by a four-story structure featuring three parking levels and a fourth-floor amenity deck. In addition to the luxury rental apartments comprising most of the building, E2 will feature 4,000 square feet of ground floor retail space and a dozen street-level townhomes along Emerson St.

The townhomes will range in size from 1,600 to 1,750 square feet and feature three bedrooms, 2-½ baths and third-floor outdoor decks.

“New construction townhomes are a unique and underserved product in today’s rental market,” explains Steve Fifield, chairman and CEO of Fifield Cos. “There is pent-up demand for rental townhomes of this size, especially in a prime location like Evanston. They are the only new-construction rental townhomes in this area, and will be a great option for families in need of a rental.”

The apartments will be offered in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts and will range from 500 to 1,300 square feet in size. Quartz countertops, plank floors, stainless steel appliances, in-unit laundry, oversized windows and high-end lighting and plumbing fixtures will be hallmarks of the units. Each unit will also have a built-in Bluetooth audio system and electronic access control.

The amenity deck at E2 will be accessible to residents of the townhomes and both apartment towers. Featured will be a full-sized sports court, state-of-the-art fitness center, lounge area, theater, business center with conference room and coffee bar. An outdoor pool and spa with cabanas and grills will also be part of the deck. E2 will offer both ample bicycle storage area and a “bike kitchen,” the latter a place where biking enthusiasts will find space and supplies for repairs.

According to Randy Fifield, E2 will help usher in an even livelier ambience in the center of Evanston. “It will bring more people to shop, eat, see movies and visit downtown Evanston,” she says. “We build these types of communities so people can live, work and play close to home. E2 is smart living.”