Two Lakeshore East Towers Receive Architectural Awards

By Anuradha Kher, Online News EditorChicago–The Regatta, a 44-story, 325-unit condominium project located at 420 E. Waterside Dr. in Chicago, recently won a Design Excellence Award from the Association of Licensed Architects (ALA) and the Society of American Registered Architects (SARA) and The Chandler (pictured), a 35-story, 304-unit condo project also located at the same address, received the SARA Award.The two condominium towers are part of Lakeshore East, and were designed by DeStefano Partners along with Loewenberg Architects LLC.In all, DeStefano Partners was the winner of 10 design awards, topped by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Chicago Chapter’s prestigious Firm of the Year award.Lakeshore East is a $4 billion mixed-use development spanning 28 acres, and is believed to be the largest parcel of downtown land under development in a major U.S. city.  The community is designed so that people can live, work, shop, eat and pursue whatever interests them without having to get into a car. The plan that completes the Illinois Center development allows for the construction of up to 4,950 residences, a 6-acre public park, 2.2 million gross sq. ft. of commercial space, 1,500 hotel rooms and 400,000 sq. ft. of retail space. Residential developments at Lakeshore East, whose master plan recently captured the 2008 Prix d’Excellence International Design Award from the International Real Estate Federation, currently include six completed and occupied buildings. They include the 29-story Lancaster, the community’s first condominium building with 209 homes; The Shoreham, a 46-story apartment tower with 548 residences; The Regatta, a 44-story condominium building with 325 units; The Chandler, a 35-story condominium building with 304 condo homes; 340 on The Park, a 62-story condominium tower with 344 units and the 51-story The Tides, the community’s second rental property with 607 luxury units.Construction is progressing on the 82-story Aqua, which will be the first high-rise in the city designed uniquely to combine condominiums, rental apartments, hotel and retail spaces. The first phase of The Parkhomes at Lakeshore East, an enclave of 25 gracious townhomes, is also under construction.