Lendlease has completed 26 townhomes, six penthouse apartments and penthouse-level amenities at The Cooper at Southbank, its 29-story, 452-unit luxury apartment tower at 720 S. Wells Street in Chicago’s South Loop. This wraps up the final phase of construction on the riverfront high-rise, the first of several residential towers planned in Lendlease’s 7-acre Southbank development.
The newly completed rental townhomes include both two-bedroom/two-bath and three-bedroom/three-bath plans with views of the adjacent river and future Southbank Park, a 2.5-acre green space at the center of the Southbank development.
Wrapping the base of the tower, the three-bedroom units—also three stories—range in size from 1,940 to 2,123 square feet. Most townhomes include a private two-car garage, accessible from the residence and secured with a closable garage door. All three-bedroom units offer direct access to the park via a patio off of the first-floor living room.
Located above the townhomes are two-level plans ranging in size from 1,269 to 1,938 square feet. These floor plans offer a balcony overlooking the river and park, along with direct access to the unit from the adjacent parking garage.
“The Cooper’s townhomes offer multiple levels of living space, making them ideal for those who desire more separation and privacy for living, dining and sleeping areas,” said Tom Weeks, executive general manager of development at Lendlease. “Along with additional interior space, townhome residents enjoy elevated conveniences such as balconies with views of the Chicago River and Southbank Park outside their doorstep.”
The Cooper’s newly completed 29th floor includes four two-bedroom and two three-bedroom penthouses ranging in size from 1,124 to 1,997 square feet. Featuring open floor plans with expansive balconies off of the living areas, the units showcase the same high-end finishes found in the townhomes. West-facing penthouses overlook the Chicago River, while east-facing units have unobstructed views of Lake Michigan.
The penthouse level expands The Cooper’s amenity offerings with a chef’s kitchen and a separate resident lounge, which both connect to a landscaped rooftop deck with lounge chairs, sofas and a selection of smaller alfresco dining tables. Residents also have access to a full floor of amenities on the tower’s sixth level including discrete, themed rooms—one dedicated to music with playable instruments, another to crafting with sewing machines and easels, a sports-themed space and a reading room.
McGuire Architectural Interiors recently completed two new model units—a two-bedroom unit in the tower and three-bedroom townhome—adding to the studio, one- and two-bedroom plans that have been available for tour since the tower opened last fall.
The Cooper marks the first Chicago project both built and developed by Lendlease, which recently started construction on Southbank Park and the adjacent Riverwalk extension. Designed by Chicago-based Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, the park will connect to the riverfront, programmed with a natural stone amphitheater and a fully accessible Riverwalk. The park will also feature a kayak launch and proposed water taxi stop.
According to Weeks, through a series of sustainability measures planned for Southbank Park—including an on-site stormwater management system, native and adaptive plant species and birdhouses created in partnership with students from the University of Illinois at Chicago—Lendlease aims to restore this portion of the river to its natural environment, serving as a backyard for Southbank residents and a home for honeybees, native flora and fauna, and migratory birds.
