Essex on the Park, Chicago’s new 56-story, 479-unit luxury apartment building at 808 S. Michigan Avenue, has been awarded WELL Certification by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Essex developers, Oxford Capital Group and Quadrum Global, and property managers The Bozzuto Group worked closely with several key partners to ensure Essex on the Park met the high standards required to achieve WELL.
“Oxford was the developer of Chicago’s first LEED Certified hotel—Hotel Felix—and we’re proud to again be at the vanguard of WELL Certification, building a healthier community,” said John Rutledge, founder, president and CEO of Oxford Capital Group. “Health and wellness are at the core of Oxford’s DNA as a company, and we strive to set the highest standards whether that be in our company culture or development projects. WELL Certification isn’t just a standard of living, it’s a new standard for hospitality, and The Bozzuto management team has embraced this whole-heartedly.”
The prestigious distinction was awarded through IWBI’s WELL Building Standard, the premier building standard to focus on enhancing people’s health and wellness through the buildings where we live, work and play. Key partners that helped Essex on the Park become the first multifamily residential tower in Chicago and the Midwest include Delos, LulaFit, a Chicago-based luxury fitness and wellness concierge service, and Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture, the architect and design team behind the residential tower.
Essex on the Park achieved its WELL Certification rating based on seven categories of building performance: air, water, light, nourishment, fitness, comfort and mind. Third-party performance evaluation considers every aspect of the building from construction to design materials and programming. Features that helped Essex on the Park achieve this rating include design solutions that regulate circadian rhythm, live greenery throughout the tower’s communal and private spaces, nutrition education and chef-led cooking classes and more.
“We congratulate Oxford and its partners for targeting and achieving WELL Certification for Essex on the Park and applaud the company for putting the health and well-being of its residents at the center of its efforts,” said Rick Fedrizzi, chairman and CEO of IWBI. “Essex on the Park is a leader in our growing movement and we are proud to work with Oxford in this exciting achievement.”
Essex on the Park is the fourth multifamily residential building in the U.S. to achieve WELL Certification.
