Lendlease and co-developer Magellan Development Group celebrated the groundbreaking of Cirrus, a 47-story condominium tower along Chicago’s lakefront in the Lakeshore East community. Scheduled for move-ins by fall 2021, Cirrus will be developed simultaneously with Cascade—an adjacent, 37-story, 503-unit rental tower—and Cascade Park, a publicly accessible green space that will connect to the lakefront and the riverwalk.
Members of the development team gathered with local officials, including 42nd Ward Alderman, Brendan Reilly, to mark the start of construction at a public groundbreaking ceremony held Sept. 17.
“Cirrus and Cascade continue the exceptional legacy of Lakeshore East as development of the neighborhood nears completion on this prominent parcel where Lake Michigan meets the Chicago River,” said Ted Weldon, newly announced executive general manager at Lendlease. “The towers’ site-specific designs are intended to both maximize the beauty of the site and maintain continuity with surrounding buildings—all while delivering an urban lakefront residential experience that is distinctly their own.”
Designed by bKL Architecture, Cirrus and Cascade are the first of three towers that Lendlease and Magellan plan to develop at the northeast corner of Lakeshore East, where the lake meets the river. Together, they represent some of the final parcels in the Lakeshore East master plan, which has been under development for the past two decades.
Located at 211 N. Harbor Drive, the 363-unit Cirrus will include one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom layouts, as well as two townhome residences at ground level and 15 penthouse residences—including one duplex—located on floors 42 to 47. The luxury units will range in size from 650 to over 3,000 square feet and be priced from the mid-$400,000s to over $4 million. All residences will offer floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize natural light, as well as views of Lake Michigan, the Chicago River and the downtown skyline.
“Since launching quiet marketing this spring, we’ve had the opportunity to introduce buyers to everything this lake- and river-adjacent location has to offer, with each season providing a new way to experience the urban intimacy of the Lakeshore East neighborhood,” said Leila Zammatta, senior vice president of sales for Magellan Development Group. “Those who have come through our temporary sales center also appreciate the upscale finishes and thoughtful configuration of our floor plans, as well as the range of sizes that make Cirrus ideal as either a full- or part-time city residence.”
Cirrus’ sweeping views of Lake Michigan are showcased in the design of the tower’s lobby, which features a wall of east-facing, floor-to-ceiling windows adjacent to a seating area and open, circular fireplace. The lobby, which will house a 24-hour concierge, connects to an outdoor terrace and separate pool deck with lounge seating, adjacent indoor wet lounge, cabanas and transparent glass partitions that allow residents to look out over the lakefront.
Other lower-level amenities include private workspaces and conference rooms, a social lounge with fireplace and conservatory overlooking Cascade Park. Additional offerings on the 41st floor round out the tower’s 48,000 square feet of amenity space. These include a wine cellar with tasting room, separate show and prep kitchens with a dining area and chef’s corner lounge, and an east-facing outdoor terrace with barbecue and fire pit.
Residents of Cirrus will also have access to amenities available to residents of Cascade, including an indoor lap pool, children’s playroom, fitness center, game room with golf simulator and billiards, screening room, music room, multi-purpose community room and a dog-washing station and indoor dog run. The publicly accessible, 0.8-acre Cascade Park was designed by Claude Cormier + Associés and features lush landscaping, passive wellness features, meandering pathways, outdoor living rooms for recreational use, terrace seating and a public dog run. The park will slope down from Harbor Drive to the tower’s base, creating a new connection to the Lakefront Trail and Chicago Riverwalk.
“With an abundance of quality homes and publicly-accessible green space just steps away from the best Chicago has to offer, Lakeshore East is an urban neighborhood like no other in the city,” said Sean Linnane, executive vice president for Magellan Development Group. “We’re especially proud to start work on Cirrus and Cascade—towers that, together, will serve as the lakefront cornerstone for a master planned community that has been defining for both our firm and the greater downtown.”
Cirrus will include deeded, below-grade parking spaces, accessed via Harbor Drive, Lower Randolph Street and Lower Wacker Drive and housed in the podium shared with Cascade and, eventually, the third residential tower.
