Integrated design-driven real estate firm Optima, Inc. has received final village board approval for Optima Lumina, a 128-unit luxury residential building in downtown Wilmette, Illinois, on Chicago’s North Shore.
The six-story building features one- to three-bedroom residences of up to nearly 3,000 square feet, almost 5,900 square feet of retail space, a large public plaza, robust amenity package and a number of sustainable features, including Optima’s proprietary Vertical Landscaping System.
Replacing the long-vacant former Imperial Motors car dealership located at 720-739 Green Bay Road, the transit-oriented development (TOD) is conveniently located directly across from Wilmette’s Metra rail commuter station. It also is immediately north of Optima’s 100-unit, high-end rental community, Optima Verdana, which welcomed residents in 2023 and is now fully leased with a significant waitlist. The residences at Optima Lumina are envisioned as for-sale condominiums but may shift based on market conditions.
Conceived as a complementary but entirely stand-alone community from neighboring Optima Verdana, Optima Lumina is separated from its neighbor by a 75-foot-wide publicly accessible landscaped plaza containing outdoor seating, public art and a fountain. Optima Lumina further differentiates itself from Optima Verdana through its own unique architectural language and identity, which includes the company’s first-ever use of terracotta in a building facade system.
Optima Lumina’s innovative exterior design also incorporates the developer’s proprietary Vertical Landscaping System along its roofline and terraces, which will provide greenery on the building’s facade. The system was pioneered by Optima at its Arizona communities and made its Midwest debut at Optima Verdana by utilizing plant species selected to stay green year-round. The exterior plantings provide biophilic and sustainability benefits such as improved solar shading, evaporative cooling, air purification, noise reduction, stormwater management and balcony privacy as the greenery matures over time.
On its ground floor, Optima Lumina will offer resident amenities, including an indoor basketball and pickleball court; sports lounge with a golf simulator and indoor putting green; and a fitness center with dedicated yoga and Pilates studios.
Residents of Optima Lumina will be placed within steps of downtown Wilmette’s vibrant town center and its array of boutiques and restaurants. The community’s unmatched proximity to the Metra station offers quick and easy access to downtown Chicago, making Lumina ideal for both commuting and downtown leisure activities.
In addition to being designed in-house, Optima Lumina will also be developed, built, sold and managed by Optima. The building is targeting a Two Green Globes certification, a sustainability rating that evaluates a property’s environmental impact, energy efficiency, water conservation and indoor air quality. Optima Lumina’s notable sustainable features include the use of VRF heating and cooling systems, eco-friendly induction cooktops, electric outdoor grills and providing 100% EV charging capacity in its below-ground parking garage.
As part of the firm’s zoning agreement with the Village, Optima will provide a $3.8 million contribution to advance affordable housing in Wilmette. The donation is more than double the $1.6 million affordable housing contribution the firm previously made with the approval of Optima Verdana.
