Want a park at your front door? Buy an Aqua townhome in Lakeshore East!

At park level, these nine Aqua townhomes are located under the outdoor deck and ballroom/conference center of the impressive Aqua building.  I am a fan of Aqua’s townhomes because without them, there would be a major blank parking garage wall facing out towards the rest of Lakeshore East.  Props go to architect Jeanne Gang and Studio Gang Architects for integrating these townhomes perfectly.  These townhomes appear to be three or four floors tall and they have an amazing view of Lakeshore East’s six acre park. 

More images from Aqua in Chicago’s Lakeshore East!

I just can’t get enough of the wavy/curvy Aqua building in Chicago’s Lakeshore East neighborhood.  Next time you’re in the neighborhood, I highly recommend you taking a look.  They just opened up their amazing outdoor amenity deck.  I’m jealous…

Blue and Green. Grant Park with Blue Cross-Blue Shield & 340 on the Park.

I was walking through Grant Park on probably the nicest day of spring that Chicago has had so far when I came to a shaded area across the street from the Blue Cross-Blue Shield and 340 on the Park buildings.  This picture is the result.  I just think the colors turned out great in the picture and that’s about it…not trying to look that deep into the picture.

New Roundy’s grocery and retail in Lakeshore East’s Village Market Center.

Check out the complete Crain’s Chicago Business article on the development of Lakeshore East’s much needed Village Market Center which will include a Roundy’s grocery store and other retail spaces.

(Crain’s) — Roundy’s Supermarkets Inc. plans to open a full-service grocery store next year in the Lakeshore East development just northeast of Millennium Park.

Magellan Development Group hopes to break ground in about 90 days on this retail building in Lakeshore East, to be called Village Market Center. Roundy’s has leased 55,000 square feet in the building.

The Milwaukee-based grocer signed a lease this week for 55,000 square feet that Lakeshore East’s developer says will enable the firm to obtain a construction loan for a low-rise retail building planned for just north of the residential tower at 340 E. Randolph Street.

David Carlins, president of Magellan Development Group LLC, says he’s in talks with lenders for a roughly $40-million construction loan to finance the 140,000-square-foot building, which is to cost $60 million. Mr. Carlins hopes to get the loan and break ground in about 90 days.

The retail building, dubbed Village Market Center, has been in the works for several years for the 25-acre Lakeshore East complex, which will have more than 3,000 condominiums and apartments when a seventh high-rise tower opens later this year.

Roundy’s stepped in after Chicago grocer Treasure Island and Magellan nixed plans for a 27,000-square-foot Treasure Island store there. Roundy’s also signed a lease this week for a store in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side and is pursuing another West Loop location after backing out of a planned development there……

Now, I am pretty sure the top photo is an old concept of what Village Market Center will be, but you at least get a good idea of what the building will look like.  Lakeshore East, and other residents in the Loop are in dire need of a grocery store within walking distance and this will be a great addition to the already amazing neighborhood.  Hopefully the new building will compliment Lakeshore East when completed.

So who dropped the ball on having a consistant paint color for Aqua?

While perusing different message boards such as SkyscraperPage and SkyscraperCity, I noticed that some of Aqua’s top floors are a totally different color of white from the rest…and it sticks out like a sore thumb.  Even with this white elephant in the room, pun definitely intended, I still love how Aqua has turned out. 

Aqua is topped out at 80 stories, meaning it wont get any taller, but it still has some work to be done on the inside and the outside.  Aqua, a mixed use building whose sales center is located at 430 E. Waterside Drive, will have retail and apartments in the lower portion of of the building with condos on the upper floors.  The Fairmont Chicago intended to expand its hotel into the first 15 floors of Aqua but recently pulled out of the deal leaving a pretty large chunk of the building vacant.

For any questions regarding the sales of Aqua’s condominiums, give them a call at 312-493-8200.  For rental questions, call 312-278-2782.