Level Completes Latest Collaboration with Flats: The June
Sep 24, 2020
Last week, Level announced the completion of our latest mixed-use project—The June. The building was a close collaboration with Flats, a development group known for its stylish, high-end residential apartments and attractive amenity packages. The June is located in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago, situated on the bustling corner of Foster and Broadway and spanning 24,500 square feet. The lower level offers three commercial rental spaces, and upper levels contain 27 residential units in studio and one-bedroom configurations.
In order to deliver a building with two distinct uses, Level orchestrated a thoughtful response to the project’s dual residential and commercial objectives. The building’s upper floors hover above a base of mostly glass, creating a transparent ground floor that opens to the sidewalk for increased retail visibility. The apartment lobby, located on Foster, is removed from the corner for a comfortable separation between retail and residential users. We also worked to integrate the retail program at the ground floor with the residential upper in order to combine resources whenever possible to keep costs affordable, all without losing the separation of function and strong building identity for renters. Our solution implemented an L-shaped residential plan above a full retail floor, with the lobby pulled away from the intersection to give retail maximum street exposure on both Foster and Broadway. This created a sense of separation while still providing common service elements and alley access for both tenant populations.
Level was also tasked with addressing the tension between residential and commercial within the greater neighborhood context. To the west of the site lie a number of tightly-knit residential neighborhoods consisting of primarily single-family homes, but the area immediately surrounding the corner site consists of commercial, retail, and restaurant uses. Several big-box retail establishments such as CVS and PetSmart have recently appeared in the neighborhood, replacing the historic street edge once maintained by two- and three-story buildings with parking lots and gas stations. The highly exposed corner site offered the opportunity to create a strong neighborhood anchor, replacing three derelict and under-utilized structures. Rather than further disrupt the cadence of the neighborhood, our design re-establishes a strong physical corner, addressing the two major street elevations with similarly articulated massing which respects the scale of the immediate context.
For residential tenants, The June is a uniquely affordable option compared to the other new construction in the neighborhood. Smaller unit sizes at an average of 455 square feet is an intentional effort to keep costs low for potential tenants. In order to further reduce costs while still offering the exceptional amenities Flats is known for, June tenants have access to The Draper, a much larger Flats development just a few blocks away with extensive amenities including a gym, roof lounge, and roof deck.
Overall, The June is an excellent option for both singles and young couples. Just a block away from the CTA Red-line, and within walking distance of Uptown’s historic entertainment district and Asia on Argyle’s marketplaces and restaurants, The June is uniquely positioned in both price point and proximity to help young professionals gain a foothold in the City.
