East Water Place

Opportunity: Chicago Dock and Canal (CDC) was a land trust set up by Abraham Lincoln in 1859 just North of where the Chicago River joins Lake Michigan. This prime, downtown site had previously been a backwater for development, remaining vacant for many years.

Solution: East Water Place was the first leased land townhouse project in Chicago and features three types of houses, each with 11 foot ceilings, steel bay windows, and masonry veneer construction. This density allows for 26 units per acre, or about 60 persons per acre, with all the amenities of suburban living in a downtown location. The site plan organized the garages in the rear of the units, allowing street and garden facades to address the pedestrian.

Value: The low-rise, high-density development of 56 townhouses gave the previously blighted area positive momentum, while maintaining a low profile to ensure future high-rise buildings unobstructed views.