Start 13: Sherman Plaza
Cost: $190 million

North suburban Evanston's vertical growth is getting another boost with the Sherman Plaza project.

The project's key element is a 25-story condominium tower, said Tim Anderson, president of Northfield-based Focus Development Inc., a project developer. Other major parts include a 1,585-space garage and 152,000 sq. ft. of retail space.

The project occupies nearly a city block near Sherman and Church streets in the city's downtown area.

A parking garage on Sherman Avenue previously on the site was demolished because it had badly deteriorated, and the city wanted to replace it to encourage visits from consumers to nearby businesses.

Another factor driving the redevelopment is the transportation hub on nearby Davis Street where commuters can catch the Chicago Transit Authority's Purple Line train, the Metra commuter train or CTA busses, Anderson said.

Because of the downtown location and superb transportation offerings, other elements were considered for the site. Eventually, the proposals crystallized to become the 565,000-sq.-ft. Sherman Plaza project.

The condominium tower will be composed of 253 condominium units that range in size from 800 sq. ft. to 4,000 sq. ft.

Unit prices range between $260,000 and $1.9 million, and the building was 70 percent sold in mid-April, Anderson said. The most expensive units are the penthouses on the top-three levels.

Building amenities include a 53,000-sq.-ft. health club with pool, public and private patios, hospitality suite, bicycle storage and 24-hour doorman.

Pedestrian Friendly

A key design goal was to make the project pedestrian friendly and suitable for its location in Evanston.

The retail spaces, which will occupy the first two floors, have a varied design and look like they developed over time.

"The concept was not to create a building that occupies an entire city block, so it has a more pedestrian feel," he said.

A unique element is that the facility will have three green roofs on the third-, sixth- and seventh-level terraces. Combined, the three spaces will hold two-thirds acre of greenery.

Return to Top of 2005 list