Aqua at Lakeshore East

Aqua at Lakeshore East apartments is located at 225 N. Columbus Drive in an 82-story mixed-use tower completed in 2009. The building contains 474 rental apartment units, in addition to condominium units and a hotel located within the same tower.

Design

The tower was designed by Studio Gang Architects, led by Jeanne Gang, with Loewenberg & Associates serving as architect of record. Balconies extend two to twelve feet from the building’s facade at varying floors, a design the architect has described as inspired by the striated limestone outcroppings found along the Great Lakes. Each typical floor spans approximately 16,000 square feet, and the building’s base covers roughly 140,000 square feet.

Building Composition

The tower is divided by use across its height: the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel occupies the lower floors, rental apartments occupy floors 19 through 52, and condominium units and penthouses occupy the floors above that. The hotel, operating as the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel with 334 rooms, opened on November 1, 2011. The building includes approximately 55,000 square feet of retail and office space and five levels of underground parking.

Recognition

Aqua was named 2009 Skyscraper of the Year by Emporis, an international building-data organization, and received an international design award the following year.

Amenities

The building’s rooftop terrace spans more than 80,000 square feet and includes gardens, gazebos, multiple pools, hot tubs, a walking and running track, and a fire pit.

Location

The building is located in Lakeshore East, a planned development built around a 6-acre park, near the Chicago Riverwalk. It is within walking distance of Michigan Avenue, Millennium Park, and the Loop.

For other buildings in the area, see Streeterville / Lakeshore East listings, including NEMA Chicago in the South Loop.

Aqua at Lakeshore East Apartments: Fast Facts

For more, see the building's own website (rentaqua.com) or the full list of Streeterville / Lakeshore East apartment buildings.