New Wilmette building luring renters with luxury amenities
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
The exterior of the Optima Verdana. Photo by Michael Duerinckx
New, stylish residential buildings are popping up all over Chicago, and now they're spreading to the north suburbs.
What's happening: Developer Optima Communities is looking to lure young professionals out of the city limits with its new luxury rental community, The Optima Verdana, in downtown Wilmette. The building opened this summer.
- It's similar to the developer's other luxury spot on North Broadway Street in Lakeview.
The big picture: The North Shore has plenty of luxury condos and apartments in places like Evanston, Wilmette and Winnetka, but developers have been slower to adopt the modern amenities prevalent in Chicago.
Zoom in: The rental properties at the Verdana are already over 70% leased.
- It has one-, two- and three-bedroom units, plus penthouses.
- The apartments can be anywhere from 660 to 2,790 square feet.
- Monthly rents range from roughly $3,000 to $12,000.
What they're saying: "Whether they are downsizing from a single-family home on the North Shore or moving back to Wilmette from the city, the Optima Verdana is a rental option that simply wasn't available here previously," Optima's David Hovey Jr. said in a statement.
Details: Amenities include a pickleball/basketball court, a yoga studio and massage rooms, a golf simulator, dog run and pet spa, a mahjong club and multiple work-from-home spaces.
- The building boasts bird-friendly glass and "hanging gardens" on the facade and the rooftop.
What's next: The Real Deal reports that Optima is exploring another luxury development in downtown Wilmette.