At the corner of Lake Street and Euclid Avenue in Oak Park, a new design concept is on the horizon. In a community that values its architectural pedigree, the high-end condominium development of District House is garnering praise at every turn.
Cory Robertson of Ranquist Development says the project’s appeal is due to the synergy of the development team. “We have a great architectural pairing: Miller Hull, a Seattle-based leader in LEED development and locally, the architecture firm of Northworks.”
Ranquist Development has teamed up with Campbell Coyle Real Estate to form District House, LLC. Campbell Coyle President Chris Dillion notes that from the moment that the Village of Oak Park and the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation opened up the site for development proposals, it has been an exciting process.
“Oak Park is so renowned for the Prairie School and famous architecture that we were excited for the opportunity to submit a proposal. From the onset, we were really trying to do something creative and unique from a design perspective. The response has been overwhelming.”
The five story building will feature retail on the ground floor and four levels of condominiums above. The Lake Street façade will be faced with glass and four-foot deep cantilevered solar shades. On the Euclid Avenue side, charcoal Roman bricks will provide visual interest. A 10,000 square foot green roof will help mitigate heat gain.
The building references the Prairie School with its strong use of horizontal lines, but the modern style is completely new for Oak Park development, and that is something the community is responding to. Dillion believes the strong design concept helped the development sail through the approval process and is already creating a buzz from those in the community.
“We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback from the neighbors and community stakeholders when it comes to the design. People are excited that it’s a little design forward. Having Miller Hull and Northworks involved really creates a unique design perspective.”
Garret Eakin, Architecture Critic to the Oak Park Wednesday Journal agrees. “I’m excited about this new project on Lake Street. Ranquist Development has commissioned an eloquent residential block that may be the new gold standard for future residential projects. This is the perfect example of the rule, ‘Hire a good architect and developer and you will get architecture as a product.”