GI Stone, one of the country’s leading commercial stone suppliers, announced it has completed a broad scope of stonework for three high-profile developments in Chicago: luxury rental towers Onni Fulton Market by Onni Group and The Row Fulton Market by Related Midwest; and 1229 W. Concord Place, Sterling Bay’s first life sciences building at Lincoln Yards. GI Stone’s work spanned from common areas and amenity spaces to the interiors of luxury penthouses with rents north of $15,000 a month.

“One of the greatest joys in my work is partnering with developers and architects to offer our expertise that helps make their vision a reality,” said GI Stone President, Sandya Dandamudi. “Each of these projects had a distinct aesthetic that we helped carry out through our understanding of not only how to source the best stone for its intended effect, but also how to shape and work with the stone in a manner that kept to the developer’s timeline and budget, all while delivering a stunning space for residents and tenants.”

Penthouses, Amenities and Indoor/Outdoor Common Areas at Onni Fulton Market

Developer Onni Group brought in GI Stone for Onni Fulton Market, its new luxury apartment building designed by Pappageorge Haymes Partners. GI Stone’s scope included sourcing and installing the stone for the kitchens and bathrooms of all apartments, as well as the fireplace surround in the penthouse units; indoor amenities, like the spa, demonstration kitchen and lounge fireplace surround; the building’s lobby and elevator vestibule; and outdoor amenities, including grilling and dining areas as well as a two-sided fireplace.

“We love collaborating with repeat clients like Onni Group, especially when they share our enthusiasm for and knowledge of stone,” said Dandamudi. “It was a delight to have their design team join us in flying to Spain to meet with our suppliers to ensure we found the exact material they wanted.”

According to Dandamudi, her firm’s work in the five penthouses at Onni Fulton Market was a highlight of the project as large amounts of quartzite, porcelain and marble were used across the kitchen counters, shelving, bathrooms and fireplaces. Other standout stone features in the building include the amenity lounge fireplace, which is made of asymmetrical quartzite and was deceptively complicated to cut and install, and the demonstration kitchen, which pairs Dekton countertops with Invisacook technology, allowing residents to cook directly on the counter. And the heaviest stone coffee table GI Stone has ever installed can be found in Onni’s lobby. Clocking in at 4,000 pounds, the coffee table is made from one piece of Spanish Nero Marquina marble.

Lincoln Yards’ Life Sciences Building

After working with developer Sterling Bay on a number of projects, including McDonald’s Chicago headquarters, GI Stone was proud to install stone for 1229 W. Concord Place, a life sciences building at Lincoln Yards, the firm’s 53-acre mixed-use development along the North Branch of the Chicago River.

“We’ve established a great collaborative relationship with Sterling Bay that’s showcased by our work at 1229 W. Concord Place, which now marks the second life sciences building in our portfolio,” said Dandamudi. “As always, Sterling Bay came to us with a clear design for their building, which made it easy for us to determine the best type of stone and mitering method to fulfill their vision for forward-thinking spaces that would draw employees into the office.”

GI Stone’s work at 1229 W. Concord Place included countertops for the amenity kitchen, bathrooms, locker rooms and a show-stopping reception desk.

Power Construction and Gensler oversaw the general construction and design, respectively, for 1229 W. Concord Place.

The Row Fulton Market

With a relationship that dates back to 500 N. Lake Shore Drive in 2013, GI Stone was honored to contribute to Related Midwest’s newest apartment high-rise, The Row Fulton Market. Located in the heart of Fulton Market at 164 N. Peoria St., the 43-story, 300-unit luxury apartment tower was designed to make an impression – a key component of which is the array of stone GI Stone installed throughout the building, including the lobby, demonstration kitchen, outdoor grilling area and all apartment interiors.

“Related is one of our longest client partnerships and we couldn’t be happier to continue that relationship with The Row Fulton Market,” said Dandamudi. “We especially love working with Related’s internal team of designers who always have the foresight to bring us into a project two or three years in advance, which allows for a lot of creativity in how to integrate stone into their designs. For example, The Row’s lobby uses stone in some very exciting ways – it definitely gives residents the sense they have arrived someplace special.”

The hallmark of the building’s lobby is its grand reception desk, which features a unique polished marble that creates a two-tone effect across the top and bottom of the desk despite the marble all coming from the same slab. “People swear these are two different types of stone, but they aren’t – that’s part of Related’s genius. The marble Related wanted is not only unbelievably striking, but it also gives the impression of two different types of stone for an amazing value,” noted Dandamudi. To complement the reception desk, GI Stone installed Italian travertine on the walls, floors and fireplace surround of the lobby.

In addition to partnering with Related’s internal design team, GI Stone worked alongside Morris Adjmi Architects on The Row Fulton Market, as well as commercial interior design firm MAWD (March and White Design) and general contractor BOWA Construction.

About GI Stone:

Founded in 1995, GI Stone is a commercial stone provider specializing in sourcing, fabrication and installation of interior and exterior custom stone to clients nationwide. Based in Chicago’s Hubbard Street industrial district, with clients in markets throughout the country, the company sustains strong relationships with local and international stone providers to source the highest-quality raw materials available. GI Stone provides fabricated stone products to developers and contractors for upscale commercial developments, consulting with architects, engineers and interior designers to shape the stone into elegant finishes and execute the owner’s vision. A short list of GI Stone’s high-profile projects includes One Bennett Park, Optima Signature, NEXT Apartments, No.9 Walton, Fulton East, The Ritz-Carlton Chicago and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. For further information on the company, please visit www.gistone.com.