Lendlease and The John Buck Company, together with partner Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation (Intercontinental), today announced the completion of the townhome residences at Porte, a two-tower, mixed-use development at 855 W. Madison St. in Chicago’s West Loop.

Featuring private entrances along Peoria and Monroe streets, the two-story, two-bedroom rental townhomes range in size from 1,470 to 2,037 square feet. Each townhome features 2½ baths, a terrace at ground level and balcony on the second floor, as well as reserved parking. Residents also enjoy access to dual amenity suites housed across Porte’s two towers.

“Rental townhomes are a rare offering in the downtown apartment market and especially in the West Loop, which is why we wanted to offer them as an alternative to the existing for-sale inventory in the neighborhood,” said Ted Weldon, executive general manager of development for Lendlease’s Chicago office. “These floor plans offer the space and privacy of a typical townhome while allowing residents to maintain the flexibility and amenities associated with the rental lifestyle.”

Designed by GREC Architects, Porte spans a full city block bordered by Madison Street to the north, Monroe Street to the south, Peoria Street to the west and Green Street to the east. It features a total of 586 residences, including a pair of 17-story apartment towers, each with its own lobby, amenity suite and unit finish package.

Like the apartments, the townhomes offer two finish packages – one white and one gray – providing a neutral backdrop for any design style. Other townhome features include hardwood-style flooring; modern kitchens with custom cabinetry, quartz countertops and stainless steel appliances; in-unit laundry; Nest thermostats; built-in closet organizer systems; and an abundance of windows that welcome natural light into each unit. A private terrace is located adjacent to each unit’s front entrance, while balconies are located off of primary bedrooms on the second floor.

“Having not one, but two private outdoor spaces has been a key selling point with today’s renters,” said Weldon. “As more people work remotely – a trend we expect will continue – some are looking for additional space that these townhomes provide, including a second bedroom that can double as a home office, complementing the shared workspaces available to all Porte residents. Those who work downtown also have the ability to walk or bike to the office in a matter of minutes.”

Each tower at Porte houses its own amenity suite, including a fitness center, entertainment lounge, communal chef’s kitchen and coworking space. Residents, who have access to offerings across both towers, share a dog run and play area in the South Tower. The 17^th floor of the North Tower features the Sunset Lounge, where residents can host private events and meet neighbors during Porte’s signature events.

With an emphasis on sustainability, an abundance of outdoor green space was incorporated into Porte’s design. The towers are connected by a two-story podium topped with a landscaped pool deck with lounge seating, fire pits, grilling stations, seasonal plantings and ample open space. On target for achieving LEED Gold certification, Porte features a fitness center whose wood flooring was salvaged from a high school gymnasium, as well as a rooftop farm in partnership with The Roof Crop, through which residents will have access to fresh herbs and produce grown on-site. Green space is also accessible in the surrounding neighborhood, including the adjacent Mary Bartelme Park, which features a fountain plaza, children’s play area, dog park, open lawn, viewing hill and seating.

The GREC-designed interiors of Porte showcase the property’s extensive art collection, including several original pieces by local Chicago artists. The building’s eastern facade serves as the canvas for a block-long mural commissioned through B_Line Projects, the city’s largest curator of public art murals. Created by Shawn Michael Warren, Jane Barthes, Anna Murphy and CERA, the hybrid mural depicts each artist’s interpretation of the West Loop while paying homage to Oprah Winfrey, whose Harpo Studios was formerly based in the neighborhood.

In addition to offering proximity to restaurants and retail, including several grocery stores, Porte is close to the Kennedy and Eisenhower expressways, Ogilvie Transportation Center, Union Station and several CTA bus and rail lines connecting to the Loop and Illinois Medical District.

About Lendlease:

Lendlease is an international property and investments group with operations in Australia, Asia, Europe and the Americas. Our purpose is to create value through places where communities thrive.

Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, Lendlease has approximately 11,000 employees internationally.

Our core capabilities are reflected in our operating segments of Development, Construction and Investments. The combination of these three segments provides us with a sustainable competitive advantage and allows us to provide innovative integrated solutions for our customers. Our integrated approach means we harness the expertise in infrastructure, design, development, investments and management to deliver a project from conception to completion.

In the US, Lendlease Development brings over 60 years of global experience to bear in urbanization, communities and infrastructure development. Leveraging our placemaking expertise and integrated business model, we are committed to delivering transformational urbanization projects and investments in gateway cities that generate social, environmental and economic value. For more information, visit www.lendlease.com.

About The John Buck Company:

Founded in 1981, The John Buck Company (“JBC”) has an established track record and reputation as a premier, vertically-integrated real estate investment, development and operating company focused on major U.S. urban markets. Since inception, JBC has made principal investments in assets comprising more than $7.7 billion of gross value and acquired, developed, or redeveloped over 45 million square feet of office, multifamily, residential and mixed-use properties. For more information, visit www.tjbc.com. 

About Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation:

Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser with decades long experience in real estate investment, finance, development, construction management and asset management. Since 1959, Intercontinental and its affiliates have managed, developed, or owned collectively over $14 billion in real estate property. Today, Intercontinental manages a real estate portfolio of approximately $10 billion for its clients. The Intercontinental portfolio is diversified both by robust property mix and by geography. Fund strategies actively seek opportunities to invest in both Core and Core-Plus properties, as well as in Value-Add operating properties and development projects. For more information, visit www.intercontinental.net.

About GREC Architects:

GREC Architects is a leading studio of collaborative, diverse experts that creates impactful environments around the nation.  By using responsive, artistic and integrated architectural methods, GREC develops meaningful spaces that redefine the ways people live, work and play. Based in Chicago, GREC specializes in hospitality, high-rise residential, commercial and mixed-use environments, as well as interior design, reconciling natural features with the built environment. or workplace settings.  For more information, visit www.grecstudio.com/.