Address: 100 Forest Place, Oak Park
Size: 1-bedroom, 744 square feet.
Rent: $900 a month.
Security deposit: One month’s rent.
Number of floors: 16.
Number of units: 144 apartments; 90 townhomes.
Age of building: 8 years.
Utilities: Tenant pays electricity and heat.
Parking: $50 for an assigned, covered space; $40 for an assigned, uncovered space.
Extra amenities: Concierge service, exercise room, sundeck, party room and free basic cable service.
Residents of 100 Forest Place apartments in Oak Park have the best of both worlds. The convenience of close-to-the-city living is combined with the tree-dotted views and the slower pace of the suburbs.
This 16-story building is in the heart of downtown Oak Park. Restaurants, the grocery store and the public library are all within walking distance.
The brick exterior of the 8-year-old high-rise is contemporary. Surrounding it are several rows of two-bedroom town homes, which also are for rent and offer the chance for a small fenced yard and more privacy.
Entering the lobby of the high-rise, you’re greeted by a view of Palladian-style decorative arches extending from the ceiling. These lead toward the elevator bank and to a glass block wall at the opposite end of the lobby.
We took the elevator to the eighth floor and exited into a well-lighted hallway decorated in shades of blue and gray.
Before visiting the one-bedroom apartment for rent, we noticed that each floor has a laundry room with two washers and dryers.
Suburban vistas
Entering the apartment, you find yourself in a small foyer with a large coat closet on the left and a good-size, open kitchen to the right. At your feet is light beige carpet. Overhead, the ceiling has a textured, bumpy surface that the apartment management called a popcorn ceiling.
It’s easy to imagine holding an intimate dinner or a cocktail party in this apartment-especially late in the afternoon. Being in a high-rise, you’d expect a view and this one will not disappoint those who prefer one that has a bit of nature in it instead of a cityscape. Floor-to-ceiling windows reflect the apartment’s western exposure, showing off the glowing orange sunset.
But, guests cannot live on sunset views alone. You’ll need to bring out the food soon. The kitchen, which is open and overlooks the living and dining area, allows the host to prepare the meal but not be separated from guests. The appliances, including a dishwasher, are white and up-to-date. The kitchen floor is beige linoleum and the cabinets are oak.
The dining area is just big enough for a four-chair table, or you could pull three bar stools up to a counter that separates the kitchen and dining areas for more casual eating. In this area, there is a white, hanging lamp that has an appropriately contemporary style.
Combined, the dining and living areas total 255 square feet. The living room is big enough to hold a love seat, a coffee table, a small entertainment center and a couple of chairs.
There is a hallway off the dining area that leads to the bedroom. It offers 144 square feet and, good news for clothes horses, a closet that extends down one whole wall. To take further advantage of the view, there is another floor-to-ceiling window here, though it’s narrower than the one in the living room.
More storage
Returning to the hallway and walking to the end, you’ll find a spacious linen closet that would be perfect for storing a bulky blanket or two. This is also where the bathroom is located.
The bathroom follows the same beige color scheme as the kitchen. The linoleum flooring is identical to that in the kitchen and the vanity is oak with a light beige sink. The mirrored medicine chest over the vanity could store quite a few cosmetics and there is a bar of Hollywood lighting over it.
Should you ever tire of the western view from this apartment, you can head to the 16th-floor party room and sundeck, which has a magnificent view of the Chicago cityscape. In fact, this building is very convenient to Chicago. The Eisenhower Expressway is about 10 minutes away and the Chicago & North Western train station is just a block away.
Apartments at 100 Forest Place range in size from 700 square feet for a one-bedroom to 950 square feet for the two-bedroom townhome with den and rent for $829 to $1,200.
For rental information, call 708-524-0100.
