Address: 950 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago.
Size: Two bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths; 1,800 square feet.
Rent: $3,200 a month.
Security deposit: Two month’s rent.
Utilities: Resident pays electricity, including electric heat.
The building: 10 years old; 56 floors; 182 condominium units.
Extra amenities: 24-hour security; indoor pool and exercise room; indoor garage with valet parking ($205 a month); washer and dryer in unit.
Perhaps you’re being transferred to Chicago and don’t want to rush into buying the first house you find. Maybe you are “downsizing” from a 5,000-square-foot home, but want to sample city living before selecting a smaller space.
Or, you can justify paying hefty rent by calculating how much you will save in cab fare by walking to your favorite Michigan Avenue shops and restaurants.
If you fit any of these specialized categories, the condominium for rent at One Magnificent Mile may appeal to you.
Arriving at the 10-year-old high-rise near the corner of Oak Street and Michigan Avenue, you’ll find yourself in an entryway housing a doorman, who also monitors the valet parking service. (The $205 monthly fee includes one car wash.) Visitors then pass through a set of doors to the main lobby, accented with marble touches in a rich burgundy color.
City views
The condominiums, spread from the 22nd to the 56th floors, range from 1,570 to 5,400 square feet. The lower floors of the building contain retail and office spaces, and the residents’ pool and exercise room. The unit we viewed, on the 45th floor, faces the city, with west and southwest exposures.
The unit opens into a small foyer with hallways that branch off on the left and right. The configuration places the dining and living rooms on the left side and the two bedrooms on the right.
The floor plan and the placement of tall windows in each room on the west wall clearly makes the view a focal point. Some might prefer a lake view, but the city side still is dramatic.
The hall on the left of the foyer leads to a powder room and closet and then on to the living room, a large, five-sided room with an exterior greenhouse on the southwest wall. With dimensions of approximately 19 by 16 feet, the room offers plenty of opportunities for furniture arrangement, particularly for dividing the room into two distinct living spaces.
The off-white carpeting in the living and dining rooms as well as in the bedrooms is versatile. The window ledges in each room are a few feet from the floor and topped by windows that end near the ceiling.
The greenhouse adds the perception of outdoor living with out the risks at this height. It extends outward several feet and is well suited for potted plants. You can walk out onto the greenhouse, which is protected by a partial wall around the edge.
To the right of the living room is a separate dining room, measuring about 12 by 14 1/2 feet. It would be ideal for candlelight parties with the city view as the backdrop.
The center of it all
Between the dining room and the foyer is the kitchen, in the center of the condo. It measures about 10 by 11 1/2 feet and includes white and cream countertop and cabinets.
An oven, trash compactor, dishwasher, microwave oven and 24-cubic-foot refrigerator/freezer are included.
There is also a 7-by-5-foot breakfast area that would accommodate a table for four comfortably. The area includes plenty of cabinet space.
From the kitchen a door leads back to the foyer and from there a hallway leads to the bedroom wing of the apartment. The first bedroom is on the left and measures 12 by 13 feet. The room has its own bath, which features a marble countertop and a glass-enclosed shower stall with ceramic tile surround.
The master bedroom is at the end of the hall and measures nearly 15 by 13 feet. Its 10 1/2-foot ceiling adds to the feeling of spaciousness. Here you’ll also find a large walk-in closet and the master bath.
This bathroom has a ceramic floor tile and slab marble in the shower/tub. The vanity in this bathroom is 36 inches from the floor, rather than the traditional 30 inches.
A private bath with each bedroom is wonderful, but even if your guests number more than one there’ll be no line for the shower: There’s another full bathroom across the hall from the first bedroom and it includes a shower stall.
For rental information, call 312-280-2770.
