1475 N Kingsbury
Interior Design

At 1475 N Kingsbury, FitzGerald was engaged by a longtime developer client that acquired the property after the planned development was approved. FitzGerald’s team thoughtfully adapted the design for this client’s preferences and requirements—providing the ownership group with a highly marketable project while maintaining critical compliance under the pre-approved entitlements. When complete, the 27-story building will deliver 327 luxury rental apartments in a mix of studio, one-, and two-bedroom plans and three levels of secure indoor parking. 

Located at the southeast corner of Blackhawk and Kingsbury in the epicenter of the North & Clybourn retail corridor in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, the project sits in a location that is rich in history but is also rapidly developing. 1475 N Kingsbury is part of Shops at Big Deahl—a larger masterplan that will also include The Seng (for-sale affordable condos), Common Lincoln Park (co-living apartments), and Seng Park (a new public park.) 

In light of the building’s adjacency to the development’s central park and the complexities of several uses all located on the ground floor, the building ends up with two primary entries. In response, FitzGerald shaped the user experience by creating two distinct yet connected amenity spaces. 

Along Kingsbury, the larger space acts as the street-facing entrance for residents, guests, and deliveries—containing a concierge/coffee bar as well as a gear room full of outdoor recreational equipment that enables residents to further enjoy the nearby river and park.  

Along a landscaped paseo that connects residents to Seng Park and Blackhawk Street, the smaller space becomes a tenant-centric communal shared lounge inspired by a parlor layout—historically used for receiving guests or retiring to for more private conversation. This space utilizes a lower ceiling, cozy seating surrounding the fireplace, and warm lighting to create an intimate sitting room retreat to contemplate/recharge prior to heading out for the day.  

Including the ground floor’s unique entry experiences, Kingsbury and Blackhawk provides a robust amenity offering—providing cozy, authentic, and approachable communal spaces that support resident comfort and passions. The building is crowned with Chicago’s first two-story rooftop amenity offering with interconnected indoor—lounge, work lounge, party room, audio visual room, and golf simulator room—and outdoor common spaces including a bi-level, terraced pool deck that provides an amphitheater with stunning unobstructed skyline views to the southeast. 

The lounge is inspired by a neighborhood tavern setting and keeps with the dimmed lighting and cozy environment to provide the perfect space for evening cocktails with friends before a show/sports event or simply to relax and take in the views. Active elements like billiards, board games, and a potential for live music are incorporated to set the mood. Glazed brick, leather, and brass fixtures throughout are nods to the neighborhood’s former industrial identity. 

In the work lounge, a soft palette accented with natural elements and specialty lighting bring comfort and craftsmanship to an innovative collection of different scale spaces that support a variety of in-person and remote workstyles. Seven private conference rooms offer easy plug-and-play capabilities and sit-stand workstations, and the remainder of the spaces offer communal and semi-private lounge settings for a comfortable open collaboration experience. 

The party room is designed to function as an open and inviting extension to a resident’s home—allowing them to entertain larger groups for thanksgiving dinner, a celebration, or monthly book club. The space offers comfortable seating and a library near a large fireplace and a dining space with a well-appointed kitchenette. Throughout the space, artwork was chosen to support local artists.