Start 11: 340 on the Park
Cost: $250 million

The hunger for condominiums in Chicago's Loop continues unabated since Millennium Park opened in July.

Residents of the well-appointed 70-story 340 on the Park tower under way will get views of the widely admired park on the southwest, as well as those of Lake Michigan, Grant Park and Navy Pier.

Even though ground break was only in February, about 50 percent of the 344 units had previously been sold, said Don Biernacki, senior vice president of Chicago-based LR Development Co., the developer.

The elegant design will feature curving glass to give residents vistas of all the attractions nearby.

Inside, the standard finish package is upscale. Bamboo will make up the typical unit flooring, and there will be other high-end choices for cabinets, faucets sinks and other items.

The entire 25th floor will feature amenities that include fitness center with pool and winter garden with balconies.

"Because of the location, we felt it was necessary to get that amenity floor," Biernacki added.

The unit sizes range from 1,186 sq. ft. to 5,489 sq. ft., and the prices range between $340,000 and $4 million.

A Couple Firsts

The post-tensioned concrete building will reportedly be the tallest residential building in Chicago and the second tallest in the United States after only the Trump World Tower in New York.

Plans also call for the 340 on the Park to be the first residential high-rise in Chicago to meet the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification standards.

In mid-April, the installation of caissons was complete, and the setting up of sheeting for earth retention had begun. The building, which will be immediately east of the Blue Cross-Blue Shield Tower, is in a structure-dense area.

The lower level, which will have some retail spaces, will connect via a public pedway to the Blue Cross tower.

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