Microapartments at Uptown's Lawrence House Could Bring a New Wave of Affordable Apartments to Chicago

With Chicago’s apartment market still trending upward and rents all over the city also increasing quite dramatically, a new concept is being tested up on Chicago’s north side.

Although most of the spectacular new rental high-rises that are being developed are worth every bit of what tenants are paying, not everybody has the means or is capable of paying the rent prices seen at many of these new luxury towers. And with many people specifically wanting to live in the city at a price point of around $1,000 or less, Cedar Street Companies saw an opportunity.

Being marketed under the Flats brand, which operates under the Cedar Street Companies umbrella, Uptown’s Lawrence House has been completed renovated and revamped to feature affordable micro apartments that also provide many of the same luxury finishes and amenities of a downtown high-rise, only on a smaller scale.

The stylish lobby is outfitted with vintage photos and amazing artwork, and it even features a bar as well, which can certainly be convenient for residents to have within the confines of their own building after a long day at the office. Residents are also just steps from a trendy coffee house, a health food store, and of course the totally re-modeled Uptown Red Line station, while other luxury amenities include a 7,000 square foot gym in the basement with a boxing ring and exercise machines, a sprawling rooftop deck with jaw dropping views of the city and Lake Michigan, and even the hotel’s original basement swimming pool, which is also something you don’t often see in a vintage apartment building on the north side.

The smallest studios inside Lawrence House include just 235 square feet, and the smallest one bedrooms include just 410 square feet. But it is worth noting that units include fully updated and desirable finishes that allow for a more luxurious feel, and in-unit laundry is also included as well. Rent prices at Lawrence House start at just $925 for a studio and $1,400 for a one-bedroom.

Photo: Flats Chicago