Lakeshore East

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A string of fountains of the Lakeshore East residential development can be seen.

Looking east at the Lakeshore East development.

Lakeshore East is an urban development being built in the east part of the Chicago Loop, on land that was formerly used by Illinois Central Railroad yards. For several years after the rail yards were vacated, the site was used as a 9-hole golf course. The area was originally planned for development as part of Illinois Center, and one of the challenges to the new development was to integrate itself into the inherited triple-level street system while creating a visually appealing and pedestrian friendly neighborhood. The solution was to stagger ground-level amenities and building entrances from the upper level at the perimeter to the lower level at the interior. Thus the multilevel street grid is utilized around the edges, with large parking structures in the podiums, while a large park at the lowest level forms the core of the development. The park is named Lakeshore East Park, and opened in 2005.

Most of the buildings in Lakeshore East are high-end apartments and condos. Many of them are named with an aquatic theme. The possibility of spotting a celebrity has also sparked interest from Chicago's young professionals. Tenants include Vince Vaughn, Bobby Jenks, and Jake Fox.