Tan brickwork can now be seen along the exterior walls of a new two-story amenity clubhouse at 2937 S Martin Luther King Drive, part of Bronzeville‘s Prairie Shores apartment complex. The co-developers of this project, Golub & Company and Farpoint Development, purchased the five-building Prairie Shores assemblage for $180 million in 2019 in partnership with Goldman Sachs Urban Investment Group.
Prairie Shores clubhouse. Photo by Jack Crawford
Prairie Shores clubhouse. Photo by Jack Crawford
The apartments were originally built in 1960 in the modernist style, but have increasingly begun to show wear prior to the purchase. Various upgrades have already been completed under the new ownership, including interior renovations of the existing 1,675 residences, landscaping, and common area improvements.
Prairie Shores clubhouse. Photo by Jack Crawford
Prairie Shores Clubhouse interior. Rendering by Gensler
Prairie Shores Clubhouse interior. Rendering by Gensler
Prairie Shores Clubhouse. Rendering by Gensler
Prairie Shores Clubhouse interior. Rendering by Gensler
Prairie Shores Clubhouse rooftop deck. Rendering by Gensler
Nestled between two of the quintuplet apartment towers, the new amenity clubhouse serves as the latest step in this chain of enhancements, and provides more than 17,000 square feet of leisure and wellness space. The building will come with a new fully-equipped fitness center, with strength training on the first floor and both yoga and cardio on the second. There will also be room for a new lounge area, a game room, a kitchen/bar, and a co-working center with both individual and collaborative workspaces. Outside on the second level, meanwhile, will be a terrace space with grilling stations, fire pits, a bar and lounge, open turf space, and media walls. This outdoor oasis will be accessible via the second floor of the clubhouse or via a rear staircase.
Prairie Shores Clubhouse. Rendering by Gensler
Prairie Shores Clubhouse. Rendering by Gensler
Gensler is the firm behind the design, whose swooping curvilinear massing will be enclosed in brick along the first floor, with a more open glass curtain wall wrapping around the second level. When YIMBY covered the clubhouse’s groundbreaking in the spring of 2021, Gensler principal Sasha Zeljic explained the vision for the edifice to serve as a beacon when approached from Martin Luther King Drive. Zeljic also described the translucent glazing on the upper floor to both diffuse interior light, while also respecting the visibility needed for birds’ migratory flight patterns. Stanton Interior Concepts is behind the interior design, which mirrors light and open aesthetic of the exterior.
Prairie Shores clubhouse. Photo by Jack Crawford
Prairie Shores Clubhouse. Rendering by Gensler
The clubhouse lies amidst several transportation options, including bus stops for Route 3 to the north at King Drive & 29th Street. Meanwhile, the nearest CTA L trains can be found for the Green Line via a 22-minute walk southwest to 35th-Bronzeville-IIT station.
Prairie Shores clubhouse. Photo by Jack Crawford
Prairie Shores clubhouse. Photo by Jack Crawford
Leopardo Construction is serving as the general contractor, with an expected completion and opening date for the second quarter this year.
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Are there tennis courts there?
Hi Mary, while there are no tennis courts in the current construction, Prairie Shores does have four existing tennis courts at its northern end