Taking Healthy Apartment-Living to the Next Level | Chicago’s 73 East Lake

Best in Building HealthHealthy Building ProfilesStrategies & SolutionsFitwel Providers & Partners
Written By Marcos Reynaga

This year’s Best in Building Health award for the Highest Scoring Multifamily Project goes to 73 East Lake, located in Chicago’s loop!

AT A GLANCE

Awards:

Highest Scoring Multifamily Residential v2.1 (Built)

Project: 73 East Lake, Chicago, IL

Manager: RMK Management Corp.

Owner: UBS Realty Investment

Consultant: Lord Green Strategies (now RE Tech Advisors)

Designer: M&R Development

This luxury apartment community located in the vibrant heart of Chicago, The Loop, offers residents a next-generation, healthy lifestyle with its many health-promoting strategies and amenities. Thanks to consulting services from Fitwel Provider RE Tech Advisors and the dedicated teams at UBS Realty Investment, RMK Management Corp., and M&R Development, 73 East Lake achieved the Highest Scoring Multifamily Residential property, a well-deserved accolade demonstrating the teams’ commitment to health and wellness.

Learn more about the strategies used and the project team’s motivations below.

Scarlett White, former manager at RE Tech Advisors.

Scarlett White
Top 20 Ambassador [prior Project Manager at RE Tech Advisors]

What strategies were used to obtain Fitwel Certification?
SW: We implemented multiple strategies across each of Fitwel’s health impact categories. These include committing to being tobacco-and smoke-free, providing easy access to miles of connected city bike lanes and designated walking trails through Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park, and Grant Park, implementing an on-site exercise room featuring a full range of equipment, offering 133 free bicycle parking spaces, and a community herb garden that tenants can use free of charge.

Distribution of Goal Achievement by Asset Type analysis chart. Imagery and graphics are illustrative only and are subject to change.

ESG Solutions: Fitwel Certified Metrics
In collaboration with EVORA Global, a game-changing new industry tool coming in 2024. Learn More

Dawn Bishop, Property Manager, RMK Management Corporation

Dawn Bishop
Property Manager, RMK Management Corporation

What does achieving the Best in Building Health award mean to the property?
DB: It is an honor to know that we, as owners, are providing the best options for the health of our residents and employees. There is always more to learn, and it is a step toward expanding our knowledge.

How does Fitwel align with the mission or values of RMK?
DB: RMK is always looking for ways to improve the assets we manage, and we need the tools to do so. Fitwel aligns with our company goals of always learning and passing on that knowledge to our management teams and, ultimately, residents.

RMK Management Corp. 73 East Lake Case Study. Click image to enlarge.

How does achieving Fitwel Certification add value and/or mitigate risk for the property?
DB: The priority is to have peace of mind that you're doing everything possible; the secondary goal is to reduce the risk to the owners.  The added value is for the residents, as well as the credibility that this asset is ahead of its competitors in a healthy environment.

 

Learn more about this year’s Best in Building Health winners by downloading our first issue of Building Health.

 

About RE Tech Advisors
RE Tech Advisors (formerly LORD Green Real Estate Strategies, Inc.) is a global sustainability consulting firm specializing in commercial real estate committed to providing health and wellness solutions to fulfill their clients’ growing need to deliver healthy and safe places to live and work across their portfolios, especially in a post-COVID environment. The Fitwel certification system has been instrumental in their clients' ability to achieve their health and wellness goals, as well as instilling confidence in tenants upon reentry post-COVID. RE Tech has assisted clients in implementing over 50 successful Fitwel Building Workplace and Fitwel Viral Response Approval projects totaling 14 million square feet. These achievements contribute to multiple clients achieving Fitwel Champion status. RE Tech pursued the Fitwel Partner designation to distinguish their commitment to health and wellness and to be recognized as a leader in this sector.

About RMK Management
RMK Management is a Chicago based real estate company which proudly manages 27 rental properties, totaling over 6,000 units throughout the Midwest. With a deep commitment to superior customer service, we are a recognized leader in innovation. Our genuine interest in preserving the integrity and value of our communities sets us apart, allowing us to consistently deliver excellence year in and year out for over 36 years. We have the industry awards to prove it but, most importantly, we have the respect of our residents and peers.

About UBS Realty Investment
We are an institutional real estate manager providing acquisition, asset management, portfolio management, research, valuation and property sales expertise for its clients. As a professional fiduciary, we are experienced in selecting, underwriting, acquiring and managing properties varying in size from USD 10 million to over USD 500 million. Core and value-added strategies utilizing a range of investment structures, including wholly owned properties, joint ventures and participating mortgages, have successfully been implemented. Whether buying, managing or selling equity real estate, we have demonstrated the ability to serve virtually any combination of clients' requirements. Learn more at ubs.com/us/en/real-estate.

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Marcos Reynaga
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