The Buckingham
312-938-4488
The Buckingham Condominium Private Residence is a luxury condominium in the heart of
The Buckingham is located directly across from Grant Park. It is approximately four blocks east of
The Buckingham has 305 condominiums that range from 1 bedroom units to 3 bedrooms, all with beautiful views of downtown
Building amenities include: a party room (normally used as a common living room space) and outdoor patio area, outdoor gas-fired grills, individual storage lockers assigned to each unit (additional rentable storage spaces are also available), a drycleaner/valet and receiving room open Monday through Saturday, a secure bicycle room, a heated garage with both deeded spaces and 24-7 car parking services for guests and unit owners who do not own a parking space, 24 hour doorman, a sundeck, pool and fitness room located on the 44th floor complete with men and womens changing rooms and dry saunas. The 44th floor also includes a commercial type laundry room which most residents find to be a handy supplement to the washer and dryer hookups in each condominium. High speed Internet and Satellite DirectTV (digital and HD service) are provided by the building to each condominium. High speed Internet wireless service is available in common areas throughout the building as well.
In addition to the 24-7 car parking service and the building doorman on duty 24 hours a day, The Buckingham is fortunate to also have on-site management staff (5 days a week during normal business hours) and maintenance personnel on duty on site 24/7 experienced and ready to tackle any problem that might arise.
The architecture and interior design of The Buckingham is a part of a heritage that traces directly back to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe[1]. Mies influence is strongly shown in the design of the lobby common areas and in the general proportions of the building exterior. Theres no secret as to why: after Mies died in 1968, at age 83, his student and longtime employee Joe Fujikawa took over Mies architecture design firm. After a few years of operating Mies former firm under the old name of The Office of Mies van der Rohe, Fujikawa, together with another longtime Mies employee, renamed the firm Fujikawa and Johnson. Shortly thereafter, Fujikawa Johnson and Associates designed The Buckingham. The Buckingham was completed in 1981.
Even though the building was intended and designed to be a condominium, economic times when The Buckingham was completed were not favorable to condominium sales and the building opened as a rental building. The building was later converted from apartments to condominiums by the Habitat Company in 1994. A few alterations have been made to the buildings dcor through its years as a rental and from the conversion process. In trying to keep with Fujikawas original design intent, the Buckingham Board of Directors engaged a well-known professional architectural design firm in 2006 to develop a Master Plan for The Buckinghams many common areas. The intent of the plan was to offer ideas for both preserving and redeveloping the exterior areas of the buildings plaza areas all the way to ideas for redecorating the corridors and other common areas. Because of the buildings designers architectural heritage and the building structures clear ties to Miesian design principles, the plan was developed with Mies and his contemporaries designs in mind. The Master Plan, along with substantial additional input from The Buckinghams owners, will be used as a reference and guide for capital projects for years to come.
In addition to the Master Plan, The Buckingham Board of Directors has continuously evaluated The Buckinghams capital needs. In 2006, with the help of an outside engineering firm, The Board completed a study which evaluated the buildings condition and estimated the timing and amount of capital expenditures to be made in maintaining the building. Accordingly, The Board has consciously adjusted reserve assessment levels over time so as to manage the buildings financial position so that capital expenditures will be adequately funded when they are needed. To date, The Buckingham has never experienced a special assessment to pay for capital projects or to increase general working capital or capital reserve levels.
In late 2008 the building will begin renovating its elevator mechanical and control systems. At the same time, The Buckingham will update the design of its elevator passenger cab interiors. This project, along with others, has been planned (on at least a financial basis) for several years. The buildings management staff and the Board of Directors of The Buckingham are excited to be embarking on this milestone and looks forward to the careful implementation of other anticipated projects for years to come.
The Habitat LLC professionally manages the Buckingham, and has done so since its conversion in 1994. The building management and staff are consistently encouraged to assist residents with packages or to provide other small assistance to make life better for the residents of the Buckingham. They are friendly and work hard to consistently maintain a high quality of life at the Buckingham
In addition to The Board of Directors, owners are encouraged to provide input into the management of their property though active participation in several standing committees. The House Committee organizes several very well-attended functions each year. These events range from a Halloween party for families to music performances to BYOB social events.
[1] Mies is famous in