The Edgewater Beach Apartments Are A Magical Place In Illinois That You Thought Only Existed In Your Dreams
By Linze Rice|Published May 26, 2023
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Linze Rice
Author
Ope! From the rural cornfields of DeKalb County, Linze is an Illinois native and true Midwestern gal who can make a mean bonfire and whip up a perfect marshmallow salad. Since 2014, her bylines and photography have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine, Chicago Sun-Times, and Block Club Chicago/DNAinfo Chicago, Only in Your State, and more. She has interviewed Dolly Parton, written about beloved diners along historic Route 66, visited the last Rainforest Cafe in the Illinois, and reviewed luxurious English manor-inspired hotels. Whether it's writing about a local gem or world-renowned establishment, Linze brings a heartwarming and historical perspective to each story, using facts, wit, and personal experience to impress upon readers the importance of culture, food, travel, and all things local. Her favorite destinations in Illinois include Starved Rock State Park, Chicago's Edgewater neighborhood, the charming small town of Sycamore, and historic Rosehill Cemetery. When she's not writing or photographing, Linze enjoys gardening, spending time with her husband and pets, cooking, baking, and grilling, and relaxing with trashy TV.
There is a huge variety of interesting attractions and must-see places in Illinois — from water parks to museums to natural wonders. It can be mind-blowing to see these things up close, especially when they’re so unique, that it’s almost like they could only exist in your dreams. This magical place in Chicago, Illinois is exactly that: a one-of-a-kind creation that must be seen to be believed.
The Edgewater Beach Apartments, located at 5555 N. Sheridan Road, are located in the city's Far North Side neighborhood of Edgewater. They sit at the northernmost point of Jean Baptiste Pointe DuSable Lake Shore Drive (aka North Lake Shore Drive), giving passersby a glimpse at its marvelous existence.
Linze Rice
Spoiler alert: This is my favorite building in Chicago, and my favorite building ever. I even have a tattoo of it on my arm!
The building was designed by architect Benjamin Marshall and was completed in 1928. It is a co-op apartment building and is designed in a unique cross shape. Marshall gave the building a "sunset" pink exterior to match the neighboring Edgewater Beach Hotel, which was "sunrise" yellow.
The building can be viewed from miles away along the lakeshore, but you can also walk right up to it from Sheridan Road or Bryn Mawr Avenue. At its base is a lobby and several small storefronts.
Looking up from the outside, you feel like you're at the bottom of a coral-pink canyon. The stunning building has 20 floors and is located in the Bryn Mawr Historic District.
In this old postcard, you can see where the Edgewater Beach Hotel buildings were just down the block from the Edgewater Beach Apartments. The historic hotel was a huge draw for celebrities of old Hollywood, but was demolished in the late 1960s after Lake Shore Drive was extended — cutting off the hotel's private beach.
Inside, it's just as dreamy as you might imagine. In 1994, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. At times, it has opened to the public for tours — but even views from the exterior are enough to take your breath away.
