Developers CA Ventures and Focus Hold Grand Opening and Ribbon-Cutting for The LINK Evanston Near Northwestern University

Chicago-based developers CA Residential and Focus last week celebrated the grand opening of The LINK Evanston, a nine-story, 241-unit transit-oriented development at 811 Emerson St. in Evanston, Ill. Nested in the heart of downtown Evanston, and just steps away from Northwestern University, the multifamily community welcomed its first residents this month.

Members of the project team were joined by members of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, residents and neighbors for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on Nov. 7.

“Whether we’re developing overseas or in our own backyard, we tailor each CA development to the needs of the market, collaborating with local stakeholders to execute tranSFormative projects that support the growth of the surrounding community,” said JJ Smith, principal of CA Ventures. “Living up to its name, LINK Evanston delivers on our vision of a connected lifestyle in every sense of the word. State-of-the-art technology offers unparalleled work-from-home capabilities; robust amenities and programming foster relationships among residents; and a walkable, near-transit location provides convenient access to destinations throughout both Evanston and Chicago.”

The contemporary, open-concept apartments at The LINK Evanston include studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans ranging in size from 400 to 1,100 square feet. Accessible by key fob, each residence features hardwood-style flooring and modern kitchens with Euro-style cabinets, stainless steel appliances and quartz countertops. Apartments also include in-unit laundry.

Amenities at The LINK Evanston include a 9,000-square-foot, south-facing courtyard with a resort-style pool, grilling stations and a fire pit on the second level. Surrounding the courtyard are a variety of indoor amenities, including a social lounge/game room, business center with conference rooms and state-of-the-art fitness and wellness center with yoga and Fitness on Demand.

“We are thrilled to be bringing this versatile and exciting community to Evanston, providing residents with the perfect balance of work, life and leisure,” said Tim Anderson, CEO and Founder of Focus. “We are committed to enhancing the communities in which we build and we’re confident that The LINK will be a positive and succesSFul addition to the Evanston landscape.”

7-Eleven, a previous occupant of the site, will occupy a 3,300-square-foot ground-floor retail space along Emerson Street, providing additional convenience for residents. The retailer will move into its new space on November 4.

On-site parking, located on the lower, ground and mezzanine levels, accommodates a total of 174 vehicles, with designated public and private spaces.

The LINK Evanston was designed by bKL Architecture for LEED Silver certification. The tower is composed of three linked segments, creating a U-shaped building. The building’s ends and corners are anchored in brick, with metal panel infill between and punched windows throughout. Metal channels wrap the exterior of level two, screening the parking from the street.

Focus served as the general contractor as well as co-developer for the project.

The leasing office for The LINK Evanston is located at 811 Emerson St. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday; and noon to 5 p.m., Sunday. For information or to make an appointment to tour the property, call 847-348-0006 or visit www.thelinkevanston.com.

About CA:

CA Ventures LLC is a Chicago-based real estate investment holding company whose international portfolio includes $10.2 billion in assets throughout the U.S., Europe and Latin America. While initially focused on student housing, CA Ventures has since diversified into other sectors, including office, senior lifestyle, multifamily, hospitality and industrial. In addition to development and renovation, the firm specializes in institutional joint ventures; value-add investing; equity and debt sourcing; and asset management services. CA Ventures serves as the holding company for the CA family of companies, including CA Student Living, CA Senior Living, CA Residential, CA Industrial and CAV International. For more information, visit www.ca-ventures.com.

About Focus:

Focus exists at the intersection of development and construction. A Chicago-based developer and general contractor, Focus has utilized an integrated delivery model to produce a diverse portfolio of distinctive real estate since 1993. The places and spaces the company brings to life mirror the collaboration between its vertically integrated, multi-disciplinary teams driven to manifest success. The tranSFormative effect of Focus’ work is the result of the company’s dedication to impact lives, enhance communities, build value and control the risk of innovation.