Chicago’s high-end condo buyers and apartment renters are shifting their priorities in a Covid world, and are seeking out units with balconies, and communal spaces with plenty of room.

At Optima Signature — built by Optima Inc. and DeBartolo Development — the new reality has brought the Amenity Boss.

Residents now use the app to schedule times for some of the spaces they would ordinarily use without planning. That includes reserving the basketball court, bocce and squash courts, children’s playground, 40-yard dash track, sundeck terraces with fireside lounges, and private dining areas. The complex rolled out the app on June 3, when the city began Phase 3 of its reopening that included — with restrictions — residential amenities. If Optima residents want to use the terrace for grilling, they can reserve space, limited to two hours.

Demand has been high, said Optima Signature business manager Kattia Halaoui. “On the first day alone, we had 159 reservations to use the amenities,” she said. A couple of days later, that was up to 259 reservations.

Visit Optima Signature for more details

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