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.

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In Streeterville, Optima Signature provides a host of resident amenities, from rentable business suites to a two-floor health and fitness center. Services include an on-site chef, a restaurant, a nail salon and a veterinarian.

Optima Signature, starts at $2,200 per month

This 57-story rental development boasts hundreds of apartments, from studios to three-bedrooms. Just a short jaunt from Michigan Avenue and the Riverwalk, the location couldn’t be better. The complex’s 1.5-acre amenity space provides a resort-level menu of activities: heated swimming pools, basketball, squash and bocce ball courts, and a golf simulator.

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Luxury apartment and condo developers in the U.S. are increasingly creating remote workspaces in their properties for residents

When Steve DeLuca commutes to work, he takes a quick elevator ride from the apartment he shares with his wife and their two toddler children at Optima Signature in Chicago’s Streeterville neighborhood. Unlike many people, Mr. DeLuca isn’t new to working from home. He’s been doing it for more than a decade.

“I used to rent space at a WeWork, but the opportunity to lease a private office in our apartment building is far more attractive, especially now,” Mr. DeLuca , 43, a founder of a private equity real estate fund, said. “I can be home at a moment’s notice and I can also take an elevator to go back to the office at night when I need to.”

These days, Mr. DeLuca shares his private office with his wife so she can work quietly from 4:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. while he takes care of their children. Occasionally, the children join their parents in the 500-square-foot office, which they rent for about $1,200 per month, for a change of scenery from their apartment. The office comes with high-speed internet, office furniture and a small refrigerator.

Co-working spaces are common in upscale apartments, but private offices are anticipated to become a desirable perk in new buildings due to the prevalence of working at home.

Optima, based in Chicago and Scottsdale, Arizona, has been ahead of the curve, including office suites for lease in their residential buildings for 15 years.

“We added a few office suites to an Optima building in Phoenix in 2005 and they were so popular, we’ve included more in our buildings ever since then,” said David Hovey, Sr., CEO of Optima, developers of Optima Signature in Chicago, which has 23 office suites available to lease to residents and nonresidents. “Small business owners like them because everything is turnkey and we include furniture, window treatments and a refrigerator in the suite. In addition, the office tenants have access to the recreational amenities in the building like the swimming pool, fitness center and party room.”

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Imagine diving in the pool on a bright weekend morning or a warm afternoon, after a week or a day’s work. There’s nothing quite like it, is there?

Now imagine diving in a pool and re-emerging to find yourself surrounded by skyscrapers, luxurious lounges and upscale dining areas. That’s the norm for apartment dwellers living in these high-end communities. We’re talking tons of space, saunas and steam rooms, roomy hot hubs, stunning lounges and skyline views — pretty much everything you need to be wowed on a daily basis. Take a look at 6 of the most stunning swimming pools around the country:

Lounging in Optima Signature’s pool area would definitely make it to any ranking of “things that will make you feel like you’re living in a movie”.

This luxury apartment community is located in the heart of Chicago, and its pool is nestled between some of the most impressive buildings in the city — it offers a breathtaking view of the both the Tribune and the NBC Towers. Couple the modern, polished pool area with a hot tub, saunas and steam rooms, and you’ll never need to visit a spa again.

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Guidepost Montessori at Magnificent Mile location at 226 E. Illinois St. will debut a new lower elementary school option this fall, as well as an additional space on the second floor of the Optima Signature building able to accommodate new classrooms.

The elementary program is designed for children ages 6-9 and begins Aug. 31, said Sarah Silverman, head of school at Guidepost Montessori at Magnificent Mile. As of Aug. 5, space was filling up quickly and only about five spots were still available in the program, she said.

In accordance with the Montessori method, the program takes a child-led approach that encourages students’ self-sufficiency and independence while tackling academic topics such as mathematics, reading, writing and cultural studies, Silverman said.

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The FOX 32 Chicago Morning Show features the many on-site conveniences for pet owners at Optima Signature! Watch Optima, Inc.’s Senior Vice President Mark Segal talk about how Optima Signature is making life easy for you and your pets.