The first couple decades of this century witnessed a marked decline in golf’s popularity. Some 1,200 golf courses were shuttered nationwide, and from 2003 to 2018, U.S. golf participation plunged by 6.8 million participants. Golf pros feared for the sport’s future.
Then came the Covid-19 pandemic, and its corresponding recommendation of social distancing. Moving outdoors onto the wide-open golf links seemed an ideal response.
Interest in the game has surged ever since, and is reflected in the growing popularity of golf simulator experiences like TopGolf and X-Golf, as well as in golf driving ranges. The opportunity to play a round on 3D virtual representations of legendary golf courses has hooked legions of linksters. Golf simulator settings have become a relaxed place for fun, social gatherings, as well as corporate events and team-building experiences.
Never one to pass on crowd-pleasing features that can attract move-ins to their residential offerings, shrewd developers have increasingly found reason to incorporate golf simulators into their buildings. The move ensures residents can hone their swings or play a round with friends without ever booking a tee time. Here’s a look at several residential communities that top the leaderboard in golf-related amenities and extras.
WILMETTE, ILL. — Optima Inc. has completed Optima Verdana, a 100-unit luxury apartment complex in the Chicago suburb of Wilmette. The property is 72 percent leased. The property features one-, two- and three-bedroom layouts and penthouse configurations ranging from 660 to 2,790 square feet. Monthly rents range from approximately $3,000 to nearly $12,000.
Designed by David Hovey Sr. and David Hovey Jr., the community features a seventh-floor sky deck. The rooftop common area features a sun deck, barbecues, herb gardens, a bocce court, fire pits, party room, game room, sauna and heated lap pool with retractable glass walls designed for year-round use. Indoor amenities can be found on the building’s first floor and include a pickleball/basketball court, fitness center, yoga studio, massage rooms, sports lounge, golf simulator, kids’ playroom, dog run, library lounge and work-from-home spaces.
The community is slated to achieve Two Green Globes certification via the use of bird-friendly glass, eco-friendly induction cooktops and outdoor electric grills. Optima Verdana features the Chicago-area debut of Optima’s propriety exterior vertical landscaping system, which includes plants staying green year-round and promoting evaporative cooling, air purification, noise reduction and stormwater detention.
A new Egg Harbor Cafe will debut at Optima Verdana in Wilmette’s downtown district, according to Optima, Inc. The 4,100-square-foot cafe occupies the first floor of the six-story, 100-unit Optima Verdana and will seat 140 guests.
Highlights
Egg Harbor Cafe inside Optima Verdana, located in downtown Wilmette, will celebrate its grand opening on August 26.
The ground-floor eatery in the 100-unit luxury tower features space for 140 customers.
The restaurant is located at 707 Green Bay Road, opposite the Wilmette Metra station.
Egg Harbor Cafe Launch at Optima Verdana
Located directly across from the Wilmette Metra station, Egg Harbor Cafe at Optima Verdana sits within the heart of the Wilmette village center, offering walkable access for both residents and visitors. (Source: Bill Timmerman)
Optima, Inc. has introduced Egg Harbor Cafe’s latest location within the Optima Verdana community in downtown Wilmette, Ill. At street level within the 100-residence, six-story complex, the restaurant spans 4,100 square feet and seats up to 140 guests. Situated at 707 Green Bay Road, the cafe stands directly across from the village’s commuter rail hub.
New, stylish residential buildings are popping up all over Chicago, and now they’re spreading to the north suburbs.
What’s happening: Developer Optima Communities is looking to lure young professionals out of the city limits with its new luxury rental community, The Optima Verdana, in downtown Wilmette. The building opened this summer.
It’s similar to the developer’s other luxury spot on North Broadway Street in Lakeview.
The big picture: The North Shore has plenty of luxury condos and apartments in places like Evanston, Wilmette and Winnetka, but developers have been slower to adopt the modern amenities prevalent in Chicago.
Zoom in: The rental properties at the Verdana are already over 70% leased.
It has one-, two- and three-bedroom units, plus penthouses.
The apartments can be anywhere from 660-2,790 square feet.
Monthly rents range from roughly $3,000 to $12,000.
What they’re saying: “Whether they are downsizing from a single-family home on the North Shore or moving back to Wilmette from the city, the Optima Verdana is a rental option that simply wasn’t available here previously,” Optima’s David Hovey Jr. said in a statement.
The Indoor Pickleball/Basketball Court and Sports Lounge at the Optima Verdana. Photo courtesy of Michael Duerinckx
Details: Amenities include a pickleball/basketball court, a yoga studio and massage rooms, a golf simulator, dog run and pet spa, a mahjong club and multiple work-from-home spaces.
The building boasts bird-friendly glass and “hanging gardens” on the facade and the rooftop.
The rooftop deck of the Optima Verdana. Photo by Michael Duerinckx
WILMETTE, IL — Popular breakfast restaurant Egg Harbor Cafe is set to open in Wilmette next week, enhancing the mixed-use appeal of the luxury Optima Verdana Apartments.
Egg Harbor Cafe is a family-owned company founded in Hinsdale, and it strives to provide customers with the highest quality ingredients. The 4,100-square-foot restaurant will have space to seat 140 people and is located directly across from Wilmette’s Metra station.
This is the company’s second Egg Harbor within an Optima community, joining its Streeterville location that opened in 2019 at Optima Signature.
“After the incredible response to our Streeterville location at Optima Signature, expanding to downtown Wilmette at Optima Verdana felt like a natural next step,” said Graham Hallen, head of brand growth at Egg Harbor. “The opportunity to open in such a desirable location with exceptional visibility positions Egg Harbor Cafe Wilmette to serve residents and the broader community for a long time.”
Optima Verdana opened in Wilmette in 2023 and is currently fully leased. The owners are optimistic that the built-in foot traffic from residents and its proximity to other downtown retailers will spell success for the restaurant.
With Optima’s future plans to open a new 128-unit luxury residential building just south of Optima Verdana, Egg Harbor is poised to gain even more customers, officials said. Known as Optima Lumina, the project will replace the long-vacant Imperial Motors car dealership.
“Welcoming Egg Harbor first to Streeterville and now to Wilmette reflects Optima’s strategy of attracting commercial tenants that align with the lifestyles and daily needs of our residents,” said David Hovey Jr., AIA, president of Optima, Inc.
Optima, Inc. has completed the Optima Verdana rental complex in downtown Wilmette. The property, which opened its leasing office this past May, has achieved a 72% occupancy rate. Designed by David Hovey Sr. and David Hovey Jr., the new building offers 100 units, comprising one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts, as well as penthouses. These units vary in size from 660 to 2,790 square feet, with monthly rents ranging between $3,000 and $12,000.
Optima Verdana. Photo by Michael Duerinck
Optima Verdana. Photo by Michael Duerinck
The residences are outfitted with floor-to-ceiling windows, 10–inch wide-plank flooring, and kitchens equipped with Fisher & Paykel appliances and Kohler fixtures. Units are also equipped with wine fridges, and a significant number feature bathrooms with standalone soaking tubs. Many offer private terraces or balconies, ranging in size from 65 to 931 square feet. A portion of the terrace spaces come with features such as electric grills and fire pits.
Optima Verdana. Photo by Michael Duerinck
Optima Verdana. Photo by Michael Duerinck
Optima Verdana. Photo by Michael Duerinck
Optima Verdana. Photo by Michael Duerinck
Residents at Optima Verdana have access to a seventh-floor sky deck with views of the North Shore’s skyline and the Bahá’í Temple. This rooftop area includes indoor and outdoor amenities such as a sun deck with lounge chairs and dining areas, barbecues, herb gardens, a bocce court, fire pits, a residents club, and a party room with a chef’s kitchen, billiards, and table tennis. Additionally, there is a game room, sauna, and a heated lap pool and spa with retractable glass walls for year-round use.
WILMETTE, ILL. — Egg Harbor Cafe will open at Optima Verdana, a six-story, 100-unit luxury apartment complex in downtown Wilmette, on Tuesday, Aug. 26. Optima Inc. owns the property. The 4,100-square-foot restaurant maintains seating for 140 and is situated directly across from Wilmette’s Metra commuter rail station. Currently fully leased, the residences at Optima Verdana opened in 2023. Floor plans range from 660 to 2,790 square feet.
Specializing in breakfast, brunch and lunch, Egg Harbor Cafe operates in Illinois, Wisconsin and Georgia. The new Wilmette location represents the second Egg Harbor within an Optima community, joining the Streeterville location that opened in 2019 at the 490-unit Optima Signature high-rise in downtown Chicago.
Optima is planning a new 128-unit luxury building just south of Optima Verdana. Known as Optima Lumina, the project will replace the long-vacant former Imperial Motors car dealership. The developer intends to retain the existing Starbucks within the project’s 5,900 square feet of new commercial space. Optima Verdana and Optima Lumina will be separated by a new public, landscaped plaza.
