The contemporary styl-ing of the Trio tower going up at 670 West Wayman Street extends from the jauntily flipped-up top of its exterior to the optional room divider in those units that have a dining room and a den. The divider looks like an extra-large but movable entertainment center that matches the Euro-styled cabinetry; it’s actually a permanent fixture that houses pantry storage and closet space, and whose side panels open out to close off the room if needed.

The 22-story Trio, designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture for RDM Development, is the last residential piece in a two-square-block project that includes two mid-rise condo buildings that join this one on the east side of the project, and a recently opened Jewel-Osco on the north side (the city’s first grocery with a green roof). The Jewel is a welcome addition to the neighborhood, acknowledges Eric Plotkin, the Matt Garrison Group/Coldwell Banker agent selling units in the building. "But you have some of the best restaurants in the city all right here," he says, referring to the dining spots along Randolph Street in the West Loop. At presstime, prices on the 77 remaining units in the 100-condo building started at $273,990 for an 808-square-foot one-bedroom condo (without the den or the divider) and went up to $1,280,990 for a 1,794-square-foot two-story penthouse. Trio should be ready to welcome residents in the spring of 2009.

Photograph: Courtesy of RDM Development