Hugs and Kisses in South Loop

By Joanna Miller in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 23, 2006 7:39PM

Yo Chicago pointed us to X/O, a newly approved condo development in the South Loop. The site calls X/O “original and artistic,” saying designer Lucien Lagrange “should stay the hell away from the Gold Coast” and describing his Near North projects as “dull, vintage-looking schmaltz.”

Ouch. So, it’s a bit of a backhanded compliment, but a compliment nonetheless.

We like Lagrange’s description of the towers as “dancing,” and it would have been nice to see that go into the development’s name.

Tango, perhaps? Too cheesy?

Nevertheless, as one commenter pointed out, good design can outlast a silly name.

We like X/O’s design too. The $250 million development will be built behind a row of townhouses along Prairie Ave. and will feature green roofs and a 13,000-square-foot “lifestyle center.” The north tower will go up in the project’s first phase, and condos will range from the $200s to $1 million and up.