Chicago folk who remember the hometown food company that made a blue box synonymous with macaroni and cheese will know right where to find a new 45-story apartment complex that broke ground in September 2011. The organization originally known as the Kraft-Phenix Cheese Co., had its offices and test kitchens on the site that will soon be home to a luxury apartment and retail multiuse complex at 500 Lake Shore Drive in Chicago. Kraft Foods left their ca.1939 headquarters to move to the suburbs in 1980, and the building was eventually torn down in 2003, leaving prime real estate on the lakefront for development. Enter Related Midwest who, in a joint venture with the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust, are constructing the tower and attached parking garage designed by the architectural firm of Solomon Cordwell Buenz. Site prep began in August, with project completion expected in May 2013.

Lightswitch Architectural is an effective choice to design the interior lighting for the 500-unit apartment building and adjacent parking garage. An imperative in the programming for 500 Lake Shore Drive is to incorporate sustainable features for increased energy efficiency, the ultimate goal being a LEED Silver rating. Known for adherence to environmental requirements as well as to the client’s bottom line, LSA brings knowledge of the technologies forefront in the industry, and makes best use of current criteria to optimize choices in fixtures and control.

Committed to a goal of no incandescent lighting and keeping “green” a focus, Lightswitch Architectural envisions a design for 500 Lake Shore Drive where sustainability is not just another buzz word.