50 East Chestnut is one of the more luxurious skyscrapers to rise in Chicago's Gold Coast in years. Though it is 39 stories in height, it has just 34 floors of residential space; and only one tenant for each floor. Some floor plans have a larger square footage than many people's homes, and include libraries, media rooms, and living rooms, dining rooms, and kitchens that are separate from each other.

Like many other buildings in the city, the ground floor is retail, followed by a parking garage, and a fifth-floor patio deck. Above this rises the main shaft of the tower. A flat parallelogram on three sides, the southwestern exposure is curved to offer panoramic views of Midwest sunsets. Most important, this view faces Connors Park -- a small piece of greenery at the intersection of North Wabash and Rush Streets. This should help preserve the building's views in a time when so many residential skyscrapers cannibalize each other's vistas.

The building is clad in glass and a stone grid in classic 1990's style. The top takes a slightly more interesting direction with the addition of setbacks and a decorative crown.