Company: Balanced Environments
Location: Chicago

This office building in the West Loop of Chicago is the headquarters of several large corporations, including a property developer. Gayle Kruckenberg, sales director for Balanced Environments, says expectations are high for the crew that manages the high-profile property. 

“The communication from the account manager to and from their property manager has to be quick and concise,” she says. “Then we have to filter it through the various levels of our team quickly in order to respond in a timely manager manner. We’re honored to be the landscaper of choice.”

The 1 1/2 acres of turf is one of the largest grassy areas along the Chicago River, according to Balanced Environments, and it sits on top of the building’s parking garage. This property is also home to a red swirl sculpture by Sergio Calatrava. Balanced Environments creates a parklike setting around the public artwork with blooming plants, shrubs and mature trees. 

The building maintains its LEED Platinum Certification with the help of several initiatives created by Balanced Environments, including a water harvesting system from Watertronics, a pumping system and controls to capture rainwater and reuse it on the property.

Crew access to parking in downtown Chicago can be a challenge. They carry equipment upstairs to a pedestrian elevator to access rooftop gardens, taking extra measures to protect the elevators and entryways.

Crews work under a strict noise ordinance and have only one hour to make noise during maintenance. Kruckenberg says the team plans what equipment to take each day. Equipment in use at the site includes a Toro 52-inch stand-on mower and Stihl handheld equipment.

Balanced Environments won a Gold Award from the 2022 National Association of Landscape Professionals’ Awards of Excellence program for this project. 

River Point is an office building in the heart of the West Loop of Chicago. The large, multi-level river frontage is a dedicated public easement with mature landscape plantings and large expanses of turf. A landscape maintenance crew is on-site weekly along with a dedicated day porter on-site six days a week.

Balanced Environments selects seasonal flowers and green plantings to fit within the 18-inch height restriction to avoid covering prominent tenant logos. The main entrance is off of a tree canopy-lined street, producing shade conditions that hold heat that radiates off the surrounding glass buildings.

The Chicago Elevated Train speeds by directly to the south of the property on Lake Street. There is a nearby Chicago Transit Authority bus stop and several bike racks for tenant and visitor use. The Chicago water taxi passes in front of the property on the river as well.

The property features intimate and larger outdoor meeting areas as well as dedicated formal restaurant space on the plaza level. Crews deep-root fertilize the raised birch beds two times a year. Drip line irrigation provides adequate moisture. Crews dormant prune the birch trees on a two-year cycle and illuminate the branches with mini-LED string lights during the winter.

The property reduced its annual flower rotations as part of its green initiatives. Balanced Environment adds green and continuous blooming materials to coordinate with its three seasonal rotations on the main egress on the river side of the building and the Canal Street entrance.

Crews maintain the plants’ natural form while not infringing on the public space. Crews also prune to maintain access for pedestrian traffic and to allow understory plants to thrive.

River Point boasts the largest expanse of manicured turf on the river within the Chicago Loop. The vibrant red sculpture is the focal point of River Point.

The reflective heat from the glass windows and the microclimate of the river require careful and frequent adjustments to irrigation timing throughout the growing season. The irrigation system, designed for green initiatives, relies on collected rainwater filtered before use. Crews hand water when additional moisture is needed.

More than 90 trees and dozens of plant species live on this site. The river park is accessible to the public 24/7.

Restaurant overflow seating provides the perfect space for monthly farm and vendor markets. The metal edging’s elevated boundary keeps mulch in the raised, contoured landscape beds.

Live hedges of woody and herbaceous materials and pops of color soften the metal safety railing.

The river park is a public space. Crews routinely clean up from humans and dogs. Tending to damaged turf is an ongoing part of maintaining this property. The turf panel sits on less than 6 inches of soil, on top of a membrane, above the building’s multistory parking garage. The recycled water irrigation system provides enough moisture to keep the groomed turf panel cool and green.

The River Walk’s concrete wall houses the multi-level, non-heated, parking garage, which creates a huge fluctuation in the wall temperature throughout the year.