Waterton Helps American Lung Association in Greater Chicago Raise $515,000 at 2016 Fight for Air Climb

By March 11, 2016September 8th, 20212016, March
ALA Fight for Air Climb logo

(CHICAGO) March 11, 2016 – The American Lung Association in Greater Chicago, together with site sponsor Waterton, today announced the 2016 Fight for Air Climb, presented by UnitedHealthcare, raised a record $515,000 to support the association’s research, education and advocacy efforts. Held March 6 at Presidential Towers, this year’s event – Chicago’s largest stair climb with 2,340 steps across four towers – attracted approximately 2,000 participants. Among the climbers were lung disease survivors, those with a personal connection to the cause and representatives from both Waterton and the American Lung Association.

“Waterton and Presidential Towers are proud to sponsor such an important event and assist the American Lung Association in raising awareness and vital funding needed to treat this debilitating illness,” said David Schwartz, co-founder and CEO of Waterton, which owns and manages Presidential Towers. “More than 33 million Americans live with lung disease and countless others experience the emotional toll of seeing someone they love ‘fight for air.’ This climb shows what can be achieved when all of us – including my own family and extended Waterton family – work together to find a cure.”

This year marks the eighth time Presidential Towers has hosted the Fight for Air Climb. Fifty Waterton associates participated in the event as climbers and volunteers, with additional funds contributed by the company. Other participants included “Madam Secretary” star Tim Daly, elite stair climbers from around the world, and area police and firefighters who scaled the towers wearing 70 pounds of gear as part of the “Firefighter Challenge.”

“One special aspect of this event is that it’s truly a property-wide effort, with participation from our site associates, residents of the towers, retail tenants and partner vendors like Fitness Formula Clubs, Otis Elevator, SP Plus, CBRE and Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market, all of which contribute their time, money, products and talent,” said Holly Jacobson, general manager of Presidential Towers. “It shows how Presidential Towers is more than just a place to live; it’s a community.”

Since the first climb in 2009, the vertical road race has raised nearly $3 million to support the American Lung Association’s mission, making it one of the highest-grossing Fight for Air events in the country.

“Our annual fundraising total continues to grow each year, and that’s partially because this event is fun and different from your typical stair climb, giving participants the option of scaling one, two, three or all four towers,” said Kristen Young, executive director of the American Lung Association in Greater Chicago. “We’re also proud that almost 90 cents of every dollar raised goes directly to education, research and advocacy right here in the greater Chicago area.”

This year’s climb took place one year after Presidential Towers completed its transition to a 100-percent smoke-free community. With 2,346 apartments, it is the largest rental community in Chicago to prohibit smoking in all residences and common areas. Waterton’s decision to add a no-smoking clause to all new leases at Presidential

Towers, as well as the company’s ongoing support of the Fight for Air Climb, earned it an Impact Award from the American Lung Association in Greater Chicago in 2014.

For more information on the Fight for Air Climb and American Lung Association, visit www.lung.org.

 

About Waterton

Waterton is a real estate investor and operator with a focus on U.S. multifamily and hospitality properties. Founded in 1995 by David Schwartz and Peter Vilim, Waterton executes value-add strategies and manages a national portfolio of multifamily and hospitality properties on behalf of institutional investors, family offices and financial institutions.

Waterton has an expertise in selecting and managing attractive risk-adjusted real estate investments located in major markets around the United States. Since its formation, the company has invested over $5.3 billion in real estate assets. Waterton is privately held by its co-founders and is headquartered in Chicago with regional offices throughout the United States. Currently, Waterton’s portfolio includes over $4.0 billion in real estate assets, including approximately 20,000 multifamily units and 13 hotels. Visit Waterton’s new website: www.waterton.com.