July Doorperson of the Month Betty Girma, Aqua, 225 N. Columbus Dr.

The lobby at Aqua is akin to a busy day at O’Hare airport. There is an endless ocean of people, a hotel, a restaurant, and it’s loud and bustling with activity. Then, you turn the corner, and a calm mecca awaits those who enter. Betty Girma sits behind a beautiful quartz counter reception area filled with flowers and candles.

Ongoing construction surrounds the front desk between Aqua and the neighboring fire station. “They’ve been fixing the outdoor canopy for the past 3 months. People are already confused because we share our lobby between the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel and the residences.”  She smiles at the chaos and explains, “The hotel is floors 4-18, apartments 19-52, and condos 53-81.”

Betty has been with Aqua since 2010, starting as a part-timer and eventually moving into a full-time position. Her background is in parking garage management, “I own this parking garage,” she laughs, “and I take special care to patrol it and am especially vigilant about parking stickers.”

She attends to visitors, delivery runs to and from the package room, and security detail each day. “It’s a busy triple play of traffic between Aqua, the hotel, and guests just looking to dine at the onsite restaurant.”

Betty is uniquely polite in welcoming people while keeping a vigilant watch on all who enter. “There was an incident last St. Patrick’s Day with a couple breaking up and the girlfriend trying to get in without an actual key fob. Since it was the boyfriend’s unit, her name was not technically attached to the unit.”

Aqua was built in 2009 in the Lakeshore East neighborhood and consists of condominiums, apartments, and the Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel. Betty boasts of a “terrific amenity floor with a movie theater, game room, gym, pool, and half of a regulation basketball court.” She explains that Chicago’s Pedway runs below the building and that “Residents appreciate being able to get everywhere from The Fairmont to the Hyatt, to Macy’s all the way west to Illinois Center.”

Tourists visit Aqua, known for its unique architectural design with curvy, undulating balconies that give the appearance of cascading waves of water. “People come from all over the world to get a closer look at our building that is so unique from a distance and up close.”

To nominate your favorite doorperson, Email [email protected] with their name and why they should be doorperson of the month. Winners will receive a $25 gift card to Mariano’s.