Residential lofts are often the most sought-after properties among urban homebuyers in any major city, and that’s especially true in Chicago, where former warehouse and industrial districts like River North and the West Loop have been completely transformed into two of the trendiest parts of the downtown landscape.
Set among towering commercial high-rises, a burgeoning tech scene, and loads of upscale restaurants, cozy cocktails bars and luxury retail brands is a high concentration of chic loft-style condos that are as stylish as they are spacious, creating quite the big city atmosphere to live, work and play all in one place. And while that can be enticing to many prospective homebuyers, what if you’re someone who appreciates the history of an old warehouse, or perhaps even the rich industrial character that has been meticulously preserved during a building’s conversion to residential use, but still doesn’t prefer to live in the thick of downtown Chicago’s bustling business and shopping districts?
Well, authentic Chicago lofts can be found in neighborhoods all throughout the city, and the loft conversions listed below are as good of a place to start your search as any.
Churchill Row Lofts — Bucktown
The aptly named Churchill Row Lofts are located at 2111 W. Churchill Street in Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood, a lively part of the city in its own right but without the mega high-rises of downtown neighborhoods that are home to startups, tech companies, Fortune 500 companies and anything in between. In all, you’ll find just 39 units in the building, and common finishes throughout most lofts include high timber ceilings, plenty of exposed ductwork and even small private balconies, which aren’t common features you’ll find attached to many loft buildings in the Loop or River North. Churchill Street is also a quiet tree-lined street that provides the quintessential “neighborhood feel,” and with the building also overlooking the 606 Trail, you’ll never be too far from one of Chicago’s best outdoor recreational amenities.
Pencil Factory Lofts — Roscoe Village
The Pencil Factory Lofts might be Chicago’s most iconic residential loft conversion outside of downtown, and it’s certainly one of its largest. Converted to residential use back in the late 1980s, the former Eversharp Pencil Factory at 1800 W. Roscoe is now home to 139 loft-style condos that truly live up to the hype. Ultra-high concrete ceilings, huge industrial windows and even exposed brick walls in select units are only a few of the interior highlights, and the building’s heated parking garage, landscaped courtyard and shared rooftop deck provide amazing common spaces and conveniences that only enhance the building’s overall appeal. But because of its rich history and location in a quaint and quiet neighborhood like Roscoe Village, units at Pencil Factory Lofts don’t hit the market often, and when they do, they tend to sell almost immediately, even in challenging market conditions.
The Lofts at 1800 — Roscoe Village
Also in Roscoe Village, the Lofts at 1800 is somewhat of a newer residential loft conversion that has breathed new life into the former home of E.R. Moore, a company that provided ceremonial wear for schools, universities, clergy and judges since it was founded back in 1907. E.R. Moore’s factory — located at 1800 W. Grace Street — closed its doors back in January 2005, and not long after, the building was converted into 91 residential loft units by Chicago-based Kopley Group. During the design process, developers used 40 different floor plans, ensuring nearly half of its units are completely unique. Further, interior finishes at Lofts at 1800 are a bit more chic and contemporary, ideal for buyers who appreciate industrial design with a little extra “style.”
Clybourn Lofts — Lincoln Park
The Clybourn Lofts at 1872 N. Clybourn continue to be one of Lincoln Park’s jewels when it comes to residential loft conversions. The building was originally constructed back in 1918, and it wasn’t until the early 1980s that it was redeveloped into 57 residential loft units. The red brick exterior and all the classic loft finishes like high timber ceilings, exposed brick walls and wide-open layouts make this building as authentic as it gets from a warehouse loft standpoint, and because the Clybourn Lofts are right in the heart of the Clybourn Corridor, you’ll also be just steps from big box shopping, luxury retailers and all that Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood has to offer.
The news and editorial staffs of the Chicago Tribune had no role in this post’s preparation.