This restoration project in Chicago gave us a chance to work with a beautiful structure from the 1920s that came with a very unique shape. Designed in a triangular flatiron shape, with brick and terracotta, the vintage charm of this building was undeniable, and we were excited to work with it.
The community wanted to preserve the building and do justice to its heritage, while modernizing it to rejuvenate street-level retail and create streams of revenue from it.
We began by removing many years of alterations that had diluted the character of the building to some extent. Some part of the building was removed to create parking and a drive-through space for a bank, but the rest of it was preserved in its original style.
We converted the building to a mixed-use structure, with the upper floors becoming updated loft-style apartments and the lower floors being turned into high-end commercial spaces. A meeting room was created for the community to serve as an evening get-together space and to serve weekend assemblies.
The project created considerable income and opportunity for the owners and also for the community at large.
Year:
2007