August 29, 2009 - A little more information has surfaced about what retailers will occupy the commercial portion of Lofts at Roosevelt Collection. We already knew that the 16 screen Kerasotes Theater and an upscale bar/restaurant are due to open later this year. Chicago real estate developer Centrum Properties has stated that a David Barton Gym, Blue Mercury, Forever 21 and H&M are all scheduled to open at Roosevelt hopefully in the first half of 2010.

Another well-known but troubled project with Chicago lofts is Motor Row Lofts, located on 2301 South Michigan Avenue. The conversion of the three former historic auto showroom warehouses gained a lot of attention at first because of both the location and the eight year tax freeze that buyers would receive. But slow sales precipitated a $9 million foreclosure suit from a lender for the project, and developer Paul Zucker then began trying to rent out the lofts.

Now Mr. Zucker is back to trying to sell the Chicago condo lofts at Motor Row, although there are still a very few units up for rent. Prices on the two dozen or so lofts still for sale run from the $270,000 to $660,000 range, but you can get a 20% reduction if you’re one of the next five buyers.

The lofts have 13′ to 21′ high ceilings, bamboo, oak or maple flooring, Kitchen Aid appliances, ventless fireplace with stone hearth, Grohe fixtures, glass or stone tiles in the baths, granite counter tops plus wall-to-wall carpeting and walk-in closets in the bedrooms. Units come with a washer/dryer hook-up, individual and common deck with gas grill hook-up and lighting. The building also has a bike room and individual storage lockers for residents.

There hasn’t been a rush of buyers to this development lately, but you still may want to have a look sooner as opposed to later if you’re interested. A remember to check out the other Chicago Condo Lofts that are available right now, both for rent and for sale.

Technorati Tags: Motor Row Lofts, Chicago Condo Lofts, Chicago Real Estate

August 28, 2009 - With the Lofts At Roosevelt Collection switching to rental, it might be a good time to take a look at some other Chicago lofts that are for rent. Bold L&H Lofts on 2620 West Washington is a new LEED Silver certified loft conversion of the historic six story building at that location. The building is actually listed on the National Register of Historic Places as it used to be the L&H Stove Company, and the traditional look of the low-rise is obvious. Bold Developments converted the building to 68 rental apartments plus 3,400 square feet of retail space and kept the exterior terra-cotta facade and terrazzo floors in the entry and on the ground floor.

True loft features include solid concrete floors, walls and ceilings, exposed brick and exposed wiring and ductwork. The one to two bedroom units vary in size from 707 to 1,266 square feet, have 11′ 6″ ceilings and 7′x15′ windows. Each apartment has a security system, washer/dryer hook-up, individual hot water heaters, oak or maple kitchen cabinets, granite counter tops, refrigerator, stove, microwave and dishwasher plus ceramic tile in the baths.

The Bold L&H Lofts building amenities include a 1,600 square foot green roof top deck with BBQ area and dog run, elevator access to the roof, bike storage, laundry room on the first floor, 68 indoor parking spaces for autos and 32 motorcycle spaces, which is kind of unique.

The one bedroom lofts at this Chicago real estate development are all rented, but there are about eight two bedroom units still available. The developer is also offering as an incentive six months free parking or a washer/dryer depending on the unit you rent. Rents on the two bedroom lofts had been running $1,355 to $1,425 but have been lowered to $1,250 to $1,395. Parking for a car is $95 per month and for a motorcycle or scooter it’s $25.

Whether you’re looking to rent or buy, there are quite a few choices out there when it comes to Chicago Lofts.

Technorati Tags: Bold L&H Lofts, Chicago Lofts, Chicago Real Estate

August 27, 2009 - Even the younger crowd can be pampered beyond belief, judging from the latest announcement from the powers that be who run the Trump Hotel Collection. The next time you check into the Trump Tower with your children, you can treat them to everything from a spa treatment and pedicure to the Trump baby Attaché service. All of this is part of the new Trump Kids For The Junior Jet Set program that was recently rolled out at all of the Trump Hotels.

While some luxury hotels and even Chicago condo buildings offer perks for residents and guests with kids, this new program pretty much beats them all and sets it apart from other Chicago real estate developments in terms of kid’s services. For teens there are pedicure and manicure services, massage and spa treatments, facials and lessons on applying makeup and nail polish. For the younger kids there are swim lessons by appointment, coloring and reading books, a special kid’s menu and kiddie cocktails, kiddie cable to watch family friendly movies on television, board games and in some cases even Xbox, Playstation and MP3 players.

For those who are traveling with an infant, Trump can pre-stock a crib, rocking chair, diapers and bath supplies, baby monitor, stroller, humidifier and even a nanny service. The Baby Attaché can do your shopping for you and with advance notice can stock your favorite baby food or formula and child-proof your suite.

We may see more Downtown Chicago Condos offering extra services to lure buyers.

Technorati Tags: Trump Tower, Chicago Condos, Chicago Real Estate