In just one year, The Thrush Cos. nearly doubled its new-home sales and it increased its closings more than seven fold, placing the Chicago homebuilder and developer among the Top 50 Builders in Chicagoland.

New-home sales rose from 164 in 1998 to 295 in 1999 for The Thrush Cos., and closings skyrocketed from just 29 in 1998 to 212 in 1999. And with a 1999 sales revenue of more than $50 million, nearly 10 times that of 1998, The Thrush Cos. garnered the title of Builder Of The Year from the Chicago Sun-Times.

"The growth The Thrush Cos. has enjoyed over the past year is a direct result of the dedication and talent of our entire team," said David Chase, company principal. "We started with a very distinct vision of what we wanted to accomplish - as a developer and as a homebuilder. Everyone has pulled together to create some of the city's most innovative new urban residential developments."

Much of The Thrush Cos.' success can be attributed to phenomenal sales at Block X and Block Y, two of the builder's communities in the West Loop. In fact, Block Y accounted for more than 75 percent of the firm's sales last year. Since opening in February 1999, two-thirds of the 255 homes have been sold, making it one of the fastest selling communities in the City of Chicago.

Available at Block Y are heavy timber lofts, concrete lofts, soft lofts in a mid-rise condominium building, Skyplexes ™ and luxury townhomes. Lofts are priced from $164,900 to $488,900 and the 33 new luxury townhomes are priced from $395,000 to $620,000. According to Chase, this diverse product mix allows people in all stages of life to find a home that suits their needs and tastes, and has contributed to Block Y's early success.

Located at 1330 West Monroe Street, Block Y is the West Loop's only community on a park and more than 40 percent of the 3.8-acre site is being preserved as open green space. The development will feature a central, Zen-style courtyard elegantly landscaped with trees, shrubs, a pond and waterfall. A second landscaped courtyard between the mid-rise condo building and the townhomes provides more outdoor space within the community. At the same time, Block Y is convenient to downtown Chicago and all of its recreational and cultural amenities.

Block X, which sold out in 1999, features 100 new construction condos and townhomes in five buildings nestled around a 1/3-acre courtyard. Also situated in the West Loop, Chicago's fastest growing area, Block X allows homeowners to enjoy all the benefits of living in a great urban neighborhood, close to good schools, shopping, commerce, and transportation - with the added dimension of four-star restaurants, cutting-edge entertainment and recreation unlike anything else in the city.

Named City Community Of The Year by the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago, Block X was positioned as an exciting alternative in urban living and served as a prototype for Block Y. Sales at the community surpassed expectations, with more than 80 percent of the homes being sold prior to a model opening.

"From the beginning,, I have felt that we had the most powerful sales force in the industry," said Chase. "Now, we have the sales to back up that claim."

While Block X and Block Y have been The Thrush Cos.' recent high-profile ventures, the firm also is developing The Park Townhomes Of Lake Meadows, Shakespeare and Verona Square.

The Park Townhomes Of Lake Meadows sold out Phase I in 1999, and sales are now underway for homes in Phase II. These luxury townhomes have 1,932 to 2,986 square feet of living space for prices that range from $275,000 to $405,000. The community is located at 556A East 32nd Street, one block west of Lake Shore Drive.

The grand opening of Phase II is occurring now at Shakespeare, as well, after a successful sales season in 1999. Located at 4550 South Woodlawn in the Kenwood neighborhood, just north of Hyde Park, Shakespeare features townhomes with 1,488 to 2,704 square feet of space and base prices that range from $167,000 to $334,000. Much like Block X and Block Y, a large portion of the Shakespeare site is landscaped and open.

Sales are winding down at Verona Square, where 116 of the 127 homes have been sold. Here, The Thrush Cos. is offering townhomes, single-family homes and two-flats. Current base prices range from $185,900 to $205,900 for homes with two bedrooms and 1,300 square feet of living space. The community is located in Little Italy, east of Ashland Ave. and south of Taylor Street, between UIC and UIC/Rush Medical Center.

In addition to developing these three townhome communities, The Thrush Cos. is actively building homes across Chicago's south side. The company has long been a proponent of quality- built, value-priced housing and works with local community groups as well as the City of Chicago to provide housing options for Chicago residents.

For example, as part of the New Homes For Chicago program, The Thrush Cos. is offering single-family homes priced from $110,000 and two-flats priced from as low as $176,000 at Auburn Lake at 79th and South Normal Ave. Single-family homes have 1,482 square feet of space while two-flats have 1,500 square feet for owners' units and 1,030 square feet for renters' units. Prices reflect savings of up to $40,000 for buyers who qualify for the New Homes For Chicago subsidy.

Plaisance Place, located at 62nd and Ellis, is a joint venture between The Thrush Cos. and the Woodlawn Preservation & Investment Corp., a community organization. The development consists of four gated communities comprised of 42 single-family homes and nine townhomes. Located across the street from the University of Chicago Law School, Plaisance Place already is home to more than 35 residents in Phase I, II and III.

Now, Plaisance Place is celebrating the grand opening of Phase IV, where the Thrush Cos. is building another 13 single-family homes with 2,606 to 2,976 square feet of living space. The Prairie-style, three- and four-bedroom homes were inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright and designed by Chicago architects Philip Kupritz and Associates. Base prices range from $239,900 to $269,900.

While The Thrush Cos. has had a successful 1999, the company has been a making significant architectural contributions to Chicago for more than three decades. Examples of the company's award-winning office buildings, homes, and luxury townhomes can be seen through the city.

Buyers can learn more about The Thrush Cos. communities by visiting the builder's website at www.thrushrealestate.com. For more information, telephone (312) 787-5580.