Date: Wednesday July 28, 1999
Builder: The Thrush Cos.
Community: Block Y
Contact: Debbie Szwast
(630) 782-4378

A hot new housing option -- concrete lofts -- is making its mark in Chicago’s West Loop. And The Thrush Cos. is once again at the forefront of the innovation. In fact, Thrush has sold more than 50 concrete lofts since opening sales for Building Two at Block Y in May.

With Block Y, Thrush is the first developer to build concrete Lofts in the burgeoning West Loop. David Chase, principal of The Thrush Cos., believes the housing style is the shape of the future.

"Finding buildings that are prime candidates for rehab is getting more difficult since the city has seen such a boom in loft conversions in recent years," he said. "We’ve responded by building new construction with a similar look and feel, and that’s the concrete loft."

As rehab opportunities become more scarce, Chase said other builders will look to concrete lofts as an alternative. They are similar to the more traditional heavy timber lofts in that both boast wide-open living spaces, soaring ceilings, exposed ductwork, expansive windows, and an urban look.

Concrete lofts do differ from heavy timber lofts, though. They have finished drywall walls instead of masonry, which gives them a more polished interior, said Chase. Also, instead of exposed timber on the ceiling, homes feature concrete, which creates a more contemporary feel.

"We’ve worked hard to make a 100-year-old building look modern, but the fact is it’s still a 100-year-old building," said Chase, referring to the restoration of the Barrett Bindery Building at Block Y that houses the heavy timber lofts. "Buyers get a contemporary, clean look with the concrete lofts."

He added that concrete lofts have numerous advantages over heavy timber, as well. For example, soundproofing between floors is superior in concrete lofts because the massing of concrete provides an excellent sound barrier. In addition, exterior walls are made of block and brick and are furred out and insulated, resulting in exceptional exterior insulation. Plus, brick and timber emit dust where concrete does not.

"We do the best job we can to seal the timber and brick but dusting is inevitable," said Chase. "We do the best job we can to create effective sound barriers between units but eight inches of concrete is better than two inches of wood."

And since Building Two is new construction – the entire structure is built from the ground up – all units have been designed for maximum livability, he continued. For example, homes have balconies or expansive terraces. The building has a rooftop garden and four elevators, one for the parking garage and three for the residences. The heavy timber lofts, on the other hand, were created to fit within the building’s existing footprint.

"Basically, we took all the elements that buyers like about the heavy timber lofts – exposed ductwork, expansive windows and open interiors – and put them into a new building," he said. "So if you love the romance of traditional lofts, you owe it to yourself to look at the new concrete lofts."

Thrush is building 112 concrete lofts in Building Two, a new six-story structure at Block Y. Homes have 756 to 2,442 square feet of space, one to three bedrooms, one to three baths, and are priced from $139,900 to $488,900. Building Two also has a 355-stall parking garage and 27,000 square feet of retail shopping.

In all, Block Y will feature 256 heavy timber and concrete lofts, mid-rise condominiums,

Skyplexes ™ and new-construction townhomes. Overall prices range from the mid $100,000s to the high $500,000s.

Block Y is directly across the street from Skinner Park. Plus, more than 40 percent of the 3.8-acre site is being preserved as open green space. Block Y is next to Skinner Elementary School and across from the police academy and Whitney Young High School, which is rated as one of the top three public high schools in the country.

The award-winning sales center is located at 1330 West Monroe in Chicago’s West Loop. Two decorated models are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. "Virtual tours" of two concrete loft units and one mid-rise are available on the computer in the sales center.

For more information on Block Y, telephone (312) 243-8500. Or visit the community’s website at www.thrushrealestate.com/blocky.