More lofty tales for the history buffs: Behind the rather pedestrian name of Larchmont Lofts lies an interesting history, and the developer that converted this building into lofts in the mid-1990s seems to have missed a cool marketing opportunity.
The timber and concrete building, at 1801 W Larchmont Ave, was once home to Bell & Howell, a manufacturer and supplier of movie cameras to Hollywood and media equipment to schools and offices (see picture we borrowed of a Bell & Howell camera). Doesn’t Filmmaker Lofts sound better than Larchmont Lofts? (Filmworks Lofts is already taken.)
The building also apparently housed a printer at some point, but we don’t have a lot of information on that. These days, the development has 57 one- to two-bedroom units, some with vaulted cathedral ceilings.
Residents tell us that the building, which is located in the North Center neighborhood has unimpeded views of the skyline between the Sears Tower and the John Hancock Building. They’re particularly proud of the old clock tower at the top of the building, which they recently restored.