Loft conversions often have quirky histories, but the backstory on PAC Lofts, 1735 N Paulina Ave, has to be one of the coolest we’ve heard about. The building, which dates to 1908, was originally home to the Felt and Tarrant Manufacturing Company, maker of the Comptometer – a mechanical ancestor of the calculator. According to this oddly heartfelt Web site, Dorr Eugene Felt cobbled together the first Comptometer from meat skewers, staples, rubber bands and a macaroni box. Eventually the company produced metal versions, which were in use, the site says, as recently as the early ’80s.
Still, by then the factory was defunct, the building having turned over to the Paulina Arts Center, which housed commercial space and artist studios. PAC Lofts, from developers Bond Companies and CG Development Group, is the building’s latest incarnation. Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture designed the units, which feature exposed brick and 12- to 14-foot-high concrete ceilings. We expect to get the word on pricing and availability soon.