Work in progress: first occupancy near at Odyssey Lofts
Posted 11/30/2007 by Kate Hawley
We're longtime fans of Odyssey Lofts, W Developments, LLC's conversion of a storage and office building at 775 W Jackson Blvd, right along the main drag in Greektown. We voted it Chicago's best new loft development in 2006.
The 60-unit project will start closings in the next couple of weeks, so we stopped by yesterday to see how work is coming along. Plenty of dust is still flying, as you can see from these photographs, but it's possible to get a good sense of what these lofts will be like when they get cleaned up and the paper covering comes off the hardwood floors.
Lofty features include exposed brick and ductwork - one unit we saw had an interesting tangle of pipes right above the kitchen. Sandblasted timber ceilings of about 14 feet keep even the smaller units (one-bedrooms start at 740 square feet) from feeling cramped. The floor plans, designed by interior architect Hirsch Associates, are generally well configured, with good access to natural light.
Floors two through six have one- and two-bedroom units, some with dens. The developer has also added two stories of new construction to the top of the building. The three-bedroom units on these floors will have drywalled ceilings, which on the top level slant upward to the northern and southern rooflines. And they come just four to a floor, giving each a corner exposure.
With the exception of a couple of units that have terraces, all come with balconies. The views, over the cityscape in all directions, are both gritty and uplifting. From the east, the building overlooks I90/ 94 and the mesmerizing pattern of cars merging and exiting.
Barbara Buchel, of Jameson Realty Group, has the 17 remaining units priced from the $270s to the $620s.
Comments
11/30/07
Don said:
Faced with listening to the traffic sounds of the expressway 24 hours a day, plus breathing in the constant auto and truck pollution, while on my balcony is not my idea of the best loft development.
Tracey said:
Don, I was thinking the same thing! I actually think this IS a nice development, but you could never open your windows or else you'll die of some kind of lung disease. (not to mention the noise.)
I had a friend who lived in Pilsen about a half a mile from the Dan Ryan and she had to move because grime covered everything in her apartment after only a few months. If it's on the furniture, imagine what it's like in your lungs. And this development is even closer to the freeway than she was.
Joe Zekas said:
This could be a far from optimal location and still be the best current loft development.
We're above ethnic jokes here, so we'll let you all fill in the blanks while saying that being the best loft development might be like being the winner of the [ insert ethnicity here ] beauty contest. Take it away, irishpirate!
irishpirate said:
Hairy 6"6' inch transvestite contest? Think of SuperBowl beer commercials.
Let's not insult an ethnic group. I prefer to limit my insults to individuals or in the case of hairy overtall transvestites very tiny groups. It is safer that way.
Wouldn't want to see your site boycotted by some overly sensitive self appointed representative of (insert any of hundreds of group names here).
Ryan said:
From the interior shots, kitchen seems well rather suburban! Not very loft like! How midwestern!
Joe Zekas said:
irishpirate,
A well-publicized boycott might be good for traffic.
Back in the day I received a tongue-in-cheek threatening letter from the Polish-American Anti-defamation League. They were responding to a reader-service feature I'd run in the paper. It was a Polish - English translation table of useful phrases for communicating with your cleaning lady.
Are you sure that hairy overtall transvestites are a small group? We used to have fleets of them trawling outside our office at Wellington and Broadway. I heard they moved north to Uptown.
irishpirate said:
They used to be in Uptown. They seemed to have moved back south to around Belmont and Sheffield.
I think they hang out near whatever club caters to them.
It took my a few times driving by the 1500 block of Irving to realize there was a tranny club there. I just thought it was some really ugly ass hookers. Which is kinda redundant.
Back in the 90's when I went out every weekend and then hit the Golden Nugget? at Clark and Diversey. There were some ugly hookers there of both the straight and tranny variety. We joked with the waitresses that it was a "full service" restaurant.
They shoulda named any of the newer developments around there after them.
12/1/07
Kenworthey said:
So do you guys like ANY lofts in Chicago, or just not the new developments? What do you guys think/know of the Domain (900 N. Kingsbury/Montgomery Ward property on the river), or River Place (758 N. Larrabee)?
12/2/07
chris said:
Although the highway is a negative, your views of the skyline can never be blocked. The good thing about this location is the proximity to the restaurants in the neighborhood, and the Loop. Also, a new Greek museum is going in right next door. That project will include a parking garage to be shared. For the price, I doubt you can find a place in the city with a more convenient location.
12/3/07
Eric Rojas said:
The transvestites are in Albany Park now… or were they always. Or maybe it's just one. But she/he was really tall.
It's like we had our very own Albany Park mascot.
Local Realtor said:
Good grief, how about Boys Town…or Girls Town…?
1/2/08
Shane said:
The highway is a negative, but if you were concerned about pollution you wouldn't live in the city anyway. The view is great and the 14' ceilings are hard to come by. Since when does the balcony determine whether a unit is the best new loft? Great space and location.