Last week, we got an up-close look at the construction on Citizens State Bank Lofts at 1623 W Melrose St in Lake View. Originally a bank, the building later housed a dance studio, according to Robin Solomon of Gary Solomon & Co., the developer.
The four-story structure is being gutted down to its exterior brick walls. Even the basement, which is slated to become part of a high-end spa, was dug up several feet, according to Solomon. As we’ve mentioned, plans call for a mix of old and new architectural elements, including brick and a triangular glass ledge that overlooks Lincoln Avenue.
By and large, we walked feeling impressed, particularly seeing all of the detail that went into the careful preservation of the facade. And the southern views from the upper floors, of Lincoln Avenue stretching into the distance, are some of the best we’ve seen in awhile.
Prices range from $365,000 to $740,000, and include one- to three-bedroom plans. Indoor parking is $30,000.
I hope this building is not built the same way Gary built lincoln theater lofts. That building has water damage from shotty construction all over it. I have a friend that lives there and she has buckets on the floor.
Good luck to every buys from this guy.
This building is so cool. It is remarkable how they built a contemporary building with walls of windows while preserving the white columns. I was able to go inside the lofts and I loved the exposed brick walls and the really high ceilings. This hip building definitely is not one of your “cookie cutter” designs.
After a bit of research I found out that this building was constructed in 1908. It seems like a example of preservation. Lakeview is lucky that buildings like these are not torn down by developers looking to maximize zoning. The existing exposed masonry on the interiors was just as sharp as the salvaged terra cotta Lincoln facade.
That is the same Gary Solomon who built the Lincoln Theater Lofts.
The Lincoln Theater Lofts sued Solomon claiming poor construction and defects only a few years after they were built. And to top it all off Solomon refuses to make good on promises to fix the mess.
Check out all the scaffolding over those buildings
I would never buy into a building they built.
Here we have the usual anonymous “John Smith” searching out an old post to make unsubstatiated claims for unknown reasons.
Why waste your time, “John smith?” No one old enough to buy a home would take any of this at face value.
thank you Joe, your obvious concern for Gary Solomon’s work is priceless. The reason Lakeview Lofts is a wreck is directly due to poor quality construction. why else would Solomon’s work fail shortly after completion?
Hal,
I don’t know Gary Solomon or his work. My only concern is for a sense of fair play and decency.
I simply stated that there’s no reason anyone should believe anyone who isn’t willing to stand behind their claims with a name and contact info.
If you’ve been around construction long enough you learn that failures can happen without anyone’s being to blame for them. Filing a lawsuit isn’t proof of anything – and our anonymous commenter didn’t even give us the case number of the alleged suit.
Are you seriously arguing that these anonymous ambushes should be taken at face value?
Hey Joe…I’m all for verifying facts so maybe this will help. Article in the Sun Times about Gary Solomon’s building just up the street from his new project.
Buyer beware
The perfect shock
Condo dreams turn into nightmares with $100,000 special assessments
February 16, 2007
BY SANDRA GUY Staff Reporter
Robert Kelter was watching a football game when he noticed water dripping from the ceiling into the living room. He figured he’d have to call a roofer for a quick repair of the upstairs deck.
Kelter, who had paid $405,000 for his 2-bedroom condo in 2001, had no idea the water drip would turn into a potential $100,000 expense because of alleged major structural problems in the building.
But it did. And he’s not alone.
Condo board President Robert Kelter stands under a leaky roof at the Lincoln Theatre Lofts.
(John J. Kim/Sun-Times)
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But it did. And he’s not alone.
About 100 condo owners at two renovated buildings — one where Kelter lives on the North Side and the other in the South Loop — have faced special assessments as high as $100,000 apiece to pay for damage they say is caused by shoddy construction.
The two condominium buildings are undergoing a total of $7 million in repairs, and their boards have filed lawsuits asking the developers to take responsibility for alleged construction defects.
A legal expert says the jaw-dropping extra assessments result from a perfect storm of condo conversion circumstances: A lack of oversight by the city, buyers with stars in their eyes and little information and developers who claim they have no assets to correct defects after they sell the condos.
One condo building is the Lincoln Theatre Lofts at 3146-72 N. Lincoln Ave., near the busy intersection of Belmont, Lincoln and Ashland. The other is the East Side Lofts at 1601 S. Indiana Ave., which is about two blocks south of Mayor Daley’s home.
About $4 million in repairs to the East Side Lofts are nearly complete and have been paid for by a special assessment imposed on the condo owners. Final repairs to the roof will start when the weather improves.
“We’re going to have a tip-top building when it’s all done,” said one owner who asked to remain anonymous.
The East Side Lofts owner said he paid $77,000 in the first special assessment. He bought his 2-bedroom condo for $290,000 in August 2001, and owed less on his entire mortgage than the amount of the first special assessment.
He said he will pay another $4,000 to $5,000 for a new special assessment to cover lawyers’ fees.
“The homeowners didn’t deserve to be put in this situation,” he said.
The first special assessment of $4 million was divided among 65 condo units of varying sizes. A couple owners of double units reportedly paid $120,000 each in the first special assessment.
The second special assessment for lawyers’ fees totals $100,000.
The board recently approved a third special assessment totaling $150,000 to pay lawyers’ fees through trial. A trial is scheduled for late this year.
sguy@suntimes.com
READ THE REST AT SUN TIMES
Thanks, Tom. That helps a bit, but it still doesn’t take us as far as we need to go.
The articles describe situations 6 years after the owners closed on their units. What happened in the meantime is anyone’s guess. For all we know an owner may have installed a roof deck that caused the damage. We’re given no idea of how the special assessments break out between problems that needed fixing that were the developer’s responsibillty, problems that occurred later, and improvements the owners decided to make on their own.
I’m not in any way arguing that there aren’t bad developers out there. I’m simply suggesting that everyone needs to step back a bit from allegations – anonymous ones, and ones made in litigation.
I’d respectfully suggest, based on experience, that for every bad developer there are a dozen crazed and unrealistic buyers looking to get more than they paid for or seeking to affix blame where none attaches.
I’ll assume that the balance of the Sun-Times story reports the developer’s response – a major newspaper would never print a one-sided story, would it?
As an aside, there are copyright issues with pasting large parts of an article into a comment. Please paste a link in the future.
Joe,
I would suggest you rub Gary’s back and give him a kiss on the cheek as you obviously must be in bed with this man. I am best friends with a man that lives in the Lincoln lofts who bought his unit in 2004, and a few months after the purchase (well within the normal year guarantee), the construction debris and water damage hit the fan. I wish you could live in these peoples shoes and suffer through their special assessments and units in disrepair collecting mold as the months go on with no help from Soloman’s crack team of superb contractors with no hope insight to either…. get the building fixed or sell their units. A builder is only as good as their construction. There are great builders and developers out there. I can assure you that Gary Soloman does not fall into this category and anyone thinking about buying a place in one of his “renovated” buildings should start practicing now for the marathon and run the other way as quick as they can. I don’t know how this man or his shell companies can continue to renovate buildings with the quality of work that has taken place in the Lincoln lofts. If you’re looking for a super cool unit that costs a lot to buy and even more to repair and smells like a lemon, have at it….Joe I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy into buying a unit from The Soloman Crew. I DARE YOU.
Chad,
Get real. If I were “in bed” with this or any other developer would I be making this kind of a forum available for people to bash develoeprs?
What problem do you have with my arguing for a sense of fairness and some actual evidence that the developer was responsibile for the problems that occurred? The burden of proof is on the accuser in the system I grew up in and hope to continue living in.
People like that give the real John Smith’s a bad name.