Comparing one of Mod‘s condos to one of C/A 23‘s probably looks like an apples-and-oranges endeavor at first. Just look at the way their own developers have marketed them.
Stillpoint Development, The Pickus Companies and Castlebar Enterprises have promoted Mod (above left) in much the same way that Emerald or R+D659‘s developers promoted their own projects. Its marketing campaign has focused largely on lifestyle (it’s Web site uses words like “vibrant,” “modern” and “sexy” in conjunction with clip-art pics of cocktails and late-night cityscapes) and the building’s distinctive exterior design, and its lowest price points are well under $300,000, all things that should play well to young professionals looking for their first new-construction condos.
On the other hand, the first phase of C/A 23 (above right) has less than half the number of homes found in Mod’s first phase, and it has few of the on-site amenities that are promoted so heavily at larger condo projects – things like yoga rooms or private lounges – so there’s very little talk in C/A 23’s marketing materials about “community” and no mixed drinks in its ads. From what I’ve seen, The Brixton Group have placed particular emphasis on their homes’ spacious floor plans, the smallest of which is larger than Mod’s biggest condo, and their high-end finishes, and the price points seem to reflect this.
Okay, so they don’t have a whole lot in common aside from location: Mod is going up at 1222 W Madison St, near the intersection of Madison and Elizabeth Street, and C/A 23 is under construction just three blocks east at 23 N Aberdeen St. But I did post a joint construction update this week, so it’s worth a joint follow-up of some sort, and the one overlap I can find in both projects is this: Both have a few two-bedroom condos with dens.
Mod’s two-bedroom-plus-den (at right) is smaller and less expensive than C/A 23’s (below). The former has 1,411 square feet and is selling in the $470s, while the latter has 1,877 square feet and is listed in the $650s, but a little math shows that they have very similar prices per square foot ($340 versus $346).
Naturally, everything’s a little bigger at C/A 23. It’s master bedroom is 14-9″ x 16-9″, has both walk-in and wall closets and access to an 18′ x 5′ balcony. Mod’s master, on the other hand, is 15-9″ x 12′ with a walk-in closet and no adjacent balcony.
The homes’ second bedrooms are similar sizes, but C/A 23’s has direct access to the second bathroom. At Mod, the second bathroom is next to the bedroom but accessible only through the hallway.
Both have similarly sized dens positioned near the bedrooms, corner kitchens with islands, and balconies off their living / dining areas.
Some folks aren’t too keen on the idea of having a populated elevator open directly into their homes, so buyers at C/A 23 will have to be aware that one is positioned directly across from the door of the second bedroom. Think of it as an incentive for keeping the house clean.
– Rate and review Mod at NewHomeNotebook.com.
– Rate and review C/A 23 at NewHomeNotebook.com.