Building bridges by Andra Naylor

Union Lofts prove a hit in up-and-coming Bridgeport

In a city where virtually every neighborhood is touted as up-and-coming, some true gems are quietly polished for years before outsiders recognize their worth. While the South Loop lately has been promoted as “the next Gold Coast,” and endless ink has been spilled retailing the virtues of a resurgent West Loop, it’s ironic that the birthplace of Mayor Daley, the man largely responsible for a dramatically improved cityscape, is only now surfacing as a “hot new neighborhood.”

It’s an irony not lost on Bridgeport families, many of whom have called the neighborhood home for generations and think of their streets as quiet and stable, not trendy.

“Things move at their own pace in Bridgeport,” said Paul Dincin, co-principal of Tandem Developers, the company behind the new Union Lofts, 939 W. 35th St. “It’s a classic Chicago neighborhood that hasn’t changed in a long time. There are generations upon generations of people who have grown up there.”

Bounded roughly by the South Branch of the Chicago River, the river’s South Fork, Pershing and the railroad tracks east of Stewart, Bridgeport is a tight-knit community, traditional and working class, a stronghold of Democratic machine politics and labor unions. It is renowned as the home of a long line of Chicago mayors and U.S. Cellular Field (a.k.a. Comiskey Park), the South Side’s beloved baseball park.

In an age of generic franchises, Bridgeport boasts the kind of mom-and-pop stores that capture a classic Chicago spirit increasingly difficult to find. First called Bridgeport in the 1840s when a bridge was built across Ashland Avenue, it became Chicago’s version of Ellis Island as countless immigrants flocked to work in the legendary stockyards.

But timeless, staid Bridgeport is changing quietly, as anyone who’s glanced at recent real estate statistics knows. The median single-family house here sold for $177,000 in 2002, affordable by citywide standards but 84.4 percent more than the Bridgeport median five years earlier.

Tandem Developers, the force behind the South Loop’s Bicycle Station Lofts, Cobblers Lofts in Milwaukee and many other projects, was one of the first major builders to recognize the neighborhood’s advantages. With Union Lofts, Tandem brought Bridgeport its first loft condominiums, a housing type more often associated with downtown living.

How did the neighborhood receive the lofts? Only 10 of 71 units remain for sale, including seven penthouses on the fifth floor, a new construction addition on top of the building.

“These units offer the best of both worlds,” Dincin said. “They are brand new and offer incredible, unobstructed views of downtown, but we still included vintage details.”

The penthouse units range from one-bedrooms with dens to two-bedroom units with two baths and feature high ceilings, large windows and exposed ductwork. Set back from the perimeter of the building, they also have spacious, private terraces. Unit sizes range from 1,038 to 1,529 square feet and prices start in the $240s.

“A lot of people appreciate the new construction,” said Pat Young, general manager at Garrison Partners, the exclusive marketing and sales agent for Union Lofts. “Tandem Developers are pioneers in Bridgeport and they have a following. After finishing one building, they have people who are interested in their next. It’s interesting because 40 percent of (our) buyers have a connection to Bridgeport. Either they have friends there or were raised there and want to return to the area.”

With so much development in “new” neighborhoods, it’s easy to see the appeal of Bridgeport’s traditional bungalows, brick two-flats, active meeting halls and established churches. The current mayor’s mother resided at his childhood home, at 3536 S. Lowe, until she died this year.

“It’s a testament to the fact that people really stay here,” said Dincin. “What we’re offering is a new, current form of housing in a wonderful and traditional neighborhood. People who want something new or desire open living spaces can find that at Union Lofts for a reasonable price.”

The project’s first-floor duplexes sold out rapidly, but in addition to penthouses, a few one-bedroom lofts with dens remain. According to Dincin, these units are spacious and offer fantastic views. All of the condos have new thermal pane windows, balconies or private terraces, high-speed Internet access, custom cabinets, Kohler fixtures, hardwood floors and new plumbing and electrical systems. Union Lofts has a bicycle storage room, individual storage lockers and secure outdoor parking for $15,000. The project also is one of the few loft buildings on the market that offers time for buyers to choose finishes, according to Dincin.

“Besides location, people really like Union Lofts because it is an intimate, smaller building,” Young said. The 71-unit development is the conversion of a red brick warehouse dating from the early 1900s and is surrounded by residential.
“It’s not a 40-story highrise,” Young said. “It’s a classic building that blends with the rest of the neighborhood.”

Prices start in the $240s for two-bedroom two-bath units and in the mid-$300s for two-bedroom two-bath units with dens. Penthouses range from the mid-$200s to the low $300s.

Buyers have been attracted to that competitive pricing, as well as to a projected move-in date around late fall and a location that rivals Lincoln Park and Bucktown for proximity to the Loop.

According to Dincin, many of Union Lofts’ buyers are first-time homeowners who used to live in the area or have family who still do.

“The South and West Loop have become so expensive,” said Dincin. “Some buyers from the North Side were priced out of those areas. Another group of buyers are the pioneering type who want to get in early on a neighborhood that’s coming on. So we looked for less expensive alternatives. We felt there was less competition here and pent-up demand.”

“There is a definite need for the product,” said Young. “There are a lot of young people coming back to the neighborhood and many empty nesters who want to stay here.”

A sales center is open on site at Union Lofts, 939 W. 35th St., from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Wednesday.