Liberty Lofts | Final Four at Liberty Lofts

ANN ARBOR, MI –  Only four lofts remain available at Liberty Lofts, the landmark building which, more than any other development, symbolizes the growing interest in living in downtown Ann Arbor. They have been completed with the most popular features and finishes chosen by buyers of the other 64 condominiums and are ready for immediate move-in.

“A new owner could literally be living here in time for the Ann Arbor Art fairs,” said Ronald Mucha, partner in Morningside Group, the developer. “The fact that all the lofts are completed means that buyers can obtain a mortgage that covers the complete cost of the loft.”

“These are one-of-kind lofts, so people have to act quickly,” Mucha said. “When they’re gone, they’re gone.”

The development, at 315 Second Street, combined an early 20th-century concrete industrial building, the King-Seeley (Eaton) factory, with a new addition designed to capture the desirable, loft-like qualities of the original, including concrete floors and mushroom-shaped columns and high ceilings with exposed duct work. In May, the building was awarded the Ann Arbor Historic District Commission’s Adaptive Reuse Project of the Year.

Each of the four lofts is unique, but all offer the luxury finishes and features chosen most often by other owners. These include stainless steel Kitchenaid appliances, granite counter tops and hardwood or bamboo floors. Each includes a parking space in the heated indoor garage.

One visitor said that, more than any other loft, the Cambridge reminded him of living in New York. It looks north, over rooftop and the greenhouse atrium of the development’s commercial space. The 1,600-square-foot, third-story residence has a grand entrance, sweeping almost 40 feet from the front door to the windows and balcony. It has one of the largest kitchens in the development and extra closet and storage space.

A comparable Cambridge loft on the second floor recently sold to an existing resident, in a switch that demonstrates the continuing desirability of the Liberty Lofts project. In September 2006, Jenny Hoffman was one of the first people to move into the building. She had eyed the former factory for years and was thrilled to live in an architectural treasure, within walking distance of her job downtown.

But the need to accommodate visits by her college-age children prompted her to start looking at larger, single family homes in the area. She thought she couldn’t afford a larger loft in the Liberty building until she saw the Cambridge, which had been used for construction administrators during the build out and only recently became available. While it didn’t have a balcony, it did have a lot of space for the money, a large flex room and nearby full bathroom that would be perfect for visitors. She enjoys the architectural, “New York” view unique to the Cambridge.

“I decided to take a leap of faith,” she said. She listed her loft with a Realtor and sold it in four days. She then asked Mucha’s team to build some additional features, like a fireplace, into the new residence and they quickly responded. She found Ron and the Morningside team exceptionally helpful when purchasing both of her lofts.

The second-floor, two bedroom, two bath Adams residence spans both the old and new buildings, tucked into the inside corner of the “L” shaped development. At 1,800 square feet, it’s the largest of the available residences and has one of the largest “flex” rooms. Exposed brick from the original factory comprises two walls of the master bedroom. The cherry stain on the maple cabinets in the kitchen picks up the subtle hints of red in the primarily-green granite (“verde butterfly”) on the kitchen island.

There are single-family homes that don’t have as much outdoor living space as the second floor Jefferson loft, with its 950-square-foot terrace. Afternoon sunshine floods through the expansive windows in the great room, which is further brightened by the light-maple flooring. Entirely located in the original building, the one bedroom, one-and-a-half-bath Jefferson has the mushroom-shaped concrete columns, and original brick visible under all the windows.

The buyer of the Franklin can watch the Art Fair fun from the east-facing windows, which sweep the full length of the loft, across the great room and master bedroom. It has two bedrooms and two full baths. The master bedroom has a generous dressing room and double vanity in the master bath.

Founded in 1993, Morningside Group is a real estate development firm that specializes in creating premier mixed-use and multi-family developments in urban locations throughout the Midwest. Long recognized as a leader in the design and construction of highly acclaimed buildings, Morningside Group has built an enviable track record of successful public-private partnerships.

Morningside’s incomparable work ensures that each new development will join a growing portfolio of prized buildings which includes, in Michigan, SkyLofts Royal Oak and SkyLofts MarketSquare in Royal Oak and, in Illinois, Arbor Court and Prairie Town Center in Oak Lawn, Crescent Court and Museum Square in Elmhurst, Morningside Square in Downers Grove, The Glen Astor in Glen Ellyn and buildings in Evanston and Skokie.

Click here to visit the Liberty Lofts website!