Blue Rock Flats bringing more condo options to Northside

Kurt Platte Architects and Black Rock Construction are quietly creating five new condo units in a historic Northside building.

Work began three months ago on Blue Rock Flats at 1726 Blue Rock Street, with units listed from between $99,000 for one-bedroom first floor units to $145,000 for the two-bedroom penthouse.

"We were attracted to the area by the diversity and open mindedness of the residents and the hipness of the neighborhood," Platte says.  "The building shell has great character with its pale brick and cast stone lintels.  And it's unusual to find a property in a dense urban setting that has space for off-street parking." 

The building, which had housed multi-family apartments, had to be gutted to create a new layout.

"In order to create a third floor penthouse we tore off two-thirds of the roof, reframed the middle of the third floor with a flying roof, leaving the back one-third of the third floor as an open roof terrace surrounded by brick walls," Platte says.  "We eliminated the interior stair to maximize the floor area and built an exterior rear stair with private outdoor garden decks."

Platte was able to save as much of this historic fabric as possible.

"We found wood floors on the first floor that can be refinished," he says.  "We found 4-by-8 old original pocket doors that we will use as the front door at the sidewalk level, replacing some tacky aluminum infill door and rotten sidelight.  The brick we exposed from the interior is great looking and adds so much character.  We exposed more than we originally planned because it was that attractive.  The chimney pots at the third floor rooftop terrace were able to be saved."

A barn on the rear of the property will be converted into a live/work artist loft.

Platte estimates that the project will be completed by April or May.

Writer: Kevin LeMaster
Source: Kurt Platte, Kurt Platte Architects
Photography by Scott Beseler