Loft Living in a Historic Landmark
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The Kress Building Lofts
Condominiums
Ah, city life . . . and a wonderful reason to live downtown!
The Kress Building Lofts is the conversion of an old department store in downtown Long Beach, California into New York style loft condominiums at the corner of Pine Avenue and Fifth Street. The brick walls, exposed wooden rafters, massive concrete columns and steel I-beams form the perfect dwelling in the heart of the city.
A Classic Tradition
Designed
in 1923 by Thomas Franklin Power (who gave us Loyola Marymount University as
well as dozens of historic churches and high schools throughout Los Angeles),
the seven story Kress Building originally housed the retail space and offices
of the S. H. Kress Department store. In 1981, following the death of Samuel
Kress and the flight of commercial activity to the suburbs, the department
store closed. The building remained vacant, except for squatters and pigeons,
until it was purchased by a group of investors led by historic preservationists
Peter Janopaul and Anthony Block in 1992.
Peter and Anthony carefully restored the exterior of the building to its original classic Italian Renaissance architecture and rebuilt the inside with open floor plans, high ceilings, free-standing columns, spiral ductwork and exposed brick walls. The city recognized the dramatic restoration by designating the building as a Historic Landmark. New metal and glass penthouses make an addition to the city skyline that is recognizable from miles away.
Uncompromising Style
The average loft has about 1300 square feet, with spaces ranging in size from about 920 to 2120 square feet. Hand-tooled concrete floors, European kitchens, commercial quality bathrooms, deep soaking tubs and convenient laundry hook-ups make the Kress Building Lofts luxurious. Each of the loft owners has provided his own interpretation of what a loft space should be like, ranging from Georgian wall and crown moldings to Gothic chains and wrought iron. With a large array of floor plans available and a generous number of architectural quirks, each unit is distinctive.
The
Location
The Kress Building Lofts are located at 100 West 5th Street, at the corner of Pine Avenue and Fifth Streets, in downtown Long Beach, California. Executive Fitness is located on the ground floor of the Kress Building on Pine Avenue.
The World Trade Center, Civic Center, Sports Arena, Convention Center, and Pine Avenue Court Theaters are minutes away. Just blocks away on Shoreline Drive is the new Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific.
The Kress Building Lofts are accessible to both work and entertainment. Immediate access to the Blue Line Rail System as well as direct routes to the 710, 405, 110, and 605 freeways offer convenient commuting.
State-of-the-Art
You can easily see that The Kress Building Lofts have been impeccably restored to their period style. What may not be so obvious is that all of the working parts were replaced as part of the conversion, too. The lofts have a state-of-the-art 1995 seismic retrofit, a new elevator, and new fire and life safety systems. There are new electrical, plumbing, and mechanical systems, as well as new indoor parking.
A New Long Beach
The metamorphosis of the entire Downtown Long Beach area, especially Pine Avenue with its successful new theaters, shops and restaurants, places the Kress Building Lofts within blocks of an exciting urban revival project.
Our neighbors include Crate & Barrel, Limited Express, Bath & Body
Works, Z Gallerie, Starbucks Coffee, Gold's Gym, and the AMC Sixteen Screen
Theaters as well as Executive Fitness, a private training studio right in the
Kress Building along Pine Avenue. Local cafes and coffee houses, thriving
bistros and restaurants, and smart shops and retailers have created an eclectic
and flourishing marketplace just steps away from the lofts. You can walk out
the front door to enjoy dinner, drinks, and a show.
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since August 10, 1996