Loft living is something everyone should experience at least once in their lives. You may think it’s for 20- and 30-somethings, but think again.
An urban pioneer pal of mine was one of the first downtown Dallas loft dwellers, and he was well over 60. After the kids were grown, he moved from the big Southlake family spread and never looked back. He could get on his bike and be on the trail in minutes or walk to a great bar or restaurant in under five minutes. He only got the car out to go on trips out of town.
Artists made loft living cool back in the 1960s. There was great light from the enormous windows, high ceilings to hang a giant canvas, plenty of room to party, and concrete floors, so paint (and beer) spills were no problem. They were inexpensive, so living and working in the same space was a no-brainer. You can thank artists for the whole live, work, play concept.
Let’s not confuse lofts with apartments or condos. Lofts are living spaces inside former industrial buildings. Generally, those buildings are historic by now, so you get the bonus of having a home base in a building with an interesting life. Buildings such as 2200 Canton, for instance.
Loft living does not get much better than this location.
Built in 1925, this was originally a warehouse for the Olive & Myer Furniture Company. In 1956, fashion industry pioneer Leroy McMullen bought the warehouse with his partner Roy Stockon to house their business, the Stockton Manufacturing Company. In 1973 the name was changed to RLM Fashion Industries, and 2200 Canton became known as the RLM building.
McMullan sold it to Westdale Asset Management Co. in 1992 and Corgan & Associates is responsible for the design you see today. Their work not only garnered a Building Design award from the Dallas chapter of the American Institute of Architects, but it’s also now a City of Dallas Landmark.
This two-story loft has 3,142 square feet with three bedrooms and three bathrooms and is the only floor plan like it in the building. Built as two separate units, the original buyer combined them, so this is genuinely historic loft living at its finest.
Keller Williams Urban’s Linda Lunn has 2200 Canton, Apartment 408, listed for $995,000. The furnishings are negotiable, so this could be your move-in ready luxury loft.
