Forget the adage that you can never be too rich or too thin. For condominium buyers, you can never
have too much storage space.
“In my 33-year career, I have yet to hear of someone who didn’t buy a condominium because there was
too much closet space,” said Bob Horner, co-principal of Winthrop Properties, which is developing the
15-story eco-friendly Winthrop Club condominium building in downtown Evanston. “Too many bedrooms
or bathrooms than what they need and they might pass, but more closets than they know what to do with
and they’re asking where to sign.”
That’s why Winthrop Properties made sure to offer more closet and storage space at Winthrop Club than
what’s typical of condominiums in the downtown Evanston market.
“Sufficient storage is a particular hot button with our downsizers,” said Horner. “In most cases they’re
coming from large single-family homes and they’re a little skeptical that a condominium will be able to
accommodate all their belongings, even if they do pare them down. So they’re pleasantly surprised when
they see the homes at Winthrop Club.”
According to Horner, providing buyers with ample closet space is usually a given in large, three-bedroom
floor plans, but even the one- and two-bedroom homes at Winthrop Club offer abundant storage
solutions for homeowners.
For example, in Residence 3, a one-bedroom floor plan measuring 794 square feet, homebuyers can
enjoy a walk-in laundry room with shelving and plenty of space to hang seasonal clothing, store luggage
or set up a dog bed; a double-door hall closet for coats, blankets and games; and two double-door
closets in the master bedroom. In addition, the kitchen features 42-inch Italian upper cabinets and pullout
drawers in lower cabinets.
“When it comes to condominium storage design, the approach can be similar to designing a yacht
cabin,” said Horner. “You need to be judicious with your space as every square inch counts and needs to
be functional. Wasted space is not an option.”
Take Winthrop Club’s master bedrooms as an example. In select plans the master closets are finished
with closet organizer systems to maximize the space. And in the master baths, recessed medicine
cabinets are built between wall studs to save space while also providing extra shelving.
Buyers at Winthrop Club can even choose to make their kitchen storage more efficient by selecting
organizing systems for their pantries. When the kitchen pantry door is opened, all shelving units are
pulled forward for easy access. The pantry organizer system also includes additional shelving attached
to the inside door of the pantry.
“It’s not just about making sure buyers have ample storage, but that the space works for them – making
it easier to store and find items,” said Horner. “We can’t put away our buyers’ clothes or remind them to
keep their home tidy, but what we are doing is giving them the tools necessary to have a more organized
home.”
And while organization is easy to come by in all homes at Winthrop Club, Horner said it is especially
easy in Winthrop Level Residence 05, a 1,555-square-foot home with two bedrooms, two baths and two
terraces.
Buyers have access to no less than five closets in this home, including an entryway closet, a linen closet
in the guest bath, a triple-door closet in the guest bedroom, a triple-door closet in the study/media room,
and a walk-in closet in the master suite. In addition, the home has two terraces, which can accommodate
plenty of outdoor furniture.
“A lot of our downsizers can relate to this plan because it has just as much, if not more storage space
than the main living areas in their previous home,” said Horner. “And when they see the storage locker
that comes with the residence, it’s like icing on the cake.”
Located at 1570 Elmwood Avenue, just south of Davis Street, Winthrop Club offers 96 condominiums
with one to three bedrooms and 1 to 3½ baths. Base prices range from $299,000 to $1,500,000 with
parking included.
Poised to become the first residential high rise in the Midwest to earn Gold LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, Winthrop Club welcomed
its first residents earlier this month.
All homes feature high-end interior finishes such as 1¼-inch granite kitchen countertops, marble bath
countertops, 9- to 10-foot ceilings, crown molding, Energy Star-rated appliances, dual flush toilets,
private balconies and/or terraces and oak floors. Building amenities include a fitness center, swimming
pool and spa, sundeck, club room and a 24-hour doorman.
Winthrop Club boasts a perfect score of 100 at www.walkscore.com due to it’s proximity to everything
from grocery stores and entertainment to schools and mass transit, including both the CTA and Metra.
A sales center for Winthrop Club, which includes three furnished models, is located on the building’s
sixth floor. The sales center is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information
about Winthrop Club, call (847) 328-4700 or visit www.winthropclub.com.
Winthrop Properties is a joint enterprise of developers Bob Horner and Ibrahim Shihadeh. Horner and
Shihadeh share more than 40 years of real estate experience, during which time they have built and sold
more than 5,000 homes, including new-construction loft buildings in Printers Row and the West Loop.
