Downtown San Diego lofts come in all shapes, sizes and styles. When I first sit down with a client who is interested in purchasing a loft in Downtown, I have to try and generate a good idea of the vision they have in order to match the actual type of unit to the picture in their head. This can be a tough thing to do without the right questions. On the 92101 Urban Living website, we designate traditional condos from loft units manually. This takes a little extra time, but there is no designation for “lofts” on the MLS. With our personal knowledge as Downtown Loft Specialists, we have to know which Downtown buildings have “loft like” floor plans and units. On the MLS (Our San Diego Multiple Listing Service) for Downtown San Diego Loft units, there is no real distinction for traditional studios, 1 bedroom, and two bedroom lofts. When we help organize the lofts on the 92101 Urban Living Website there is no difference between studio lofts and one bedrooms that have no walls. When you think about it, all of the three floor plans with no walls are all the same…they are just different sizes with a different number of potential bathrooms and parking spaces. Let’s take a look at the three major components that will define the choices for loft space in Downtown San Diego: Floor Plans, Loft Characteristics, and finally specific Loft Styles.
Floor Plans
Some Clients picture a loft in terms of it’s floor plan, but this can mean several things: Floor Plan with an actual “lofted” area, Open floor plan with no walls, and the hybrid style that incorporates loft characteristics with defined condo layout. Most Downtown San Diego Loft floor plans fall into the last category…the hybrid style. Only in a few buildings like DOMA, TREO, M2i, and some of the top floor units in Union Square-and Park Blvd West will have floor plans with an actual “lofted” area. The open floor plan with no walls is a good option for those looking to personally define their living space. Obviously, the hybrid style is perfect for those buyers looking to have the “feeling and design” of a loft space, but with the walls to define actual bedrooms. Loft Complexes like Parkloft, M2i, DOMA and Fahrenheit have many floor plan options with little or no walls to define the living space.
Characteristics
Floor plan and style aside, there are some common characteristics that all Downtown San Diego Lofts will have. No matter what building or complex…if a unit has certain characteristics, it will represent the “feeling” or picture of what a buyer has in their mind for a particular loft-like space that they are envisioning. High ceilings, a feeling of open space, and floor to ceiling windows are three characteristics that all who like loft space will be attracted to. Even if you have defined walls, any exposed brick or cement accents will always represent the “loft” feeling. Stainless steel appointments, spiral staircases, skylights, and modern lighting fixtures are also some very specific characteristics of loft spaces.
Styles
There are three major styles for a Downtown San Diego loft: Contemporary/Modern, Renovation (old warehouse style), and Work Live Lofts. The contemporary/modern style for loft space is the most popular in Downtown San Diego. This style is characterized by exposed cement accents, exposed ductwork, and metal floor to ceiling windows. Buildings like Parkloft, M2i, Fahrenheit, and DOMA are good examples of these. They are newer buildings that lend themselves very nicely to modern decor. The old warehouse sylte of loft surprisingly is the least represented of the three. One big reason is that there are not many old warehouse that have been renovated into the big new construction projects. The renovation style is characterized by exposed brick and old wood beams. They have the look and feel of older warehouse building, and a connection to the past of Downtown San Diego. Good examples of this style are in buildings like the Old Soap Factory of Cityfront Terrace, Samuel Fox Lofts, and Broadway lofts.
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