Homes, interiors, shops and old buildings looking for a new use. Different scales, one way of working: measure first, say plainly what is possible, then stay with it until the contractor leaves.
Two-flats converted into one house, greystones with new kitchens and baths, workers’ cottages that need a rear addition, bungalows that need light. We keep the street side as the neighbors know it and put the new work where it does the most good.
Kitchens, baths, built-in cabinets, stairs, finishes and lighting. Elise Marchetti leads this work, inside our own projects or on its own, and draws the millwork herself so the shop builds exactly what was agreed.
Bakeries, small shops, clinics and offices, usually in a storefront with history. We can look at a space before you sign the lease, tell you what the city will ask for, and get you open with as few surprises as the building allows.
Stables, print shops, freight houses and a firehouse. We start with what the building already does well (thick walls, big openings, tall rooms) and fit the new use around it, with zoning and code worked out before anyone draws a finish.
Building types
Most of Chicago’s neighborhoods were built from a handful of types between 1880 and 1930. We have worked in every one of these.
Swipe to see all six
Process
Each phase ends with a meeting and a clear set of drawings. Nothing moves on until you say so.
We measure the building, check zoning, landmarks and code, and test your idea against the budget. You get a short report with plans of what is there and a plain answer.
2 to 3 weeks / fixed fee
Two or three directions as simple plans and massing, each with a rough cost. You pick one, or the best parts of two.
4 to 6 weeks
Windows, stairs, structure, systems and finishes get decided. Interiors begin here, and a contractor can give a better number.
4 to 8 weeks
The full drawing set and details, coordinated with structural and MEP engineers, ready for the city and for bids.
6 to 10 weeks
We file, answer the reviewers’ comments, and help you compare two or three contractor bids line by line.
Depends on the city’s review
Regular site visits, answers to the contractor’s questions, review of pay requests and a punch list at the end. A licensed architect from the studio is on every job.
For the length of the build
Fees
A fixed fee, agreed after a first call, credited toward design if you go ahead.
A fixed fee per phase, written down before each one starts.
Hourly, with a ceiling we agree on, so the build never carries an open tab.
Start with phase one.
Ask about a feasibility study