From the West Loop to Avondale,
Dubin does Chicago

Developer David Dubin once focused on the affordable end of the new-homes market. With projects such as St. Wenceslaus Square, a 54-unit townhouse development on the Northwest Side, he ventured into neighborhoods that had seen little new construction, and proved buyers were willing to go west for value. But with more recent projects such as Plaza Vista Townhomes, an innovative development in Lakeview with units priced in the $400s, he also made a name for Dubin Residential in the luxury market.

Today, Dubin’s range of projects, from affordable lofts in “West Bucktown,” to high-end townhouses in the West Loop, offer a product type and location for just about every city buyer.

“We often have people looking at several of our projects, especially since we have several townhouse communities right now that cover the gamut, from the low $200s to almost $600,000,” says Len Koenig, director of sales and marketing for Dubin. “So our slogan, Dubin does the town, refers to the range of neighborhoods and prices we cover.”

Dubin’s latest neighborhood is the West Loop, where Aberdeen Terrace, a development of 29 luxury townhouses, stands out. The West Loop has seen more development and greater appreciation than any neighborhood in the city during the ’90s, but the housing stock is dominated by high-end lofts and condos. Dubin will be one of the few developers to offer townhouses there for buyers who want more space.

“People who have been in lofts are going to turn them around and want more space and privacy,” Koenig says. “People love that area, the restaurants, the proximity to downtown, the transportation and convenience.”
And if community meetings are any indication, they’ll also love Aberdeen Terrace, at 18 S. Aberdeen.
“It’s an extremely unique design,” Koenig says. “There is a mezzanine terrace, so that on the first level you have garages facing each other on both sides of a driveway, and over that is a terrace so everyone has outdoor space on the second level. The alderman and the community have been oohing and ahing over it.”

The creative design by Landon Bone architects will allow buyers to make use of space most townhouse projects surrender to an ugly, utilitarian driveway. Visitors will access units through the raised terrace level, entering through a gate and up a set of stairs on the end of the courtyard.

The units have two or three bedrooms plus dens and family rooms, two-car garages and three baths. At press time, tentative pricing was from the upper $400s to the upper $500s.

“They’re phenomenal,” Koenig says. “They have rooftop terraces, gas fireplaces, huge gourmet kitchens with double ovens and separate cooktops, fourth-level family rooms with wet bars, master baths with soaking tubs and oversized ‘power showers,’ with multiple heads.”

Aberdeen Terrace is replacing an old manufacturing building that used to stand on the site. At press time, a sales center was nearly open, and delivery of units was expected in about a year.

Dubin’s other current projects include:

• Belmont Place, 1714 W. Belmont. This six-unit townhouse-style project was built by Dubin as rentals and is now being converted to condominium ownership.
  “We built the four-story Belmont Place development three years ago as an upscale rental investment property,” Dubin says. “Now, because of heavy demand for luxury for-sale housing in Lakeview, we are converting Belmont Place to condominiums.”
  
  Each of the three-level townhouse-style condos features two bedrooms, two baths, a den, a family room and a private deck overlooking the courtyard. The units include hardwood floors, gas fireplaces, central air and large galley-style kitchens with granite counters. The ground floor has commercial space and parking, with the condos on floors two through four. A sales center is located on site.
  
  
• Buck City Lofts, 1740 N. Maplewood. The first phase of this 79-unit conversion is more than half sold. The hard loft units include one or two bedrooms, one or two baths, and exposed brick and beams. Prices range from the $170s, with first occupancy scheduled for the end of the year.
  

• The Buck Townes, 1801 N. Rockwell. This 44-unit townhouse development has 14 units remaining. The three-story units have two or three bedrooms, two to 2.5 baths and two-car attached garages. Prices range from the $270s to around $350,000, with late spring deliveries scheduled for homes closed now.
  

• Clarksville Station, 3260 N. Clark. This 32-unit project is a five-story new construction brick building of “loft-style” condos in East Lakeview. The units have two bedrooms and two baths, priced from about the $220s to the $300s.

• The 3500 Club, 3500 W. Belmont. This 35-unit townhouse project features homes with two bedrooms, two baths and two-car attached garages. Only six units were left at press time, priced from the $230s to about $250,000.

Other projects still in the planning stages include a 32-unit condo conversion and a 26-unit townhouse development, both in East Rogers Park. More details on these and all of Dubin’s projects can be accessed on-line, at www.dubinresidential.com.

Whatever future projects Dubin tackles, affordable or luxury, he says his philosophy will remain the same.
“I buy the land at an affordable price, and because we know construction and can get efficiency and density, we’re able to develop a product that has value,” Dubin says. “We are not deal makers; we’ve blossomed into a full service developer with outstanding marketing, customer service and construction departments. We’ve got an organization behind us, and when we close a unit, people are happy.”