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	Living large in a condo The Chicago Sun Times 07/16/1999 Formal dining space for 20, darkrooms, landscaped terraces. Custom features such as these have long been available in the luxury single-family home market. But today's condo buyers sometimes find that they, too, can build their dream homes - without the million-dollar price tag. Joan DuDeVoire knew she could never get her husband, Don, to agree to downsize if he couldn't have space for his photography hobby. She looked around at smaller housing options but none was suitable. But at Village Green Condominiums in Linolnshire, Weiss Development Corp. was willing to create a darkroom by expanding the laundryroom into an adjacent coat closet and turn an extra linen closet into a coat closet. In addition, the couple purchased extra storage space in the garage where Don can matte and frame his pictures. "We could have gotten a townhouse or something with a basement but I wanted to be in a multi-floor building and have the amenities that come with it, the pool and exercise room," said Joan DuDeVoire. "I also like living on one floor and the safety to lock up and go to Arizona. This is the best solution for us." More and more condominium buyers are requesting customizations beyond the usual offerings of options and upgrades, said Helen Weiss, principal of the Lincolnshire-based company that bears her name. The trend is one she expects to continue. "People's consciousness of design is 100 percent higher than what it was even 10 years ago," she said. "They are much more educated about design and are becoming more so." "Some people really get into having something that is unique," said developer Thomas Roszak, president of Roszak/ADC in Evanston. "In a condo, that's usually not possible. Most are pretty cookie-cutter." Popular requests include gas lines to terraces, multiple or hand-held showerheads, additional or relocated fireplaces, and built-ins such as entertainment centers. "Entertainment centers tend to be highly individualized so they can't be offered 'off the shelf,'"said Weiss. When Becky and Bob Seely bought their Roszak condo in Evanston, they wanted a formal, enclosed dining room instead of the open arrangement offered in the original plan. They got it by exchanging the casual eating counter that separated the kitchen from the dining room and replacing it with upper and lower cabinets. The upper cabinets have glass doors and the lower ones, a granite counter top. The space in between serves as a pass-through. The kitchen is large enough for a small dinette set. "We've had both new construction and existing," said Bob Seely. "With new construction, much of the charm is missing. We've been able to add that with our changes and also with our furnishings." A Village Green buyer had a different dining challenge. She needed - and got - an oversized dining room to accommodate an antique table with eight leaves. On occasion, 20 people sit around that table. Roszak is landscaping a fifth-floor balcony for one of its buyers. Measuring 24-by-62 feet, the balcony will be appointed with trees, arbors, pergola and fountain as well as an area for eating and entertaining. The buyer, Lou Fernandez, also is making numerous interior changes. "I always thought that in a condo more walls had to stay as they were," he said. "I was surprised at how much flexibility we had as to how the rooms could be laid out." The possibilities for customization, aside from structural considerations, are limited only by a buyer's imagination and pocketbook. Some changes such as lowering a showerhead or relocating wall switches for a lefty are relatively minor but add immensely to a buyer's quality of life. "Preconstruction changes don't have to be expensive," said Weiss. "Sometimes it just takes the ability to personalize an existing feature for a person who is a little smaller and who will be happier the rest of her days in the unit if she can reach the shower head." At VIllage Green, Weiss estimates that 50 percent of the buyers add custom features to their units. "Years ago people used a percentage that said you spend 5 to 10 percent of the purchase price on upgrades," said Weiss. "We don't hit 10 percent and we do a lot of customizations." Roszak has two developments under construction, Sunne on Wells in Chicago's River North neighborhood and Chicago Avenue Place in Evanston. Prices start at $400,000. He figures that most buyers stay within the 5 to 10 percent guideline for upgrades. A few will spend an additional 25 percent or even 35 percent of the purchase price. At The Woodlands of Morton Grove, being developed by the Elliott Group, prices range from the low-$200,000s to the mid $300,000s. President Mark Elliott of the Morton Grove-based company said that about 80 percent of buyers customize, typically spending between $10,000 and $15,000. There's also the matter of extra meetings and extra time to build out the buyer's fantasy. Customization can double the length of time it takes to finish a unit, said Roszak. "The longest lead item is usually the cabinetry," he said. "It someone chooses standard cabinetry, it takes four to six weeks. If they choose custom, it's eight to 10 weeks. That becomes the critical path for the completion of the unit." Developers who specialize in custom condos say that they expect buyers to make changes and gear their operations so those changes can be made with maximum efficiency. They put together more amenities packages and line up contractors and showrooms to work with their buyers. They use ventless fireplaces, which can be installed anywhere. Despite their willingness to please, the developers do not honor every request. They may shy away from custom painting or wallpaper. They may not try to move load-bearing walls. Wood-burning fireplaces are usually added solely to top floors so the flues operate properly. "We're hesitant to move a plumbing wall," said Weiss. "In making changes for one owner, you have to protect the interests of the other owners. "You could inadvertently add plumbing sounds in another unit." According to Elliott, "we do the things that are difficult to do after the closing. We don't do a lot of crown molding because it's a simple thing to do - and most people do it afterward." But you're not going to be able to alter the exterior of your unit. "We cannot move windows," said Roszak. "That changes the architecture outside. The building still has to look the way it's supposed to look." Developers, however, try to design their floor plans for maximum flexibility. The Woodlands, for example, offers 14 floor plans. At Weiss, after 50 percent of buyers request a particular feature, it is often incorporated as standard in the next building. "Myriad choices have been structure in a way that they are very mechanized, but it doesn't feel that way to you as a buyer," said Elliott. One design dilemma that routinely confounds developers is whether to install a tub or a shower. Whichever they choose, many buyers change their minds. Because the drains are in different locations, this change is not an easy one to make. As a solution, Elliott prompted a manufacturer to make larger shower bases with the drain in the same location as a tub and a seat at the opposite end. Tubs and shower stalls are now interchangeable, even as a building nears completion. Another Elliott trick of the trade: ceilings high enough so that if a buyer wants recessed or track lighting, a second and lower ceiling can be built and the electrical components placed in the space between. "Customization does require certain capabilities and planning on the part of the developer," said Roszak. "It's also another income-producing stream for us, and the buyers are demanding it," said Elliott. "It takes a lot of work but if it's done right, it's worthwhile. Developers who aren't doing it are losing out." Roszak/ADC 1415 Sherman Avenue Suite 101 Evanston, IL 60201 Main  847-425-7555 Sales  847-328-8200 Fax  847-425-7540 email inquiries: info@roszakadc.com copyright© 2003 Roszak/ADC. All rights reserved.