Jeff Antaya bought a condo in The Willys Overland Lofts in April 2011, and began enjoying a double-height penthouse with a private outdoor terrace and a perfect view of downtown. If you've never been to an open house at the Willys, you may be in for a surprise. Many of the units are sold "unfinished" allowing the owner to determine everything from placement of the rooms to details of the finishes. It can be overwhelming, which is why Jeff, a marketing partner at Plante Moran, hired designer Bob Endres to handle everything from the layout to the decorating. And of course he hired Bob a second time in January 2012, when he bought an adjacent unit to finish and combine with his current one.
By April 2012, the two units had been connected into one seamless and stylish penthouse, now with double the roof deck space. The total apartment square footage is now 2,500 square feet. Jeff's place occupies the fifth and six floors of the building, which remains quiet these days thanks to many units still available.
So are combos the best way to make use of the Willys space? According to realtor Austin Black of City Living Detroit, Jeff's is the third combo unit for the building a new buyer has just closed on what will be a fourth. This immense building has 73 units total, of which only 16 have sold (nine more are under contract). This certainly means many more combos are possible in the future. Quite frankly, it's about time Detroit started playing hardball with New York and L.A. in envy-inducing luxury penthouse game. Double down, loft buyers. And remember, we accept invites to open house parties.
Want to see Jeff's penthouse for yourself? It is on the list of options to visit for the September 20, 2012 edition of the Crain's House Party.
· Andrew Kopietz Photography.[Official]
· Willys Overland Lofts [Official]
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