Renovation Brings Bowling, Golf, Boxing To Historic Buildings
When one of the city’s oldest businesses, George R. Newell Grocers, decided to build a 5-story warehouse at North 3rd Street and 6th Avenue in 1923, it was designed to hold basic storage, shipping rooms and offices.
Who could have imagined that 101 years later, it would feature a high-tech golf simulator, video-conference rooms, bowling alley, boxing ring and social club?
Across the street and connected by a skyway is an eight-story building dating back to 1918–originally a warehouse for Hall Hardware–and it now features a rooftop pool and outdoor lounge with skyline views.
These two historic warehouses, along with a brand new building at North 3rd Street and 7th Avenue, now make up The Hall Lofts, a brand new rental community that will eventually feature retail and restaurants on-site as well.
The developer, CedarST and leasing agent DRG gave us a look around at some of the highlights.
Many of the community spaces in the Newell building–including the bowling alley, simulator, fitness center and game room–are part of what will soon become a social club.
These areas will be free to use for those renting units in the building and will also be opened up for non-tenants to join.
“We are very close to an agreement with kind of a national social club operator,” said Blake Ripley of CedarST. He added that the social club operator will also develop new dining spaces in the building which could include a rooftop bar/restaurant in the Newell Building.
For those who are into boxing, the fitness center not only has punching bags but a full boxing ring as well.
The all-new building that’s going up at 3rd Street and 7th Avenue will have 32 residential units, 230 parking stalls, and in early 2025 will feature an indoor miniature golf facility, Puttshack.
Residents of all three buildings will share amenities, with some of the spaces reserved only for tenants, including the rooftop deck in the old Hall Lofts building which includes patio seating and three grills.
“So many times, especially in condo buildings, they build all these amenities and then nobody uses them,” said Patrick Carson of DRG. “So to have those amenities where people can bring their friends or there can be a social club aspect with a bowling alley, with these different things, I think it will actually get used but not overused.”
The first tenants in the Newell building have already moved in. Across the skyway, new rental units will be available in the next week or so.
By Mike Binkley, North Loop volunteer
