| Defining what actually constitutes a loft condo is a | | | | Avenue in St. Louis, and Logan Circle in Washington, |
| highly debated question. Loft purists often have a | | | | DC. One of the tragedies of the ongoing |
| very different connotation than definitions popularly | | | | gentrification of these urban neighborhoods is that |
| used by developers creating new construction loft | | | | the artists that first established loft areas are now |
| projects. | | | | priced out of many of these areas. |
| The loft movement first became popular in the SoHo | | | | Key features of former industrial space that makes |
| section of New York City during the 1960s. Artist | | | | for attractive reuse as a loft include high ceilings, |
| created living spaces on the upper-levels industrial of | | | | large industrial windows, exposed brick or cinder block |
| obsolete industrial buildings. These late 19th-century | | | | walls, unfinished ceilings and exposed duct work. |
| period buildings had prior uses as factories, | | | | Many industrial reuse lofts have only partial height |
| sweatshops and warehouses. In the pioneering period | | | | walls separating rooms or areas within the space. |
| of SoHo lofts, most SoHo buildings not zoned as | | | | Some lofts even have industrial-era freight elevators |
| residential and the lofts were being used illegally as | | | | that open into the living space. |
| living space. In 1971, New York City legalized the | | | | A more recent trend, which is particularly popular in |
| residential use of space in the SoHo and loft living | | | | Washington, DC, is to build new construction loft |
| became popular throughout the neighborhood. Loft | | | | developments. Developers recreate the industrial feel |
| living spread to other previously industrial Manhattan | | | | of loft architecture with exposed duct work, dual |
| neighborhoods including Tribeca, Chelsea and | | | | level living, high ceilings and industrial finishes. While |
| Greenwich Village. | | | | these purpose-built "loftominiums" don't have the |
| Beyond NY, Bohemian loft districts were established | | | | raw, bohemian feel of a traditional industrial reuse |
| in other large urban cities including the Fulton River | | | | loft, they have proven very popular with buyers in |
| District in Chicago, the Warehouse District in | | | | the seeking an urban lifestyle in the Washington, DC |
| Cleveland, the North Loop in Minneapolis, Washington | | | | market. |