Moving on Up – Penthouse Renovation on Lakewood’s Gold Coast
Blog #1 of 3 in a series
Our team at Dover was honored with the 2017 NARI Contractor of the Year (CotY) Award: 1st Place, Interior Renovation, for an upscale penthouse transformation. For the next three weeks, designer and guest blogger Shelley Bujdos will take you on a behind-the-scenes tour of this award-winning project. Enjoy the fabulous design, the beautiful finishes—and the spectacular view!
Retirement and family brought these homeowners back to their Midwest roots. They left their 3,500-sq.-ft. home on the East Coast for a penthouse condo on Lakewood’s Gold Coast.
The new living space: an 1,800-sq.-ft. suite on the 30th floor of the iconic Winton Place with 1960s laminate cabinets, dated plumbing fixtures, a choppy layout, and bare concrete floors—but with breathtaking panoramic views of Lake Erie and the downtown Cleveland skyline. From the moment they first walked into the condo, the homeowners could see past its outdated interior: Their vision was a comfortable, modern living space that showcased the stunning lakefront view.
A BUILDING WITH HISTORY
The 30-story apartment building was completed in 1963. At the time, it was the tallest apartment structure between New York and Chicago. Years later, the units were individually sold as condominiums and included a host of attractive amenities like a full-time concierge.
A prominent family purchased the building’s entire 30th floor, but only resided in a portion of it. For many years, the other units remained vacant to ensure their privacy. When the units went on the market, the homeowners purchased the three bedroom corner penthouse unit.
THE PENTHOUSE: RENOVATION CHALLENGES
This project was both a challenge and an absolute delight, and one that I’m so proud to have managed from the design standpoint. Our team incorporated the homeowners’ wants and needs, while navigating the unique restrictions that came with renovating living space in a 50-year-old high rise building.
Plumbing and electrical updates were needed throughout the unit, but all mechanicals were tied in 29 stories below. Working closely with the building management team, our engineers and architects developed a plan to upgrade all systems and created a new layout that included eliminating walls and reconfiguring the space, while adhering to building restrictions and updated code requirements.
All building materials had to be cut to fit inside the small freight elevator for transport to the 30th floor, which meant we had to be thoughtful about how we fabricated cabinets, trim, countertops, etc.
Be sure to check out the blog next week when I’ll move on to layout and design.
Shelley Bujdos
