ABOUT OUR LIVE/WORK LOFT
Nestled within the heart of downtown Tempe is the
Urban Realty & Development Live/Work Loft. Located
at the Brickyard on Mill within the Lofts at Orchidhouse,
the Urban Realty loft is truly one of a kind! This
is our loft story:
On April of 2000, Tom & Alicia Tokoph signed
their names to purchase the North West corner
of the 5th floor at the Lofts at Orchidhouse.
With a
little vision and a lot of hard work this
open shell of post-tension concrete and steel
would one day become our office and home.
Selecting everything from lighting to flooring
to the size of the plumbing pipes in the walls,
construction began on the live/work space.
Piece by piece, the loft was put together and
in August of 2003, the loft overlooking Mill Avenue
was finally complete and Urban Realty's live/work
loft was born!
With architectural design help from Ethan &
Sarah Wessel of Tennen
Studio, the space denotes a classic modern,
minimalist style with clean lines and urban appeal.
Upon entering the loft, one is impressed with
a slight industrial feel as the exposed air handlers
and rigid ductwork line the ceiling of the foyer.
Large open spaces are created through the use
of laminated glass sliding doors and panels while
an Asian influence can be found in the warmth
of the ebony stained hardwood floors. The great
room includes the dining/meeting room and the
entertainment center, but it is dominated by the
German cabinetry of the Poggen Pohl kitchen designed
by Steve Johnson of Atelier.
Complete with Viking appliances and Sub-Zero refrigerator,
this kitchen is designed to entertain in style.
Large drawers provide ample storage space, at
the same time, etched glass upper cabinets run
horizontally above the kitchen and are lit from
the inside, providing dramatic images, especially
in the evening!
Unique design elements don't end in the kitchen;
dual paned, double hung glass windows fill the
space with light and slide open to allow the faint
buzz of the city to trickle in from below. Stainless
halogen spotlights dot the living space exposing
the concrete ceilings and support columns. Large
floor to ceiling wardrobe style cabinets line
the walls, providing much needed storage space
usually missing in most loft style homes.
The two bathrooms are also distinctive and relaxing.
Natural limestone covers the floors and walls
while the wall-hung toilets provide an extra touch
of style; the infamous Philippe Starck designed
them. Enriched with a wenge stained oak vanity
and countertop sinks, the bathrooms provide a
small-scale spa like experience.
Our live/work loft was truly a labor of love.
If you have any interest in pursuing the urban
lifestyle, we would be happy to share our experience
with you and do our best to help you find your
very own home in the heart of the city! Feel free
to call us to schedule a time to meet at our live/work
loft in downtown Tempe.
Tom Tokoph
URBAN REALTY & DEVELOPMENT
"Life is in the heart of the city" |
