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What's Brewing

Lofty ideas led to store

By SUSAN THURSTON
Published September 29, 2006

By night's end, about 200 people file in and out of the small storefront. Soft techno music fills the air. People sip wine and nibble cheese cubes.

Similar events happen all the time at local art openings and networking parties. Only this time the draw is a new store on 12th Street in the Channel District that sells vases, wall art and lamps. Home accessories, basically. The kicker: Much of the merchandise is designed for lofts.

Jill Lifsey opened District Designs on the ground floor of the Meridian condo building in January to help expose people to loft living, an emerging concept in Tampa. Decorating a loft, with its open floor plan, limited storage and industrial-style finishes, isn't like decorating a tract house or a historic bungalow.

It takes special consideration. Lifsey knows it firsthand. She moved into a 2,000-square-foot unit in the Victory Lofts from a 3,400-square-foot home on Harbour Island.

Lifsey and her husband, Stan, were among the first residents of the Victory Lofts, a two building, 90-unit condo complex on 12th Street. They live in a two-level penthouse unit on the sixth floor facing Tampa's skyline. Lifsey's store is across the street.

The loft has floor-to-ceiling windows, polished concrete floors and a metal staircase leading to the bedroom area. A 400-square-foot balcony offers dramatic sunset and downtown views.

Lifsey decorated the loft with high ceilings and gritty features in mind: large wall art pieces, tall vases and bold fabrics. She brought some of her furniture from her old house. What didn't blend, she put in storage.

Loft living required she use every inch of the space wisely without cluttering it. She put dishes and glassware on sleek shelves to make up for the sparse cabinet space and created his-and-hers closets and full baths.

The result is a modern but cozy living space perfect for a working couple wedded to urban living.

The Lifseys decided on Channel District at a time when the area was mostly just plans on paper. The Victory Lofts was the first major project to open. The 37-unit Meridian followed, and several others are under construction.

The Lifseys are South Tampa natives who left for more urban environs but returned. Jill, 34, attended the Academy of Holy Names and Loyola University in New Orleans. Stan, 28, graduated from Plant High and lived outside New York City for several years. He works in business development services for Smith & Associates Realtors, securing sites for projects.

The couple wanted to be part of the city's future - him on the residential planning end and her on the decorating end. They live and work in the neighborhood, keeping tabs on all the new projects and walking to area restaurants.

Blazing the trail hasn't always been easy. Stan figures he's pulled six nails out of his tires because of all the construction. Jill has no parking for her store and has to keep the door closed to keep out the dust.

But things are gradually evolving. More people have moved into the area - probably 150 - and buildings are starting to take shape. The opening of Meridian Avenue, with its decorative lighting and winding sidewalk, has improved access and added green space.

Although Lifsey's store serves primarily as a home base for her interior decorating business, foot traffic has certainly increased. People are more curious about loft living and eager to give it a try.

The Victory Lofts has a mix of residents: working professionals, empty nesters, even a few families. A lot of them want to re-create the urban experience they've had elsewhere. Others want to downsize and leave behind the yard work.

A few of the units are for sale, including a 1,000-square-foot unit for $292,000. Realtors recognize that people either love the concept or hate it.

The Lifseys are definitely among the former and often entertain friends to show off the space. Many can't visualize living in a big room with concrete floors and ceilings, a view of an old flour mill from their bed.

But once they see it, things all make sense.

LAST DROP: The condo market may be cooling, but it's definitely not frozen in Tampa. The Element, a 32-story tower downtown near Cass and Tampa streets, is set to start construction in a few weeks. The 395-unit project comes from the makers of SkyPoint a few steps away. For sales information, call 514-4145.

Susan Thurston can be reached at thurston@sptimes.com or 226-3394.

[Last modified September 28, 2006, 08:05:25]