Sexy in the city: from historic landmark to hot urban living, several downtown Dallas buildings have been transformed into magnets for young professionals.

Cigar lounge, restaurant and bar, room service and concierge sound like services found at hotels rather than in apartments, but those are design elements and services used in several downtown Dallas rehabilitated historic buildings.

With marketing campaign themes of "Sexy in the City" and "Ultra Urbanism," the Davis Building, DP&L Flats and Mosaic are designed to cater to young, urban professionals.

Those communities, owned by Hamilton Properties Corp., Denver, and managed by Dallas-based Trigon Management, offer young, edgy lifestyles.

The marketing and design ideas are "so progressive and very different," said K. Ryan Baldwin, President and COO of Trigon, which manages 24 garden-style, low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise apartment communities.

Baldwin explained that the lifestyle offered by these downtown Dallas communities with restaurants in their lobbies, bars on the pool decks and large fitness centers is "fun and frisky, something lively," creating exactly what young renters are looking for: a social environment.

"The social draw makes them feel at home. They are right out of college and they are accustomed to a social atmosphere," he said. "They are at a transitional stage of life, not ready to give it all up." So, Hamilton and Trigon developed these communities with social opportunities in mind.

In fact, Baldwin said, residents often go to the lobby restaurants or bars to have drinks or dinner together. Because residents enjoy the downtown location so much, where everything is within walking distance, they sometimes grocery shop together, too.

While upscale urban living may seem out of reach for some young renters, the Dallas scene is different. Large companies, such as AT&T, Blockbuster and KPMG, are headquartered in Dallas, providing young professionals the jobs and the means to live in these high-end communities.

"Young attorneys, medical professionals, accountants and others have the money and they are paying the rents," Baldwin said. "Youthful yuppies ... 30-something millionaires ... they want to see and be seen."

Progressive Design

Engaged by development companies early on, Trigon is hired to help a developer choose a location for construction or an existing building for rehab; consult on the design of the building, apartment homes and common areas; select a target group of residents; and shape a creative marketing campaign and building design for that audience of potential renters.

When selecting a building for rehab, Baldwin studies the layout and architecture and considers the possibilities for the design of the common areas--an important element in a community. Trigon and Hamilton choose progressive designs to make spaces work. They use creative lighting, furnishings and selective painting to create residential spaces out of former offices, Baldwin said.

The Dallas Power & Light project (DP&L Flats) was originally slated as a "catch-all facility for all age groups," Baldwin said. But as he became involved with the project with Hamilton, he realized it could not cater to an older demographic. He changed the marketing campaign from something sophisticated, classy and upscale to something fun and youthful to target younger residents.

The historic art deco buildings were built between 1904 and 1940 for J.W. Crowdus Drug Co., and for Dallas Power & Light, respectively. The drug company occupied the eastern tower from 1904 to 1931, while numerous oil companies began occupancy in 1932. The 19-story Dallas Power & Light building, located to the west, was home to the utility company from 1931 under various incarnations until Hamilton Properties purchased it in 2003.

The two-tower structure has a beauty and grandeur all its own, Baldwin said, with a stained-glass transom and art deco features, such as a chandelier in the lobby.

The current design incorporates a restaurant and bar--Fuse--in the middle of the lobby of the residential high-rise, similar to what might be found in a boutique hotel, Baldwin said. Dog treats are available at the hostess stand and residents can walk their dogs through the restaurant to get outside.

Ultra Urban

The innovative design--a collaborative effort of Ike Isenhour, BGO Architects, Gardens Inc. and Kul Design Studio--of the 158-residential-unit community with 25,000 square feet of retail space is working. The grand opening of DP&L Flats on June 9, 2005, was celebrated with the Dallas Mavericks cheerleaders, male and female models from Neiman-Marcus (a nearby retail neighbor) and fireworks by the pool. Attending the grand opening were 1,000 residents and potential residents, mostly under age 35. Additionally, live models in ads targeted to a young, affluent, growing population have helped to bring occupancy to 89 percent.

The "frisky" marketing campaign goes straight to the heart of young renters and brings them in the door. The floor plans, amenities and design elements encourage them to become residents of DP&L Flats, 222 Browder St., Dallas.

In-unit amenities at DP&L Flats include stainless steel appliances, ceramic glass cook-tops, solid granite countertops, polished concrete or terrazzo floors, wet bars, balconies, terraces and hot tubs.

Residents also enjoy the building's 12,000-square-foot roof garden, pool, hot tub, fitness center and party deck; Fuse restaurant in the lobby and the sky bar; room service from the restaurant for residents; and other restaurants and shops in the building.

DP&L Flat's sister community, The Davis Building (above), also houses young renters. The huge banner on the once Republic National Bank building suggests that life in this place is "Sexy in the City," Trigon's marketing theme for this community.

Interior plans, designed by Beeler, Guest, Owens architects, carry out the theme. Apartments offer individualized floor plans, historic terrazzo floors, plaster and brick walls, structural concrete ceilings with exposed ductwork, oversized oval bathtubs with granite surround, separate granite showers, designer vanity lighting, stained maple cabinets and black granite countertops, black appliances and stainless shelves over sinks.

"We took spaces not designed for multi-family housing and turned them into creative space," Baldwin said. For example, they chose glass walls instead of plasterboard to make spaces feel open in the office buildings, he said.

The Davis Building, initially designed by renowned Dallas architect C.D. Hill, is part of a core group of historic buildings in downtown Dallas. The eastern part of the building, with the cupola, was built in 1926 as headquarters for the bank. At that time, it was the second tallest building in Dallas. In 1931, the western extension was added, which at the time made the facility the largest office building in Texas.

The bank was housed there until 1954 when the building was named in honor of Wirt Davis, long-time chairman of the bank.

Hamilton Properties purchased the classic revival building in 1997 and held the grand opening for the newly rehabbed residential facility on Nov. 20, 2003.

With a Web site. www.thedavisbuilding.com, playing soulful trip-hop, there is little doubt about who lives at 1309 Main St., Dallas: a group of hip, young, savvy professionals seeking an urban lifestyle.

Individuality of Space

Hamilton Properties is working on a third historic building rehab in downtown Dallas called Mosaic (www.mosaicdallas.com). Leasing is slated to begin in early summer, and the grand opening is scheduled for November.

Unlike the other two communities that are targeted solely to young renters, Mosaic will be home to a mixed population of younger and older residents. With a marketing campaign themed "Ultra Urbanism," Mosaic has a condo-type finish, Baldwin said.

Solariums with sliding doors bring the outside in, and the exposed ceilings are more finished than the ceilings in the other buildings.

In contrast, The Davis Building has rough, broken walls of plaster and brick, and open four-walls offset at angles. DP&L Flats is more finished than Davis, using high-quality granite and cabinets and creating a sense of openness by leaving a one-bedroom without a door.

"We are bringing a sense of individuality to the space at Mosaic," Baldwin said. Residents are offered a choice of three designer finish-out packages for their units; stainless steel appliances, ceramic glass cook-tops and granite countertops in the kitchen; solariums; polished concrete or terrazzo floors; private terraces and balconies; and granite surrounds for tubs and showers. Terraces may add up to 1,000 square feet to an apartment.

In the 440-unit building, residents and non-residents can enjoy the 7,500-square-foot Pulse fitness club with juice bar, spa and disc jockey booth. The upscale Scene restaurant in the lobby offers room service to residents.

Residents also can log on to wireless Internet access in public areas; secured garage parking with multiple spaces per unit; rooftop zero edge giant pool; outdoor fire pit, kitchen and private cabanas; poker and cigar lounge; 24-hour valet and concierge; and a media room, game room and club room.

In addition to the design features of the apartments and common areas, Mosaic appeals to Baby Boomers because of its history. Baby Boomers may remember their parents working in this facility, which was constructed in the 1950s. This connection to the building is valuable, Baldwin said.

"Being able to relate to a building or a location is crucial," Baldwin said. And the Baby Boomers have a connection to this former Fidelity Union Life Insurance building. "It is part of the city, part of a way of life," he said.

Most developers don't view this building as historic or beautiful, Baldwin said, but the 1.2 million-square-foot building has a historic status.

And while the location is not often considered attractive for residential development, Baldwin and Hamilton Properties find that being on the commuter rail line, near the growing Dallas arts district and on Thanksgiving Square Park gives the neighborhood the potential to become a cool urban living space.

And that is what it's all about--a cool living space with a hot social scene.

Rachel F. Goldberg is a freelance writer who lives in Alexandria, Va.