Some favorite things to do during the lazy, dog days of summer are barbecuing, dozing on a lawn chair or sitting on the porch watching the world go by.
In Chicago’s climate, this fleeting pastime isn’t limited to homeowners with back yards. Apartment dwellers with balconies or back porches also indulge in these outdoor activities and, in many cases, the extra living space.
Typically advertised as “private,” a balcony is the personal outdoor space extending from an apartment with access usually from the living-room or dining-room area. “Private,” as opposed to the rooftop or midlevel terraces or decks that apartment buildings keep open to all residents for communal pool use, parties, barbecues and sunbathing.
“It’s a big benefit for city dwellers in particular to have some outdoor living space within the limits of urban living,” says Dan Boyd, manager of The Apartment Source, a Chicago-based rental service. “About 30 percent of apartment seekers want access to the outdoors; a private balcony is an amenity on many seekers’ apartment wish list, mainly to barbecue.”
Balconies are used as places to store bicycles and sporting equipment, grow a mini vegetable garden, watch summer air shows and firework displays, sunbathe, lounge on a lawn chair, read or host small gatherings, such as barbecues or Fourth of July parties.
“I’m nosy. I use my balcony to peek into the apartments of the people across the street,” admits one Lakeview resident, who uses his binoculars and balcony for another hobby, to find constellations on clear nights.
For the residents of the 11th Street Lofts at 1020 S. Wabash, it’s a popular perk to urban living. “Residents love the balconies; it’s a big, big plus in the city, where space and outdoor activities are limited,” says Anne Neri Kostiner, chief operating officer of Annie Properties Inc., which owns and manages the midsize loft building and 12 other loft buildings in Chicago.
“Even though there’s a common deck on the roof, having a balcony offers residents an added benefit of privacy,” Kostiner adds. “New and rehabbed buildings are being built today with balconies because it’s an amenity that people look for.”
On the north end of Chicago’s Loop, nearly all of the 310 apartment units at 200 N. Dearborn have a private balcony, many decorated with small grills, potted plants and lawn chairs. “Residents say it’s a favorable amenity,” says Laurie Farrell, assistant property manager of the modern high-rise, “not only for the relaxing outdoor feel, but for the great city view.”
For one suburban apartment building, balconies are a yearly challenge. The AMLI at Poplar Creek in Schaumburg holds its annual summer contest to name the prettiest balcony. Residents plant vegetables and flowers and decorate their areas with knickknacks and colored lights to transform the 196-unit low-rise apartment complex into a showcase.
“Balconies are an extension of living space that lends the homey feel and reflects residents’ personal touch to an apartment,” says Becky Stumpe, regional property manager of Oak Brook-based Lincoln Property Co., which owns and manages four midrise apartment buildings in the Chicago area. “People hang bird feeders, flower boxes and host barbecues–things you’d see in suburban or city back yards.”
At Cobbler Square in Chicago’s Old Town, each loft unit has a large, enclosed wooden balcony that emits a cozy, back-yard feel with the slats tall enough to drape a full laundry line and to enjoy complete solitude while sunbathing.
Most apartment buildings, both in Chicago and the suburbs, don’t have restrictions on what people can and cannot put on their balconies or porches. One warning, however, for residents of Windy City high-rises is to place items outside that are heavy enough not to blow off. Local fire codes do prohibit barbecues at some suburban apartment buildings because of their structural materials.
Chicago’s Department of Buildings warns apartment renters against barbecuing on porches or balconies because the grill may create a potential fire if coals are not properly extinguished or the grill is left unattended and a wooden structure or furniture catches on fire.
“I feel like I live in a sardine can in my apartment, and the balcony is my only means of fresh air,” says one Chicago renter who resides on the 26th floor of her North Side high-rise. “I’m sometimes a little leery about stepping on it, though. I’ve lived here three years and have never been asked by the building engineer to inspect it. I wonder how many high-rise apartments have unsafe balconies?”
Almost every warm season, you hear news accounts of balconies or porches collapsing as a result of deteriorated building structures or of too many people crowding onto the weight-limited space. Modern balconies typically are constructed with concrete or brick materials and tend to be sturdier than their older counterparts.
According to Chicago’s Department of Buildings, many vintage porches in Chicago are more than 50 years old and hold greater risk for accidents than balconies or porches found on modern structures.
“Each summer, hundreds of Chicagoans celebrate warm weather by hosting parties on their back porches,” says Commissioner Cherryl T. Thomas of the Chicago Department of Buildings, which enforces building codes to ensure properties are safe and sanitized.
According to the Department of Buildings, several residents on a porch or balcony is acceptable, but a large crowd increases the chance a serious accident will occur.
“There is a strong possibility that porches will collapse when too many people are standing on them. Porches are designed to be a secondary means of exiting in case of fire, not a place for large parties or barbecues,” Thomas says.
Sixteen people were injured in May 1997 when a porch attached to a vintage building in Chicago collapsed as a result of too many party-goers on the structure.
The Department of Buildings says building owners are responsible for ensuring safe balconies or porches for their residents. Thomas recommends that all building owners hire a licensed, professional contractor to fully inspect the porch or balcony each summer. If residents don’t see their landlords checking, they should ask them to have the balconies professionally checked before the summer begins.
Residents, too, should look for signs of a decaying porch or rickety balcony, including rotting wood; loose or missing slats or rails; rusting nails; and shifting or rocking movements when walking on it.
Security also is an issue with balconies. Balconies should be out of arm’s reach for burglars; trees and branches around the property should not allow access to them.
Chicago building owners can call the Department of Consumer Services at 312-744-9400 to ensure contractors are licensed in Chicago.
If you suspect your balcony or back porch is not safe, contact your landlord or building owner for immediate inspection.
