This six-room loft townhome at 640 Congdon Ave. in Elgin is located inside an unlikely place: a 52,000-square-foot former factory whose last industrial tenant moved out in 1990. Built in 1891 for the shoe manufacturer George W. Ludlow Co., the brick landmark was later occupied by shoe maker Selz-Schwab from 1893 to 1929. Women’s clothier Brody Inc. took over the space from 1952 to 1990. The building, a remnant of the days when Elgin’s manufacturers produced shoes in large numbers, was converted into upscale townhomes and condominiums in the late 1990s. Features in this unit include exposed original wood beams and ductwork, an oak kitchen, glass-block Art Deco touches, original wood floors and built-in bookcases. BY THE NUMBERS: Three levels, 1,725 square feet, three bedrooms, two baths, one garage space.
