Saturday shelterporn

Ever since the old Byrd's Department Store building at Main and Prairie was restored as lofts, we've wanted to live there. Even though we have some reservations about the noise level, especially after Carol Alvarado said her Rice Lofts windows sometimes shake with noise from the downtown clubs, we still love the little building's Art Deco exterior, huge windows, prime location and roof deck. So, naturally, we're excited to note that there's a second-floor unit available at Byrd's Lofts.

The unit has a lot of the features you'd expect from a downtown loft: wood floors, high ceilings, an open floor plan. The walls are stark white, which should make a good backdrop for your minimalist urban lifestyle (for us, that translates to "can't afford any furniture after we bought the loft"), and the kitchen has modern-looking cabinets, stainless steel appliances (of course) and an island that's half-and-half for food prep and dining. A pair of big windows look out on the street; it's not clear whether the bedrooms have windows, too, but we hope they do.

The roof is almost as good as the loft itself: a 3,500-square-foot landscaped space with a redwood deck, grill room, bar, tables and chairs and a nice view over the north end of downtown — a perfect place to entertain. We hope you'll put us on your guest list when you move in. Bedrooms: two. Bathrooms: two. Square feet: 1,453. Price: $422,500.