Masonry contractor in the South Loop, Chicago.

Three layers: 1880s–1910s printing houses on Printers Row converted to residential lofts, early-1900s showroom and commercial buildings along Motor Row on South Michigan, and mid- to high-rise condo buildings filling the blocks between State, Wabash and Indiana. The brick on the older stock is hard-fired and built for industrial loads; the newer stock is a sealant and flashing conversation rather than a repointing one.

The neighborhood sits low and close to the lake, and much of it was built on made ground. That combination puts a lot of South Loop foundations near or below the water table. Efflorescence on basement walls, spalling at grade and damp foundation walls are the usual symptoms, and the fix is usually exterior — drain tile, waterproofing membrane and correcting where water lands, not sealing the inside face.

Yes. Printers Row is a designated Chicago Landmark district, so work on a street-facing facade goes through Commission review. We match mortar colour, joint profile and brick before submitting, and we work at preservation pace on the original hard-fired brick — that is a different mix and a different tooling than a common-brick three-flat.

Yes. The taller South Loop residential buildings fall inside the Chicago Facade Ordinance critical-examination cycle. We run the repair scope that follows an inspection report — sealant replacement, window-perimeter flashing, selective brick replacement and parapet work — coordinated with the building's engineer and the association.

Yes, and it is one of our regular South Loop scopes. Where an original stone entry has broken up, we fabricate replacement limestone to the original dimensions and profile and set it to match. On the rowhouse blocks around Dearborn Park we also rebuild failed brick step walls in limestone as a durability upgrade.

Loft and residential common-brick tuckpointing runs $8–$22 per sq ft. Landmark-district facade work on Printers Row runs $20–$45 per sq ft because of the Commission review and matched materials. Mid-rise and high-rise condo scope runs $20–$45 per sq ft. Exterior foundation drain tile and waterproofing is quoted by linear foot after the on-site read. See the cost page for the full ranges.