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Beyond the Curb: River City Living visits stunning mix of old and new in Newport’s Tailor Lofts


Tailor Lofts in Newport is an apartment building like no other in Northern Kentucky. Episode 3 of Beyond the Curb’s virtual home tour series highlights the stunning mix of old and new elements in one of the loft units.

The building that houses Tailor Lofts was constructed in 1903 as Eilerman Department Store. The first floor was the showroom, selling clothing and hats for men and boys. The second and third floors were most likely used for storage and tailoring, inspiring the Tailor Lofts name. Before air conditioning the 14-16 foot ceilings and windows placed high on the walls helped to circulate air and kept the spaces cooler.

When Tony Kreutzjans, owner of Orleans Development, first saw the interior of the building, he realized it would be his most historically intact project. However, there were a few challenges with the space. One was that the windows, though large, started at 8’ off the floor, making it impossible to enjoy the city views without standing on a ladder. Another challenge, which Kreutzjans saw as an opportunity, was making full use of the volume of space.

The final design for the apartments on the second floor called for the construction of three levels. A platform raises the main living space so residents can look out the windows. A second platform creates a loft bedroom and closet area above the kitchen.

One of the stunning features of the Tailor Lofts apartments is the use of contrasting materials, pairing rustic plaster walls with new drywall, the patina on the original tin ceilings with fresh white walls and “leathered” granite counters with sleek kitchen cabinets.

Residents can park and enter from the Orchard Street side of the building and enjoy a Dye Brothers mural that references the advertising from Eilerman’s store. It says, “We heartily invite you to our bright new store. Everyone is welcome.”

This is the twenty-third episode in Beyond the Curb: River City Living series, all of which can be watched at www.BeyondtheCurb.org. There is a new episode every Friday.


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