Stunning views from The Claridge penthouse, showcasing Dallas cityscape and Turtle Creek. — Regardless of the configuration, this is the gorgeous view.

Editor’s note: Jon Anderson is a distinguished columnist for Daltxrealestate.com, offering unparalleled insights into the luxury real estate market. His perspectives are his own and reflect years of experience.

A Vision Reimagined: Unlocking the Potential of The Claridge’s 18A/B Penthouse

In the vibrant heart of Dallas, where luxury living meets architectural grandeur, The Claridge stands as an iconic symbol of high-rise sophistication. Its penthouses, in particular, offer a canvas for bespoke living, but sometimes, even the grandest spaces require a visionary touch to unlock their full potential. This article, adapted from a compelling series of emails, delves into a fascinating challenge: how to strategically re-divide a sprawling double unit in The Claridge into two distinct, highly desirable residences. With the expertise of renowned Realtor Sharon Quist and my own architectural eye, we aim to assist a prospective condo buyer, affectionately known as “Goldilocks,” in finding the perfect fit for her luxury lifestyle. Join us as we explore innovative floor plan solutions designed to captivate the Dallas luxury real estate market.

The Claridge’s Iconic 18A/B: A Penthouse Awaiting Transformation

Our story begins with Goldilocks, an avid renovator with a keen eye for potential, who recently reached out after reading my column on Claridge unit 5D. She’s captivated by the Claridge’s double-unit 18A/B penthouse, a property that has graced the market since 2015. Over the years, this expansive 5,311-square-foot residence has seen several significant price reductions, knocking more than a million dollars off its original $2.65 million asking price. Goldilocks shrewdly recognizes that the current valuation now accounts for the much-needed renovation, bringing it tantalizingly within her grasp – almost.

Her dilemma, however, is a common one in the ultra-luxury market: at over 5,300 square feet, the unit is simply too large for her personal needs. Furthermore, the existing combined floor plan of the two original units creates a very long, somewhat disjointed space that historically boasted five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, and two half bathrooms, including the Claridge’s signature dual master bathrooms. Despite its grandeur, the current layout lacks the functionality and modern flow that today’s discerning buyers seek.

The current listing agent, Sharon Quist with Dave Perry-Miller, a respected figure in Dallas luxury real estate, confirms that the owner’s preference is to sell the unit as a whole, not re-divided. This presents a unique challenge for Goldilocks, who envisions a more perfectly scaled space. Inspired by my previous reimagining projects for units at 3525 Turtle Creek and the Gold Crest penthouse, Goldilocks proposed a bold idea: “Could you look at the floor plan and create options for dividing the unit? Perhaps if agents and prospective buyers saw the potential divisions, it might bring another buyer and myself together on a real estate-style ‘blind date’.” It’s a brilliant concept that speaks to the power of design to unlock value and create opportunities in a competitive market.

— Goldilocks

The Claridge 18A/B existing floor plan showing combined units. — Unit 18AB’s existing floor plan, highlighting the challenges of the combined space.

From Grand Scale to Granular Detail: Jon Anderson’s Approach to Reconfiguration

Dear Goldilocks, thank you for presenting such an intriguing question and challenge! You’re absolutely right, I do know Sharon Quist, and her intimate knowledge of The Claridge and input on buyer feedback are invaluable. I’m delighted to take a deep dive into reworking this unique floor plan into two distinct, highly functional, and marketable units.

My first encounter with 18A/B was about four years ago, and even then, I was struck by the soaring 12-foot ceilings and the breathtaking Turtle Creek views. Simultaneously, the sheer magnitude of the renovation needed was immediately apparent. The “B” unit, in particular, seemed to have never been fully integrated into the rest of the combined space. It felt as if, after the initial conversion of its master bedroom into an office, the inspiration for a cohesive design simply ran dry, leaving a perplexing layout that detracted from the overall potential.

To embark on such a complex re-division, the logical starting point is to meticulously examine the units’ original configurations. Understanding where all the load-bearing walls, structural columns, and plumbing risers are located is paramount; these elements dictate the art of the possible. Unit “A” was originally a spacious three-bedroom residence spanning 2,770 square feet, while unit “B” offered two bedrooms within 2,541 square feet. This historical context provides the structural blueprint for any new design.

During my discussions with Sharon regarding this specific request, she highlighted a key insight: while buyers are often enchanted by the wide-open spaces on the “A” side, they consistently struggle with how to effectively utilize or “snatch” space from the “B” side while leaving behind a unit that is still independently appealing and salable. This feedback confirms that a straightforward “A” and “B” split, simply returning to the original configuration, is unlikely to be the most viable or attractive solution for the current market. But rest assured, Goldilocks, I am fully committed to helping you find that elusive “buying buddy” who shares your vision for tailored luxury living at The Claridge.

My proposed solutions for the 18A/B penthouse fall into two primary camps, each offering distinct advantages. Firstly, we will explore a strategic division where the “A” side is expanded to maximize its footprint and luxury, while the “B” side is reconfigured into a highly desirable, albeit more petite, standalone residence. Secondly, we will delve into options that honor the original separate unit configurations but introduce subtle yet significant reworks to their individual floor plans, bringing them up to modern luxury standards. Prepare to be inspired by a wealth of possibilities – perhaps it’s time to put the kettle on, as we have many options to consider.

Innovative Divisions: Crafting Two Distinct Luxury Residences

Our initial and most transformative approach involves redrawing the dividing line between the existing units to create a significantly enhanced Unit “A” and a thoughtfully designed, still-generous Unit “B”. This strategic re-division ensures both units offer compelling value and functionality for the discerning buyer. In this model, Unit “A” strategically annexes a substantial portion of the original “B” unit’s 780-square-foot master suite. The outcome is a magnificent “A” side, expanding from its original 2,770 square feet to an impressive 3,350 square feet. Concurrently, Unit “B” is gracefully slimmed down to a refined one-bedroom residence, yet still retains a generous footprint of approximately 1,960 square feet. This carefully considered redistribution ensures that moving the dividing line any further into the “B” unit would compromise its marketability, making this configuration the optimal balance for creating two highly desirable properties.

Extended Unit “A”: Maximizing Space and Luxury

Option 1: The Integrated Sanctuary

In this first option for the extended “A” unit, the core living, kitchen, and dining areas largely retain their existing footprint, albeit with the understanding that a comprehensive kitchen remodel would be integral to the overall renovation. A key enhancement here is the strategic addition of a dedicated home office, intelligently located at the bottom of the dining room space. This placement allows for the preservation of the unit’s impressive 48-foot-long living room, a feature highly valued in luxury high-rise living. The office is designed with wide double-pocket doors, offering both privacy and the flexibility to open up the space as desired. Moving further into the unit, the original “A” master bedroom transforms into a comfortable guest suite, while the original “B” master bedroom, a substantial space roughly 18-feet square, becomes the magnificent new master suite for the extended “A” unit.

The most dramatic transformations are reserved for the private quarters of the master suite, where a truly “stupendous” master bathroom emerges. On the far right, you’ll notice the subtle encroachment into the “B” unit’s former master closet space (indicated in gray). This minor adjustment is crucial for providing essential bedroom closet space in the newly configured “Petite B” unit, a trade-off that the expanded “A” side can easily accommodate without sacrificing its own generous storage. Assuming a couple prefers a shared, luxurious experience, this option features one expansive, combined master bathroom. It boasts a double vanity for ultimate convenience, a private water closet, and the choice of either a lavish bathtub or a spacious stand-alone shower. Depending on the precise plumbing stack locations, a large wet room could also be a stunning possibility, offering a spa-like retreat within the home. Complementing this magnificent bathroom is a giant master closet, complete with a central island – a dream for any wardrobe enthusiast. Proportionally, this closet measures approximately 18-feet in length from top to bottom, providing unparalleled organization and storage.

The second, or guest, bathroom in this configuration is also thoughtfully designed, featuring a shower and a remarkably large closet. This generous storage can either remain as a singular, capacious unit or be intelligently split, with a new doorway opening added to the hallway, offering flexible storage solutions for linens or additional guest amenities. Either way, ample storage is a hallmark of this refined layout.

Option 2: Dual Comforts, Shared Grandeur

Recognizing that personal preferences for bathroom privacy vary, this option for the extended “A” unit caters to those who prefer separate facilities within the master suite. Here, we envision two distinct master bathrooms, intelligently separated by the same magnificent, generously sized closet introduced in Option 1. This configuration allows for individual “His” and “Hers” bathrooms, each offering a private sanctuary. Instead of the expansive second closet seen in Option 1, this design sees it thoughtfully returned to its original configuration as a guest bath, and a smaller, dedicated closet for the “His” bathroom. This provides the ultimate balance of personal space and shared luxury within the master suite, ensuring both comfort and functionality for its occupants.

Option 3: The Ultimate Wardrobe Experience

For the connoisseur of couture and organized living, Option 3 delivers another exceptional separate “His and Hers” bathroom configuration, but with an unparalleled focus on maximizing closet space. This design is a true testament to luxury living, offering close to an astounding 80 feet of linear hanging space. Imagine a wardrobe perfectly curated and meticulously organized, providing a dedicated home for every garment and accessory. This option transforms the master suite into a personal boutique, where functionality meets sophisticated design, catering to those who prioritize extensive and accessible storage as a fundamental component of their luxury lifestyle.

Petite Unit “B”: A Sophisticated Single-Bedroom Retreat

Option 1: Compact Elegance

Having redefined the “A” unit, we now turn our attention to the remaining portion of the original “B” unit, which is thoughtfully transformed into a sophisticated and highly functional single-bedroom residence. The entire design of this unit hinges on the strategic placement and meticulous optimization of the bedroom and its adjoining bathroom. Due to these fundamental anchors, there is truly only one configuration that maximizes both space and functionality effectively.

What was previously a smaller guest bath is ingeniously expanded, seamlessly integrating into the former wet bar area. This allows for the creation of a luxurious double vanity and the flexibility of either a spacious bathtub or an elegant stand-alone shower, elevating the bathroom experience significantly. The newly designated “master” suite within this Petite “B” unit also gains a crucial portion of the original master bath, which is cleverly repurposed to provide a good-sized walk-in closet. This closet, measuring a generous five feet wide, offers approximately 18 feet of linear hanging space on one side, with a clever bump-in adding another five feet to the other side, ensuring ample storage for a single-bedroom unit. It’s important to note that the existing A/C closet is a fixed element and cannot be relocated, a common consideration in high-rise renovations.

Beyond the private quarters, the unit’s main living space is largely designed to optimize an open and airy feel. To further enhance this, we propose removing the wall that currently separates the kitchen and dining room. This architectural adjustment would not only create a more contemporary, free-flowing living area but also allow for the integration of a stylish and functional island, perfect for casual dining, entertaining, and additional prep space. While a million intricate details are possible with any of these plans – from material selections to lighting design – this blueprint represents the bare bones, demonstrating how the original “A” and “B” spaces can be effectively reconfigured into a larger, more luxurious “A” unit and a still eminently salable, perfectly appointed “B” unit. This strategic division opens the property to a broader range of buyers, addressing the previous challenge of its oversized, monolithic nature.

Reimagining Original Footprints: Subtle Enhancements for Modern Lifestyles

While the first vision focuses on a bold re-division, we also understand that some discerning buyers might ultimately prefer the option of owning one of the original units, provided their layouts are optimized for contemporary living. This scenario becomes particularly appealing if the adjusted price point for a single unit aligns with their investment strategy. It’s also important to acknowledge that not every potential buyer would initially consider viewing a 5,311-square-foot double condo with the sole intention of purchasing just one half. By providing refined plans for the original separate units, we proactively address this market segment, offering clear, compelling solutions for each.

Original Unit “A”: A Masterclass in Refined Living

Above, you can see Unit 18A’s original “Armstrong” floor plan, a classic design for its era. The numbers “3,” “4,” and “5” denote the original bedrooms. The first bedroom was also ingeniously depicted as a potential study on the historical plans, showcasing early foresight into flexible living spaces. The master bedroom suite is gracefully positioned at the end of the hall, featuring a coveted “His and Hers” bathroom setup complete with separate walk-in closets, a hallmark of luxury. Across from the two spare bedrooms, a full bathroom served the needs of guests or family members. For orientation within the current combined penthouse, this original floor plan sees its living room and the first two bedrooms merged into a grand 16-foot by 48-foot living area. Similarly, the dining and breakfast areas have been combined to create a single, more expansive communal space. Our objective now is to honor the inherent strengths of this original design while introducing modern enhancements.

Option 1: Modernizing a Classic

My suggestions for this original “A” unit are focused on elegant simplification and modernization. The core idea is to largely return the “A” unit to its original, separate condition, but with several strategic, high-impact improvements:

Dedicated Home Office: The first bedroom is thoughtfully reduced in size and transformed into a sophisticated home office, complete with double pocket doors. This design choice not only provides a quiet, functional workspace but also maximizes the living room, creating the largest possible column-less expanse for entertaining and relaxation.
Restored Functionality: The second full bathroom, often essential for guests or additional family, is fully restored to its original, highly functional layout.
Optimized Master Suite: The “His and Hers” master bathrooms are carefully restored, but with a critical focus on maximizing closet space within this luxurious suite, addressing a key desire for modern luxury buyers.
Flexible Work/Flex Space: If a second dedicated office space is desired, the breakfast room presents an ideal opportunity for conversion, offering natural light and a separation from the main living areas.
Open-Concept Kitchen: The kitchen is envisioned to be opened as much as structurally feasible. While acknowledging the presence of a large structural column and/or water cavity that must remain, all other non-load-bearing walls would be removed to create a more expansive, integrated culinary and entertainment hub, reflecting contemporary living preferences.

Unit “A” Option 2: Dynamic Kitchen & Living Redesign

Building upon the principles of Option 1, this alternative for Unit “A” introduces a more dramatic reorientation of the kitchen. Here, the kitchen is transformed into a sleek “north-south” galley configuration, cleverly designed to hang off the existing structural column and water chase. This innovative layout yields approximately four additional feet of width to the left of the kitchen, significantly enhancing the proportions of the relocated living room. The living area thus gains a more generous and balanced width, while the dining room, placed in the slightly narrower space, perfectly accommodates dining table proportions, creating a distinct and elegant dining experience.

Furthermore, an opportunity exists to create an even more generous overall living space by enclosing the balcony. While I generally prefer to preserve outdoor spaces, the presence of a second balcony off the master bedroom in this unit offers a compelling trade-off for those seeking maximum interior square footage. It’s also worth noting that these sophisticated kitchen and living area reworkings are not exclusive to the “original unit” concept; they can be seamlessly integrated into the “extended A” plan options as well, offering incredible design flexibility.

Now, let’s turn our attention to the possibilities for Unit “B.”

Original Unit “B”: The Art of Efficient Luxury

Let’s first review the original “B” floor plan. Upon entering the large foyer, a convenient half-bath is situated to the right. Directly ahead, the spacious living room unfolds, offering impressive views. To the right of the living room, you’ll find the dining room, with the enclosed kitchen and a cozy breakfast nook beyond. Below the kitchen, the practical spaces of a laundry room, AC unit, and a small storage area are strategically located. To the left of the living room are the unit’s two bedrooms. Directly above the elevators, there’s a second full bath and a built-in wet bar, typical of the era. The hallway culminates at the expansive master suite, complete with its original “His and Hers” bathroom configuration. Our goal now is to modernize this layout, enhancing its appeal while preserving its inherent functionality as a standalone luxury unit.

Full Unit “B”: Option One (and Only) – Streamlined Sophistication

Similar to our approach for the original “A” unit, this option for Unit “B” focuses on a strategic simplification and modernization of the floor plan, without altering its fundamental footprint. The key objective here is to create a more open, contemporary living experience and optimize private spaces:

Open-Concept Living: The wall separating the kitchen and dining room is removed, creating a seamless and expansive open-concept living, dining, and kitchen area. This significantly enhances the flow and spaciousness of the main communal areas, perfect for modern entertaining.
Enhanced Second Bathroom: Just as in the previously discussed “Petite B” plan, the existing wet bar area is repurposed and integrated to enlarge the second bathroom. This transformation allows for a more luxurious and functional guest or secondary bath, moving beyond its original, often underutilized, design.
Optimized Master Suite: The master bathroom, while retaining its “His and Hers” potential, is thoughtfully simplified to maximize usable closet space. This balances the desire for individual amenities with the practical need for ample, well-organized storage, making the master suite a true sanctuary.

There you have it, “Goldilocks” – a comprehensive array of options designed to entice a buyer to engage in the exciting “real estate dance” with you. Whether it’s a carefully re-divided dual residency or two brilliantly modernized original units, The Claridge 18A/B holds immense potential. (Click here for a copy of the full-size graphics used in this column for detailed visual reference.)

Good luck with your quest for the perfect luxury home. Please keep us posted if sparks fly and a new vision for this remarkable penthouse begins to take shape!

Insights from a Recognized Voice in Real Estate

Remember: My passion and professional beat encompass the intricate world of high-rises, the nuances of Homeowners Associations (HOAs), and the transformative potential of property renovation. Beyond these core areas, I hold a deep appreciation for both modern and historical architecture, always balancing aesthetic value with the crucial considerations of urban development and the YIMBY (Yes In My Backyard) movement.

My commitment to insightful real estate journalism has been consistently recognized. In 2016, 2017, and 2018, the National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) honored my writing with three prestigious Bronze awards for pieces covering diverse topics such as housing styles and interiors, property taxes, and the dramatic Preston Place condo fire. Additionally, I received two Silver awards in 2016 and 2017 for my contributions to second home ownership discussions, exploring captivating properties like a home in Marrakech and the unique market of Bermuda. These accolades underscore a dedication to delivering valuable, engaging content for both industry professionals and aspiring homeowners.

Do you have a fascinating real estate story to tell, a unique challenge that needs exploring, or even a marriage proposal to share? I’d love to hear from you! Please feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected]. You can also look for me on Facebook and Twitter for more insights into the dynamic world of real estate. While my online presence might be as elusive as a perfect deal, your welcome to look!