When I heard there were $160,000 condos for sale in the city, I hurried down to Eastgate Village south of McCormick Place.

Unfortunately, along with many others, I was too late for the sharply priced condos -- converted from a mid-20th Century structure dubbed the Interns Building.

Instead, I toured the new -- and more expensive -- townhouse models that are part of the development at the corner of 26th Street and South Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

Located next door to Mercy Hospital in the shadow of where the highway curves past the McCormick Place complex, the development is planned for more than 400 new construction condos, duplexes and townhouses.

Though a corner of Chicago which I have not visited much, this is hardly pioneer territory. The site is between the fast-gentrifying neighborhood around the expanding McCormick complex and the large and well-established Prairie Shores properties built in the 1960s.

There is established housing in low-rise buildings across the street from the Eastgate site. A McDonald's outlet and Michael Reese Hospital are nearby.

The developers have acquired a 10-acre site next door to Mercy Hospital and worked with the city to create a tax increment financing district, which is expected to generate millions for area capital improvements.

The 40 units in the converted Cambridge Place, where prices were from $160,000 to about $223,000, sold quickly, mostly to first-time buyers and as in-town homes. The one- and two-bedroom units are 527 to 839 square feet.

Not surprisingly, a lot of them were snapped up by members of the hospital staff.

Of the new construction residences, 43 out of 63 units in the first phase have been sold. Those include both townhouses and condos. And the buyers are a mix of people moving into a first home, suburbanites wanting a downtown second home and people moving farther south from Central Station and other South Loop locations.

One popular feature of the mid-rise condo plans is that owners get a space in a shared indoor garage. Most homes also have some outdoor space, either with a patio on the ground floor or a terrace or balcony on the floors above.

The three furnished townhouse models also have access to the outside, with a smallish balcony off the kitchen/dining area and with roof decks on the fourth and top level.

The floor plan of the models is a familiar one for townhouses. The front door at the ground level opens to a flex space, a room that could be used as a family room or home office.

It connects to a two-car garage at the back of the unit, where there also is a small bath with a corner shower.

The size of the flex room varies with the size of the townhouse and in the smallest unit shown -- the almost 2,000 square foot Lincoln -- this is a 9-by-16-foot space.

In comparison, the same space is 12 1/2 by 19 feet in the 2,567-square-foot Burnham, the largest townhouse unit.

The Lincoln has been popular with singles and first-time buyers, including couples. The floor area has been maximized by the open living kitchen/dining room, 21 by 16 feet, and a separate kitchen, 12 1/2 by almost 9 feet, with an adjacent small dining area big enough for a cafe table and two chairs.

On the bedroom level, the master bedroom is 12 1/2 by nearly 14 feet and one wall is devoted to closet. The secondary bedroom is strictly a guest or small-child space, 9 by 14 feet, and is wisely shown as a home office.

Between the bedrooms is a single Jack 'n Jill bath with a door to each bedroom. It is roomy, has both a shower and tub, and dual sinks. It's a nifty solution for providing a comfortable bath with plenty of elbow room in a modest-size home.

Stairs from the bedroom floor ascend to the roof deck upstairs. At the top of the stairs is a space that might be used for storage, but is no larger than a closet.

In contrast, the McCormick model next door shows an addition to that space with access to a separate roof deck on both the north and south side of the room. This is a $45,000 upgrade and does make the indoor space big enough for a small family room or a private area with a view.

The added space and the two decks are the only way the rooftop is big enough for entertaining. The standard deck, little more than a slatted platform on top of the bedroom ceiling, is big enough -- maybe -- for several chairs but would be very tight quarters for any kind of a party.

The biggest of the homes is the Burnham, which in the model gets added light and a more open feeling thanks to two optional bays, one at the side and another at the front of the home.

With a minimum of nearly 2,600 square feet, there is more breathing room in the main living level with a living room and dining room each about 13 by 19 feet.

In a smart use of space, the model is set up with a luxe-looking walk-through galley kitchen open at one end to the dining room and the other to the living room. One side of the galley has a partial wall and eating counter which allows the side bay of the home to be used for casual dining and those preparing the food to have a view to the outside.

Sold as a three-bedroom home, the master bedroom is comfortable at 11 1/2 by 16 1/2 feet. The second bedroom, at nearly 10 by 10 1/2, feet is serviceable, but the almost 10-by-8-foot third bedroom is best for small children or the occasional guest.

These are beautifully decorated town homes, which undoubtedly has helped sales.

Although I may gasp at the thought of the Lincoln's base $470,000 price for a single or first-time buyer, the $230 to $250 per square foot price is reasonable by downtown Chicago standards.

Being so close to the sounds of a busy highway, two hospitals with potential for attendant sirens and the McCormick Place convention center would give me pause. But the location also is close to downtown, Chinatown, the lake and good transportation -- assets all.

Townhouses of Eastgate Village

Base-price range: $469,900 to $619,900

FACTS AND FIGURES

Floor areas: 1,998 to 2,647 square feet.

Annual assessment: $146

Developer: New West Realty and Mercy Developers, a partnership of Fogelson Properties and Forest City Enterprises

Web site: www.eastgatevillagechicago.com

AMENITIES

Nine-foot ceilings.

Hardwood flooring in kitchens, dining and living rooms.

Kitchens with islands, 42-inch upper cabinets, pantries and stainless steel appliances.

Master bath with double-bowl sink, soaking tub and separate walk-in shower.

Balconies and roof deck.

Community: Part of a townhouse, duplex and condominium development for nearly 500 homes next to Mercy Hospital south of McCormick Place.

GETTING THERE

Address: 2536 S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive

Phone: 312-683-0660