5-Bedroom Lincoln Park Contemporary Now Listed Under $4 Million: 838 W. Webster
We last chattered about this 5-bedroom contemporary at 838 W. Webster in Lincoln Park in April 2011.
See our prior chatter here.
If you remember, the house is an AIA design interior architecture award winner.
Built in 2004 on an oversized 48×115 lot, the living room has 20 foot high ceilings and a wall of windows which opens onto the 22×40 courtyard.
In all, the house has 2400 square feet of outdoor space in 7 locations.
The finishes are what you would expect from a luxury home.
There is a Poliform kitchen with stainless steel appliances and black granite counter tops.
The house also has a rare attached 3-car garage which is accessed through the kitchen.
What price will it take to finally sell this house?
Millie Rosenbloom at Baird & Warner still has the listing. See the pictures here.
838 W. Webster: 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 3 car garage, 6920 square feet
- Sold in October 2001 for $1.615 million (the prior house)
- Was listed in September 2010 for $4.95 million
- Withdrawn in January 2011
- Reduced
- Was listed in April 2011 for $4.4 million
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $3.895 million
- Taxes now are $42123
- Central Air through 4 HVAC units
- Basement rec room
- Bedroom #1: 19×14 (second level)
- Bedroom #2: 19×15 (second level)
- Bedroom #3: 15×15 (third level)
- Bedroom #4: 15×15 (third level)
- Bedroom #5: 11×13 (third level)
I could live here. I like Glascotts, Kelly’s etc
Only 3 full baths? Struggle.
I love modern homes, but this one seems cold and sterile like an office.
It’s not contemporary, it’s clinical.
The interior has all the warmth and lighting normally reserved for an operating room.
I am glad they added a sneeze guard to the staircase.
“What price will it take to finally sell this house?”
I’ve got to think that they’re getting close. I’ll guess $3.5 to $3.6 million.
I like it, but would probably change a few things, I think some big white on white italian marble tile in the living room would brighten it up a bit and make it look a little cleaner, everything else besides that red bathroom I really like, but I couldn’t afford this in my lifetime anyway so whatever
Very convenient to the Athenian Room. Kalamata chicken, anyone?
“Very convenient to the Athenian Room.”
Apparently not convenient enough to warrant mention in the MLS blurb, unlike this one:
http://cribchatter.com/?p=7749
i love modern but something’s cold about the floors in this place. i like studio dwell a lot more. i’d get me one of those urban sandbox places if i win the lotto.
also i think the curb appeal is VERY cold and un-inviting. modern can also be “warm” you just have to do it right.
Long time lurker, first time poster….I have always hated this house. Granted, I am biased against this type of architecture, but when you look at it in context to the street it’s on, it is even worse and quite frankly detracts from the beautiful, more traditional homes that make up the rest of this block.
4 million? um no. rent it or be prepared to sell for under 3 million, closer to 2.5 million.
I like modern, even ultramodern, but I agree with the critics on this one. It’s modern done wrong.
“also i think the curb appeal is VERY cold and un-inviting. modern can also be “warm” you just have to do it right”
Couldn’t agree more. You need some warm wood tones, warm greys to warm this place up. And no one should do a red bath if they plan on selling….way to personal of taste and most dislike.
It reminds me of a Dutch office building. I feel like a place like this will only sell to someone who ‘knocks on the door and makes an offer’ so to speak – as if marketing it is really a waste of time. It’s such a specific taste.
“i like studio dwell a lot more”
Easily the best contemporary residential architects in the city right now.
It’s fugly.
I love this place.
TFW. And it should have a fourth full bath and a second half bath for that much space and money.
Don’t like the outside but the interior is modern done right.
I would replace all the hardwood and the tile floors in the living areas with dark, broad hardwood. And this place needs some creative wall hangings. And some kind of tie-in to State so they can just send the gold diggers over instead of me having to walk a block to lure them over.
I could live here too CH as it is close to McGees, etc. But then there is that issue of $4mm and 42k taxes LMAO.
This absentee owner is gonna take a post-modern bath LOL. The a-hole deserves it for doing this to this traditional street & not even living here. Goes to show money can’t buy good taste.
Still like the place and I do not think that the guy is an A-hole for building it on that street. Live a little or perhaps Bob should move to South Elgin where all the town homes on the street are matchy matchy. Chicago is diverse….get over it.
As for the tile floors I can see how some see them as office appropriate and not warm and homey. They would not have been my first choice however I think that they fit perfectly for the minimal modern house.
For some reason that red bath makes me think of the old McDonald’s buildings. Didn’t they used to do a striped red and white tile combo?
“The a-hole deserves it for doing this to this traditional street & not even living here. Goes to show money can’t buy good taste.”
I agree with this.
What makes you think it belongs to an absentee owner? The architect who designed it lives there with his rich, but not rich enough wife.
Way, way overpriced.
And looks like a medical office in some random German suburb.
Beautiful interior. The outside could have been better.
I’m probably 10+ years from being able to afford this place but if I had the cash-flow now i’d offer 3 and some change. Unless, y’know, they want to sell it to me for a mil. that would be great.
I do think it would look better with some hardwood in a few of the rooms, it would add some warmth. The slate (?) is nice but definitely adds to the sterile atmosphere a bit.
It would also look better with some fuzzy rugs.
I agree Bob2. Even though I would have used a slightly different terms to describe the sentiment : )
I dont even really like this but Mediocre Modernism > Disneyland-faux Historic-WannabePotterPalmer-Bullshit. Contextualism is for pussies. This is souless trash:
http://www.urbanrealestate.com/property/1906-N-Burling-CHICAGO-IL-60614-L44L5E2D4SFJ2.html
Bob2, keep preaching. Somebody has to enlighten these people.
I don’t know if I’ll ever understand the logic of building something that is so specific to your own tastes, and at such a price tag, if you aren’t going to keep it forever. Is the guy so arrogant to believe that his taste will appeal to all?
“Is the guy so arrogant to believe that his taste will appeal to all?”
I’d bet on “he’s so arrogant, he thought he could live there forever”.
“What makes you think it belongs to an absentee owner? The architect who designed it lives there with his rich, but not rich enough wife.”
I’ve walked by it a few times and never seen a light on or silhouette indicating anyone is in there. Thought it was an oil sheik or somethin’..
“Chicago is diverse….get over it. ”
Diverse as in stupidity with wealth abounds? Yeah I’ll agree with that.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever understand the logic of building something that is so specific to your own tastes, and at such a price tag, if you aren’t going to keep it forever. Is the guy so arrogant to believe that his taste will appeal to all?”
Maybe because if you are designing your own home and dropping millions of dollars into it you want something that appeals to yourself, something that YOU will actually enjoy living in… not something you imagine the masses would enjoy living in.
The holiday season is in full swing based on the abundance of Halloween decorations I’m seeing around the city. This house is tailor-made for a fantastic tree and lighting display in that living room window – get some “stagers” to pull out all the stops and create a buyer-bait “winter wonderland!”
What do you guys think of this modern place:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1932-N-Sheffield-Ave-60614/home/13352014
Not sure about the location but I like the interior.
“Maybe because if you are designing your own home and dropping millions of dollars into it you want something that appeals to yourself,”
happens a lot. see Too Legit: The MC Hammer Story for another good example
I’d take it off their hands if they want to give it away, except the taxes alone are almost twice my total current monthly mortgage payment!
Also, way to close to Sweet Mandy B’s.
yos, that location is certainly not as good as the subject property, but at less than half the price, it’s quite nice.
curious, whats wrong with the location of the sheffield house? its not on the tracks or anything and sheffield there isn’t very busy
It’s not that the Sheffield house is a horrid location. But as a general guideline for LP properties, I first ask: What’s closer, the river or the lake/park? Sheffield is arguably nicer a bit farther north (even if it gets busier). And, assuming that families would be interested in either property, whereas the Webster property is within a short/pleasant stroll to Oz, the Sheffield property will either involve a bit of a hike or getting in the car to get to a big park/nice playground. Again, it’s a nice place (and folks do buy less impressive houses in less desirable locations in this city in the $1.5 range), with a less desirable location than the Webster property (which, as I noted yesterday, is already TFW).
I’ve always wondered about this house; it looks so strange on that stretch of Webster.
I actually prefer the physical location of the Sheffield house, but I don’t really care about being close to the park or lake. You are close to the train, Trader Joe’s, a ten minute walk (max) to Oz, all the North/Clybourn shopping, all the Armitage/Halsted shopping and restaurants. There is also a fantastic playground (including spray pool) at Maud/Seminary, and street parking is likely much easier here than on Webster. That said, this stretch of Sheffield is a really strange mix of dumpy rentals and nice houses. As a whole, it hasn’t been as improved upon as the same stretch south of Armitage when you start heading west to Bissell, Fremont, Dayton, etc. It’s really a pretty ugly street. And then there was the whole dog fighting ring issue at Sheffield/Maud.
Thanks for the info on the alleged dog ring. I toured this place – very nice but I was concerned about the south end of Sheffield – and that was before I knew about the allegations. I’m surprised the West side of the street hasn’t been gentrified yet. I assume the East side never will be given it abuts the El. Any info on how noisy this area is at night? Concerned about frat parties.
I meant to say head east toward Bissell, Fremont, and Dayton. Oops. Those two blocks of Sheffield between Armitage and Willow almost feel like they should be in a different neighborhood than the same stretch on Bissell, Fremont, or Dayton. However, in my opinion that is mainly because far fewer of the houses/condos/apartments on Sheffield have been razed and replaced, kept up nice, or updated, as opposed to Bissell, Fremont, Dayton.
I live near here and regularly walk this stretch of Sheffield, and have never felt unsafe. (I really do love the location.) It is a completely gentrified street, with one bad apple, as far as I can tell. The owners/renters of that house are not at all representative of the people who live on that street. It is mostly families, students, professionals, and very nice. I just find it strange that the improvements haven’t really hit that street yet in full force.
cordy – thanks for your opinion!
“It’s really a pretty ugly street. And then there was the whole dog fighting ring issue at Sheffield/Maud.”
“Thanks for the info on the alleged dog ring. I toured this place – very nice but I was concerned about the south end of Sheffield – and that was before I knew about the allegations.”
Except that there was no evidence of dog fighting, the pit bulls were in perfect condition, there was no evidence of drug dealing… just a bunch of rich yuppies scared of poor black people with dogs.
Story Here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-schmich-1002-20111002,0,7228373.column?page=1
Notice I used “alleged” and “allegations”. I had already read the article you linked. Its obvious the house in question is an eyesore on the block and needs to be considered when assessing the value of the home.
Bob 2: Do you really have to use the C word to get your point across? This is a real estate blog, not a frat house.
Notice I used “alleged” and “allegations”
I did notice, but wanted to make sure you knew of the truth rather than gossip. And I would like to commend you for using “alleged”, too many people just to conclusions on things like this, especially on this site.
Yeah, yeah.
I’ve lived near; scratch that; I’ve lived IN at least a couple of houses (i) in which one or more (large/Staffordshire) pit bulls also resided (ii) in expensive areas. None of us in those houses were black, but the neighbors were plenty unhappy about us living there.
I don’t have anything against pit bulls, but I’m not at all interested in living nearby pit bulls (or the vast majority of their enthusiasts), let alone nearby one or more houses KNOWN for their pit bulls (note that I also know some very buttoned-up pit owners, i.e., no ink, no drinking and “lookin’ hard” out in front of house, etc.). Certainly not if I were paying one or two or four million dollars for my house.
I’m no fan of the North Face-fleece-d-bag set in LP either, but (i) they’re not likely to harm my property value and (ii) their dogs, while just as (if not more) likely to bite my kid as a pit, won’t kill her.