We Love Unique 3-Bedroom Triplex Lofts in the Donohue: 711 S. Dearborn in Printers Row
This 3-bedroom triplex loft in the Donohue Building Lofts at 711 S. Dearborn in Printers Row just came on the market.
This is one of the most popular loft buildings in the city. I know many of you love it. If you haven’t been in it, be sure to check out some of the unique lofts in the annual South Loop loft walk (are they still doing that???).
Built in 1883, it was the first building converted into residential lofts in Printers Row in the 1980s.
This particular unit is one of the more unique ones I’ve seen in the building.
The listing says it is 3 one-bedroom units stacked on top of each other and connected with an internal staircase.
The top floor of the triplex is the top floor of the building so even though it has timber ceilings, there is no one above you and only your unit below you on the other two floors.
It has exposed brick on each floor and arched windows on the top floor.
The loft actually faces east so it does NOT face Dearborn.
It also has some quirks like 2 kitchens.
The main kitchen has maple cabinets and black appliances while a smaller white kitchen is on the lowest level.
At 2450 square feet, there is a library on the second floor and a 8×8 laundry room.
The loft has central air.
There’s no parking with this building but it’s available for purchase in the nearby high rise on Plymouth for $35,000.
Curbed Chicago covered this loft a few days ago and said it was bank owned.
I don’t find any indication in the public records that it is owned by the bank.
In fact, the owner appears to be one of the original owners as the last purchase was made before 1985.
That means it’s been nearly 30 years since this unit changed hands.
At $500,000, is this loft a deal for the size and location?
(And if anyone can figure out the layout- i.e. where the bedrooms are actually located – please share.)
Margie Smigel at The Margie Smigel Group has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #808: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2420 square feet
- Sold before 1985
- Currently listed for $500,000
- Assessments of $1336 a month (includes heat and cable)
- Taxes of $7285
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Parking available for $35,000 extra nearby
- Bedroom #1: 16×16 (third floor)
- Bedroom #2: 14×15 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 14×15 (second floor)
- Living room: 15×30 (main floor???)
- Dining room: 14×16 (main floor???)
- Laundry room: 8×8 (second floor)
- Library: 15×15 (second floor)
kitchen and bath – totally liveable; i’d like to modernize, but no need
wonder who the target market is
Clearly not anyone with children or pets.
“wonder who the target market is”
Not anyone with kids (or small pets), as they would fall right through those railings!
that is a truly unique loft. over $1300 in monthly assessments is insane IMO.
my oh my, groove just got a woody!!!
three levels of true loft goodness with C/A, in unit W/D, arched windows, and only 500k??????? I think tear just come out of my right eye
pic #10 — am i seeing things?
the stairs appear to take three steps up at once. don’t throw a party on the top floor…someone will break their face when you tell them the book they’re asking about is down one level.
Long time reader, first time poster, and totally OT: you should look into other hosts for Crib Chatter. It is seriously slow, especially considering that the context is all static. It was much, much faster before the redesign.
Except unit 806 probably right across the hall is a 2/2 listed at 1,800sf with a list price of 305k. And it’s been on the market a good five months with no sale yet. That’s at $169/sf while this one is at $207/sf. The smaller one has assessments of $1,120/mo with taxes of $5,418.
FISL = fucked in the south loop.
Look at this foreclosure in the Sloop that recently came on the market: MLS# 08311045 . A 1,400 2/2 foreclosure: loft 2/2 with a parking spot and a huge terrace with an ask of 236k.
Their neighbors are FISL indeed.
That will close for probably 400k+ bobbo
if not I call bank shennanigans
“Except unit 806 probably right across the hall is a 2/2 listed at 1,800sf with a list price of 305k. And it’s been on the market a good five months with no sale yet. That’s at $169/sf while this one is at $207/sf. The smaller one has assessments of $1,120/mo with taxes of $5,418.”
Bob- you’re looking at the wrong building. Unit #806 is in 720 S. Dearborn which is across the street. Completely different feel in those two buildings. Lofts are very different inside. Many buyers would not consider them comparable.
Another big difference is that there’s no in-unit washer/dryer in other loft (though the listing says it can be added- but who wants to go to the trouble to do so?)
“Long time reader, first time poster, and totally OT: you should look into other hosts for Crib Chatter. It is seriously slow, especially considering that the context is all static. It was much, much faster before the redesign.”
I’ve had the same host for nearly 6 years. If it’s slow it’s because you guys wanted weird plug-ins like thumbs up and thumbs down which mess up the site when they malfunction.
Please get rid of them then Sabrina. It is really really slow.
Cool loft, but where would I store my books? Seriously, those tiled counters gotta go.
We walked thru it last weekend during their open house. The bedrooms are on the lowest level. The owner was present so I don’t think it’s bank owned.
“If it’s slow it’s because you guys wanted weird plug-ins like thumbs up and thumbs down ”
I never look at the thumbs (old wrestling trauma) but i do on occasion vote up anything jenny says. not trying to get in her pants or anything just because i applaud quality comedy writing.
so thumbs aint my thing and would gladly give them up if i can find out faster who makes/has more money HD or Bob
consider the other duplex multi-level suburban looking dud loft that sold a few months back, this place should be sold in two months.
so 2 months and closes over list
“I’ve had the same host for nearly 6 years. If it’s slow it’s because you guys wanted weird plug-ins like thumbs up and thumbs down which mess up the site when they malfunction.”
I can’t remem anyone asking for thumbs before they first came along (I do remem people saying they liked them when they were temporarily removed after they had been in place).
I do remem the site being extremely slow–really virtually unusable at times–before the big redesign w thumbs, so hard to attribute solely to that.
they do indeed still do the South Loop Loft Walk. It’s the first Saturday in November. I’m actually on the South Loop Neighbors board, and I am in charge of putting it together this year.
Last year, this loft was featured on the Loft Walk, and it is very interesting. Since it’s built on top of one another, I remember it had three separate entrances on each floor, and the lowest floor has all the books. You walk in and are surrounded by books, and straight ahead of you is a bedroom, and to the left of you, if I remember correctly is a small kitchenette. I don’t remember where the bathroom is in relation to the other rooms. On the top floor is where the main kitchen is, I think, along with the living room and maybe another bedroom. An older couple lives there, maybe in their 60s or 70s, and they have a couple of cats. It’s definitely not my favorite layout, as it seems to get smaller as you go down (the level with the kitchenette), and has an almost basement-like, closet-like feel, even though you’re still on the seventh floor.
@Sabrina – I did write offering some hosting services if the site’s current hosting provider is tight on resources.
I prefer a faster site with less perks.
The South Loop – the only place in the world where people are still using tube televisions. Honestly, North Korea probably has flatscreens at this point. Welcome to the 21st century, come on!
Speaking of 21st century, why do so many people have those stupid black leather chairs with the wood on the back and the foot rest? Why do people like that chair so much? I honestly don’t get it. Apparently they’re really expensive? Probably for some stupid reason like they’re made from sustainable bamboo and naturally raised leather. Gimme a break!
This is a really beautiful and inspiring loft, the kind of place that inspired the loft trend to begin with. The location is great, at the north end of the south loop, close to everything on an attractive street.
The only rub is the king-hell of a heat bill, which will make the $1200 HOA seem tiny compared. When you consider the cost of keeping this place minimally warm, you have to be a lot more affluent to live here than for the ordinary $500K house or condo.
“Another big difference is that there’s no in-unit washer/dryer in other loft (though the listing says it can be added- but who wants to go to the trouble to do so?)”
Sabrina these are units aimed at the upper end of the market. Presumably there aren’t enough trust fund people to absorb the entire 450k+ segment of the market, which means that people that wind up here have to work for a living, and work hard. To assume they’d be dissuaded from a property they really like because of the trouble to add a washer/dryer shows naivety. Compared to having to work for a living, arranging for a new washer/dryer to be delivered and installed, on a saturday, which can be ordered online, I don’t think is relevant.
Its like saying someone wouldn’t buy a foreclosure that isn’t trashed because it needs a deep cleaning.
Nice loft (and I’m not that into lofts) but the HOA is out of my price range. Anythiny over $600 is too much in my opinion, you should consider a no-free townhome or SFH.
BTW The Herman Miller chair is great!
“To assume they’d be dissuaded from a property they really like because of the trouble to add a washer/dryer shows naivety. Compared to having to work for a living, arranging for a new washer/dryer to be delivered and installed, on a saturday, which can be ordered online, I don’t think is relevant.”
You’re kidding me, right Bob?
It’s not like you can just order a washer/dryer and have some average repairman come and “install” it in some random closet. Think, Bob. Think.
It has to have the right piping and ventilation. All of this costs time, money etc. Most of the agents I’ve talked to in building that allow you to put it in (when the units don’t have it)- have told me, over the years, it costs anywhere from $7000 to $10,000 to put it in (depending on the building and piping issues.)
So, no, someone isn’t going to simply call and have it “installed” on a Saturday. This is why, many times, you’ll see a listing that says “washer/dryer can be installed” and then when it comes on the market 3 years later- it still says the same thing. Because how many people are going to move in and THEN spend the $7k to $10k to have it installed? Not many. Not in the $300k to $400k market- at least. They barely have enough money for a down payment.
So, yes, having the w/d already IN the unit is a HUGE selling point Bob.
By the way- the “you can install a washer/dryer” is similar to “roof rights” and “architect plans in place for rooftop deck.”
I have YET to see a deck actually built by the next owner. It SEEMS like a cool idea until they find out it will cost $20k (or more) to build their dream deck and, frankly, they don’t have the money to do so. So, alas, roof rights becomes kind of irrelevant in most cases.
“The only rub is the king-hell of a heat bill, which will make the $1200 HOA seem tiny compared.”
No it won’t. The heat is included in the HOA.
“BTW The Herman Miller chair is great!”
Tambem, BEST customer service EVER!!! Had a problem with mine.. They shipped down a new seat and got someone to take care of it for me in Rio.
So Bri Bri you subscribe to the same saying i do? “if it can be done [easily] it already would have been done”
Sorry, Sabrina, did not see that “heat included”.
I wonder how warm it is in there. If it’s comfortable, the HOA is a good deal for so much space.
“So Bri Bri you subscribe to the same saying i do? “if it can be done [easily] it already would have been done””
In real estate- yep.