14 Months Later, the “Fugitive House” Tries Again (and at the Same Price): 336 W. Wisconsin in Lincoln Park
We’ve chattered several times about the 5-bedroom single family home at 336 W. Wisconsin in Lincoln Park, also known as “the Fugitive House.”
See our November 2012 chatter here.
It went under contract in August but then came back on the market a few weeks later.
The listing says “Nothing else compares!”
If you recall, it was built in 1981 on a larger than average Chicago lot of 32×126, it has a lot of features you don’t normally find in single family homes including a sauna, an elevator and an indoor pool.
It also has a 3 car garage.
The kitchen has white cabinets and a stainless steel refrigerator.
There are 3 master suites.
The house was withdrawn from the market in December listed at $3.699 million. It has come back on the market listed at the same price.
Remember, last fall it was also available to rent for $17,000 a month.
Will this house find a buyer in 2013?
Margaret Wilczek at Prudential Rubloff still has the listing. See the pictures here.
336 W. Wisconsin: 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, 6129 square feet, 3 car garage
- Sold sometime before 1994 (?)
- Originally listed in June 2011 for $3.95 million
- Reduced
- Was listed in March 2012 at $3.699 million
- Under contract briefly in August 2012
- Was listed in November 2012 at $3.699 million
- Again listed at $3.699 million
- Taxes of $48,774
- Central Air
- Sauna
- Elevator
- Indoor pool
- Bedroom #1: 15×19 (third floor)
- Bedroom #2: 12×22 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 13×16 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 13×14 (second floor)
- Bedroom #5: 14×18 (fourth floor)
- Family room: 17×20 (main floor)
I believe this house will sell quickly now at the ask price- early 2012 was simply not a good time. The place is beautiful and exceptional, with interesting architecture and many comforts and amenities,all in very good condition.
We’re in the middle of a feeding frenzy now, artificial though it may be. Sellers should enjoy while it lasts.
On and off the market for the past two years and relisting at the same price. How many people are left who have $3.7M to spend that haven’t passed on this place already.
I think it won’t move without a significant price drop. The finishes are very dated and buyers in this range are very discerning. Any buyer paying 3 million+ will want a nicer kitchen (and larger frankly) and less black granite and bluestone outside and different tile surrounding the pool. Also, the diagonal floors are very dated. It would take 500K to update this place to satisfy a buyer in the 3+ million range.
Indoor private pool? I’m sold.
Why Does The Listing Agent Capitalize Every Single Word In the Description? It’s very irritating to read.
Yeah right laura, there’s a lot of choices at $600 a sqft and this 90’s house (albeit awesome and I love it) isn’t high on the list.
$475 a sqft is much more reasonable, which would give it a price of 2.91mm
Won’t sell till its under that is my guess
jenny: we ran into a tortoise club at the north park nature center. You might want to look into that if you haven’t already. Seems like your scene, except for the trees.
I have mixed feeling about this one. Sure the kitchen and bath need updates, but that it not always a bad thing. The owner can have them made to their taste. I assume a multi-million buyer can afford to do that. On the other hand, given that people seem to often buy more house than they can afford, this might prove to be a hindrance.
Then there is the indoor pool which theoretically sounds good, but I for one would like to check it during the winter to make sure it does not small or make the place stuffy.
Finally the outside is not a looker IMHO.
That’s a lot of space, a three car garage, in a great location. The pool needs to go, and the obvious updates need to be made. If that’s going to take $500k, then either the seller needs to get it done, or the seller and a would-be buyer are going to need to work something out deal/financing wise (e.g., close it at the list price, with the seller cutting a check to the buyer for $500k, or some such). But if there’s anything else available (or recently closed) that offers a comparable amount of space/bedrooms in a similarly premium location, that doesn’t require any major updating, that’s going to sell first.
This listing reminds me of the unusual R. Kelly place in Lincoln Park. In the end if I recall correctly that home sold first to a high end flipper. They updated the property substantially and brought the “end product” to the market. The flipper found a buyer at a much higher price.
Although that home was in rough shape at the time and this is not perhaps that is what needs to happen to bring the style up to todays standards. I agree with M Howard that most buyers in this price bracket do not want to take on a reno project. If they are that design savvy they would build from scratch. There are many buyers have the means to close at this price however the ones that live out of town often desire to buy a home that is ready to go on day one.
Buyers can likely get over the need to create a new kitchen and update a few bathrooms but that steel staricase is just old and out of style. Sure there is the Harrison Ford story to tell but I think that wears old quickly. It dominates the look of the living room and I find it to be too dominant a feature.
DZ, I love the North Park Nature Center. I spend many summers there as a kid.
Why does the pool need to go from this place? I’m sure someone who can afford this property can afford to maintain the pool.
“Why does the pool need to go from this place? I’m sure someone who can afford this property can afford to maintain the pool.”
I am not sure either…… but I bet you can make a fantastic zen garden instead, also I like the steel and glass stairwell. Not sure if I would like walking on that glass bridge in a short skirt at a party. This place need some updating but not much. I think if you did minimal updates and staged the place it would sell pretty quick. There is way to much art on the walls, this place needs a minimalist approach to the staging.
“I love the North Park Nature Center. I spend many summers there as a kid.”
My wife/kid go there a lot in the summer. There was a newly born fawn yesterday. And the turtles/tortoises of course.
“Why does the pool need to go from this place?”
Don’t understand this eitehr, esp from anonny whose kids would surely enjoy the pool (I dunno about safety issues.) I also like the look of the interior more than most. I agree the kitchen/bath could use work, but I really don’t mind them that much as is.
Pool is fine, just upgrade it to an endless and that would be awesome.
Olic, do you have the legs for the catwalk, to begin with?
I think this is one of the best locations in the city – 2 blocks to Green City Market and LP Zoo. Walking distance to Parker / Latin / Catherine Cook and not far from British school. But I think this place is ugly on the outside. I don’t think interior takes too much to bring it up to date – some of the dated feel is due to furniture. If there were ultra modern furniture (B&B Italia type stuff) I think this would have a better feel. Kitchen and baths are definite replacements. I would say it should price at a 10-15% discount to the new builds on Cleveland / Mohawk after you actually update the kitchen. So if those are $4mm this should be $3.4-3.6mm AFTER update costs = $2.9-3.1mm now.
“Olic, do you have the legs for the catwalk, to begin with?”
Based on men’s reaction when I wear a short shirt and high heals, YES. Probably too skinny for you as you like the latin ladies….. 😉
“Don’t understand this either, esp from anonny whose kids would surely enjoy the pool (I dunno about safety issues.) ”
The anonny kids would enjoy the pool, and they do frequently enjoy a family member’s indoor pool, but it’s located in a condo building, not a house. That indoor pool just looks like it would be a source of odors, mold, ongoing repairs and other hassles and, yes, safety concerns. I can think of better uses (indoor and outdoor) of that square footage. And for this place in particular, what are the views from the kitchen and dining rooms in this $3.5mm home? A small indoor pool? If they got rid of the pool/pool enclosure, they could (1) build out a huge great room with a soaring ceiling, (2) just build out half of it with an amazing dining room/bar/indoor-outdoor fireplace and trick out the other half as an outdoor area with trees/hot tub/etc, or (3) make the entire area outdoor, partially covered (and partially heated), with mindblowing trees/plantings/fireplace/built-in-grill/seating areas. Any of those options would be utilized more, and would look far better from the indoor spaces, than the current set up.
But, if you’re spending $3.5mm on a big house in the city, and your family’s swimming needs are unmet by school swimming, health club memberships, the lake, frequent vacations and/or weekends/summers at your lake house, such that you really, really need a smallish pool at home, then I’d still rework this place to allow for a nice heated outdoor pool, with a hot tub attached (stayed at a house recently where the hot water can be shifted between pool/tub), surrounded by trees/water features, etc. (something to improve the view from indoors), and a deluxe retractable cover.
The place is really dated and the 3rd/4th floor additions looks sketchy as the staricase gets narrow. I definitely think over $1M to renovate this place, but this space is very large.
“anonny (May 20, 2013, 11:41 am)…And for this place in particular, what are the views from the kitchen and dining rooms in this $3.5mm home?”
Pretty crappy. There is a scrubby outdoor mall next door with a realtor / dentist / hairstylist on one side and a not so great looking recent build (for this area) townhouse structure on the other. And the pool is on the north side so light isn’t going to be great. Given the pool area is already dug out maybe you could put a sunken basketball court without having to raise the ceiling? Putting green would be pretty sweet too.
@ Olic, Ze likes Brazilians. Now to me these are perfect legs:
http://static.v2.wallpaperzip.com/1920×1200/adriana_lima_legs_on_wall_1920x1200.jpg
Anything thinner is scrawny. Anything thinker is chunky.
mui, very similar to mine…..
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=adriana+lima&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=D9B83706FA5230BBCAC39D21B0258536BF5D279C&selectedIndex=381
I thought he liked them chunky.
mui, my computer blocked me from going to your link……… what kind of smutty sites to you hang out at 🙂
Lol..I just googled for Adriana Lima legs 😉
“I thought he liked them chunky.”
No, No! I said people down here like them huge. As for me I like firm and toned… Also very open minded to all races and colors.. It’s overweight I hold a prejudice against… My all time favorite is actually.. http://www.fashionmodeldirectory.com/editorials/2113-the-elle-word/image/18715-the-elle-word/