Looking for that Elusive West Loop Loft? A 2/2 at 11 N. Green
This 2-bedroom duplex up loft in 11 N. Green in the West Loop just came on the market.
It has 17 foot timber ceilings with exposed brick and a wall of glass block for extra light.
The kitchen has white cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.
The master bedroom is on the second floor with its own bathroom.
The second bedroom is directly under the master on the main level.
It has central air, washer/dryer in the unit and garage parking is $25,000.
If you need extra storage there is also a 200 square foot storage space in the basement of the building.
This unit hasn’t been on the market since 2009.
With inventory near record lows, will this loft get multiple bids?
Allen Schild at Charles Rutenberg Realty has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #2A: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1400 square feet, duplex up
- Sold in October 1995 for $194,500
- Sold in September 2000 for $312,000
- Sold in June 2003 for $315,000
- Sold in June 2009 for $332,500
- Currently listed for $410,000 (plus $25,000 for the parking)
- Assessments of $368 a month (includes exterior maintenance, scavenger, snow removal)
- Taxes of $4287
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Bedroom#1: 16×11 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 11×11 (first floor)
Another day, another fake loft. Remember when lofts were in sketchy neighborhoods and they were a big raw space? Now if you expose heating vents and brick walls, it’s a loft.
What’s all that glass block hiding? That would drive me nuts. Otherwise, not bad for a single person or couple.
“What’s all that glass block hiding?”
Nothing. There are other buildings on either side so they used it to let in light without staring into either a brick wall or another person’s loft.
“Another day, another fake loft.”
THIS one is fake? You’re kidding me, right? Nothing more authentic than this building in the West Loop. Converted over 20 years ago. Was legitimately an industrial building.
And it IS a wide open space. How is it not?
It’s just a smaller one than the 1800 square foot lofts you’re thinking of. Doesn’t make it any less “legitimate” because it’s smaller.
And the West Loop WAS a “sketchy neighborhood” about 20 years ago. But you clearly are too young to remember.
By the way- the loft boom was in 1999-2003 or so. That’s when they converted dozens of industrial buildings in the West and South Loop- as well as in West Town.
Everyone wanted to live in a loft. Most of them WERE in very industrial neighborhoods. Heck, the lofts in River North on Hubbard and Illinois were actually in what most people called the ghetto.
The city has gentrified enormously in the last 20 years.
Those industrial neighborhoods were ghost towns at night. Very desolate and scary places.
Why do we have to chatter about this loft when there are so many awesome places on the market, like this one;
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/427-W-Roslyn-Pl-60614/home/13366286
Or even this one?
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/Undisclosed-address-60646/home/13512273
There is going to be a shit ton of construction on this corner, no thanks!
Would you consider this a ‘real’ loft?
http://www.zillow.com/homes/411-S-Sangamon-2d-Chicago,-IL-60607_rb/
“Hubbard and Illinois were actually in what most people called the ghetto.’
only bc they were bozos who didn’t know that it was actually Skid Row North, and not ‘ghetto’. Perhaps Skid Row was worse than the ‘ghetto’, but they are distinctly different things.
The glass blocks are due to the fact that this building is likely built on a zero lot line. At some point the next door neighbor could build up directly against that wall thus eliminating all that natural light. Perhaps one could put up LED strip lights outside the glass block however good luck replacing it when one burns out.
That aside it was not even 20 years ago that this was a less desirable strip of the west loop. Back in 2004 a good friend lived one block from that loft and it was pretty ugly at night and on the weekends.
Come on, why is the subject property worth chattering about when places like this are available?
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/4807-S-Doctor-Martin-Luther-King-Junior-Dr-60615/home/13951914
This would be a really nice 1 bedroom loft, if you ditched the downstairs bedroom.
+1 for including a floor plan.
Many of these lofts in the West Loop and South Loop were a lot rougher around the edges prior to being converted to condos. I recall looking at lot of these loft conversions back when they were rentals and they were true lofts. When they converted the developers tried to soften them up a bit to make them more appealing.
Groove – the south shall rise again! What cribchatterer wouldn’t love to hop on and off the 47th green line for their downtown commute? Seriously though, nice property.
Love this loft- and yes, it’s definitely NOT a fake loft. Glass blocks look really tacky but I can overlook that for how massive the space is. Location has greatly improved; and of course you’ve got proximity to…yes… RESTAURANT ROW.
Does anyone know if that drug rehab center at Haymarket Center (Washington/Sangamon) is still active? Once (or if) that closes down the area will be MUCH improved. 6 years ago one of those assholes broke into my car about a block north of this loft on Peoria st. Caught the guy trying to resell my stuff on craigslist, got CPD involved to arrange a meet-up, they arrested him and his buddy.
Elliot- So what is the green line commute from there to Adams or Randolph? like what 10-11 minutes. and the walk to the stop from the house to the station is like 2-3 minutes?
Yet the brown line from Western to Adams is like 40 minutes (and more crowded). yet people are willing to overpay for a crap house in lincoln square. I just don’t get it.
Take West Town, the new hot hood that touts its quickness to the loop, it will take you 20 minutes if not more just to get to a train station.
And neither of those overpriced hoods are 20 minute walking distance to the lake.
Groove – I couldn’t agree more with you about West Town (and Ukie Village to some extent). Public transportation is horrible out there (busses are your only option; during rush hour they are packed, slow, and soul-sucking). I have no idea why buyers are finding it so appealing. A friend of mine just bought there (really overpaid for a 3bd 2bth condo), and it’s more than a 20 minute walk from Damen stop. I dread going there; I don’t want to deal with cramped parking, paying for an Uber, or taking the bus home later at night.
As for the south side property, well I don’t doubt the commute would be quicker, and you can certainly get some smoking hot condos/houses there for dirt cheap… but it’s the south side. The value is there for a reason.
Or even this one?
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/Undisclosed-address-60646/home/13512273
Great house
Come on, why is the subject property worth chattering about when places like this are available?
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/4807-S-Doctor-Martin-Luther-King-Junior-Dr-60615/home/13951914
You are on a roll!
that King drive house is amazing
“that King drive house is amazing”
Four floors of living. Thought you objected to that?
Elliot- one good thing about west town is on the streets with houses you can get good parking. A Realtor buddy of mine moved there 4 years back, no prob driving there and parking. now heading to where the fun stuff from his place requires a uber.
And yes there a a few reasons for the “value” of the bronzeville property.
JohnnyU and Sonies- Thank you, just wanted to point out even though inventory is low and sucks we still have better properties to crib chatter about before we get to this one on Green street
Groove, shame on you for showing me that King Drive home. you had me at: “vintage detail, contemporary design and modern amenities. “
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1222-W-Grand-Ave_Chicago_IL_60642_M72436-24530#photo25
At least this one is unique. Both inside and out. And although some decor is downright odd, the place has been transformed and no HOA fee.
Groove et al, don’t know if you are on Facebook but you might like this page
https://www.facebook.com/ForTheLoveOfOldHouses/
“Four floors of living. Thought you objected to that?”
only when its less than 700sqft per level 🙂 That place is double that!
But then there’s the location and of course cost… guess I could be a hermit lol
Second cook top without a vent over it that I have seen today. The other was on Curb’s featured property. I don’t think these folks cook much.
why cook when you live love and laugh in the west loop?
“At least this one is unique. Both inside and out. And although some decor is downright odd, the place has been transformed and no HOA fee.”
No HOA fee? Shocking. It’s a single family home. Duh.
You can’t compare a 2/2 loft condo with a single family home that is double the price. They actually otherwise are quite similar.
High ceilings? Check.
Exposed brick? Check.
Timber beams? Check.
What makes the SFH “unique”? That it’s bigger? That it’s a SFH and not a condo? That it has no street level windows and most of your natural light comes from skylights?
“Come on, why is the subject property worth chattering about when places like this are available?”
Because every time I have cribbed on one of these lovely historic homes in this neighborhood, in Bronzeville, in Beverly, in Morgan Park, in Jackson Park Highlands, in Norwood Circle, in Galewood… no one cares.
All that happens on this blog is…crickets.
Sadly, most people don’t even know where these neighborhoods are or what is available there.
Gonefishin, That is the most unique, bizarre house that somehow seems to work. I loved it and then saw the mermaid nipples in the bathroom. Still a cool, different and interesting place compared to so many others.
Sabrina, did you really write “duh”? My 12 year old nephew needs a date for a spring dance, are you available?
“Sabrina, did you really write “duh”? My 12 year old nephew needs a date for a spring dance, are you available?”
Yes- once again- attack the messenger because your comparison is dumb.
A SFH and a condo loft that is not even half the size of it are NOT the same. No buyer of one is looking at the other one. At least you could have linked to 411 S Sangamon like someone else did.
Jess, agreed. I love when people here aren’t dimwits.
Sabrina writes a great blog. You ALL read it almost every day and spend all sorts of time here chattering. How about a “Thank you” to her rather than the CONSTANT CRITICISM and COMPLAINING?? GEEEEZZZZ. Thanks for the post, Sabrina, as always.
Sabrina,
From two days ago:
“I removed the comments pertaining to what was in the closet. Really? That’s not relevant. Please stick to the property.”
From yesterday:
“Yes- once again- attack the messenger because your comparison is dumb.”
Did CC get sold and a new owner/moderator show up? Someone is commenting under the name Sabrina and it seems out of character. You are used to the crazy group of commenters.
Or perhaps Sabrina just needs a few days on an island drinking umbrella drinks and watching the sunset. Whatever the case “chill out” Sabrina. The sun will come up tomorrow. Well maybe not in Chicago but somewhere!
Yeah coming up with posts nearly every day for years on end isn’t easy folks! In fact its really hard!
“most people don’t even know where these neighborhoods are”
That nonny shtick was mainly shtick. Tho he didn’t *care* where they were.
“A SFH and a condo loft that is not even half the size of it are NOT the same. No buyer of one is looking at the other one.”
weeeeellll, they *might* be, if they were about the same price, and in the same hood. But not when one is 2x the other, no.
“Because every time I have cribbed on one of these lovely historic homes in this neighborhood, in Bronzeville, in Beverly, in Morgan Park, in Jackson Park Highlands, in Norwood Circle, in Galewood… no one cares.”
I care!! I’ve much prefered the profiles on homes in the neighborhoods than in the GZ going back to 2009 when you covered Albany Park and Dunning. The GZ condos are indistinguishable to me and I don’t relate to the price points. I would much rather see houses in areas I can actually afford where I would realistically live, shop and take public transportation.
“Because every time I have cribbed on one of these lovely historic homes in this neighborhood, in Bronzeville, in Beverly, in Morgan Park, in Jackson Park Highlands, in Norwood Circle, in Galewood… no one cares.”
Serious question Sabrina: what is the Level of Effort that you put into each post? I know you like to do a good job with the research and use your own photos but on average how long does it take to whip a post together?
“Serious question Sabrina: what is the Level of Effort that you put into each post? I know you like to do a good job with the research and use your own photos but on average how long does it take to whip a post together?”
Just writing the post? After figuring out what to write on, getting the info together etc?
Probably about 10-15 minutes. But the other stuff can take a lot longer depending on the property.
“Yeah coming up with posts nearly every day for years on end isn’t easy folks! In fact its really hard!”
Actually, it is. Especially when inventory is this low. And I have to have a picture for every property.
I long for the days of 2007, 2008 and 2009 when there were hundreds of properties coming on the market every day and I was able to whip out 3 posts a day easily. Now, it’s a struggle to even find 1 property a day that is even remotely interesting to crib about.
But I feel even sorrier for those poor souls at Curbed. At least they can write about new construction projects. There’s a new apartment building announced nearly every day. They can cover that.
“I removed the comments pertaining to what was in the closet. Really? That’s not relevant. Please stick to the property.”
This has ALWAYS been the rule of Crib Chatter. But no one has violated it in a while so I haven’t had to remind everyone and/or delete comments for a while.
Remember Baby Olivia? Yes- let’s try and think back to the “fun” times in 2011.
What is in the closet or on the walls or the color of the couch or that the bed looks like a “prison bed” aren’t relevant to the property. I will remove those comments.
“How about a “Thank you” to her rather than the CONSTANT CRITICISM and COMPLAINING?? GEEEEZZZZ. Thanks for the post, Sabrina, as always.”
Thanks for the support forrealestate.
I think most of the time people post considerate comments, about the properties and each other…but it seems like the lack of a real spring (so far) is getting to a lot of people. Maybe when the flowers actually start blooming, everyone will lighten up.
“Remember Baby Olivia? Yes- let’s try and think back to the “fun” times in 2011.”
Yes, I do. But talking about people’s children is very different than discussing something about decor or items in a closet.
“Yes, I do. But talking about people’s children is very different than discussing something about decor or items in a closet.”
Baby Olivia wasn’t about someone’s child. It was about the use of those big letters of the child’s name above nearly every baby crib in nearly every condo in the city back during the bust.
“Olivia”
“Justin”
“Gregory”
“Abigail”
“Isabella”
Etc. Etc.
It had nothing to do with the actual kid. People were making fun of parents who put up their kid’s name in big letters. It had nothing to do with the property and wouldn’t be there when you moved in. It was, basically, an interior design choice (which, I’m happy to say, has mostly faded away now- but occasionally you still see a crib with the kids name on the wall.)
So it’s exactly the same thing as commenting about what is in someone’s closet. NOT commenting about the size of the closet, or the lack of built-in storage, but what is actually IN it, which, again, won’t be there when you buy the property.
If you want to discuss things like that, Apartment Therapy is your website. Have at it.
And yes, I get it that paint colors and really extreme interior design choices CAN have an impact on the sale of a property. No one is arguing otherwise. In fact, one house that had purple walls that was featured on Crib Chatter years ago, and which many people commented on, actually had it painted after seeing the negative comments and it sold shortly thereafter.
But someone’s clothes? Or a basic sectional sofa?
I’m sorry YOU don’t like sectional sofas but it’s not really relevant. Don’t own one.
But it has nothing to do with the property.
@sabrina – I wasn’t being sarcastic at all, it IS difficult to come up with new material every day!
“But I feel even sorrier for those poor souls at Curbed”
lol yeah, 3 articles a day? Just shoot me
also their new layout sucks and I barely go there anymore, I can’t imagine the pressure they are under right now
“Probably about 10-15 minutes. But the other stuff can take a lot longer depending on the property.”
I guess then what is the harm of having an extra post once a week or so that includes the “lovely historic homes in this neighborhood, in Bronzeville, in Beverly, in Morgan Park, in Jackson Park Highlands, in Norwood Circle, in Galewood… no one cares.”
This is the internet and unlike print media you have all the space you need.
***I know HD has his paralegal print these off so he can read them and draft his replies but the rest of us just read on our phones