Lounge On Your Own Private Beach on Lake Michigan: 5965 N. Sheridan in Edgewater
We’ve chattered before about the rare single family homes within Chicago’s city limits that also have private beach front access on Lake Michigan.
This 3-bedroom brick bungalow at 5965 N. Sheridan in Edgewater is one of those unique properties.
It’s a little piece of Malibu in Chicago.
The lot is 56′ by 257′ with 56 feet of private beach front.
The house, built in 1916 and with only 1 car garage, may not be your dream space but who cares?
Look at your view from those backyard windows.
Deborah Hess at Conlon Real Estate has the listing. See more pictures here.
5965 N. Sheridan: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1 car garage, 1516 square feet
- Sold in January 2001 for $1 million
- Currently listed for $1.99 million
- Taxes of $10759
- No central air- window units
I have no idea what its worth but this is mondo cool! Look at that view out the windows! Lotto numbers plz match!
Safe to say there is nothing like it on the north side. it’s the only way I could live on that stretch of Sheridan.
i saw this listed back when Cribchatter was talking about the 1.5m house on the beach over on the south side on 71st street.
some things need updating but look at that view and front yard too
A lot like this is just *begging* to be rezoned into an expensive low to mid rise condo tower.
And it’s highly unlikely that the building to the south will get taller, which is a real plus.
The property used to be owned by the brother of Alexi Giannoulias since 1987 but in August 2008 was transferred to 5965 SHERIDAN ROAD LLC for $0….that family…..remember ‘The Greek’ from The Wire?
Doubled since 2001? That house is awefully close to the Lake. 25-30 knot winds out of the Northeast and I bet that deck is in the Lake.
However, the place is fantasmic.
I misread ccrd, trustees deed 01/31/2001 for $1,000,000.
I wish my family owned a bank that would make it so much easier to find a new job.
I would buy this for a million if I were able to.
“25-30 knot winds out of the Northeast and I bet that deck is in the Lake.”
There’s a rather substantial parking podium to the north than extends well past this propery’s waterfront. And the retaining wall to teh south (seen in the pics) looks to serve as a reasonably effective groin.
If I could, I would!
Cool yes, but no way this goes for 2 million. Chicago lakefront is nice, but it ain’t Malibu. You’re paying an awful lot here for a small house with a few usable months of beach time. The view can be duplicated elsewhere for a lot less.
I’m very familiar with this house, walk past it all the time.
You will NEVER get a midrise built on this lot because it is protected from further development by the Lakefront Protection Ordinance… so anyone who pays in the nabe of $2M just for the lot is wasting his money.
The highrise buildings east of Sheridan were built before the Lakefront Protection Ordinance was passed, and so were the townhouse developments.
The house has a fugly exterior, but it’s spacious and bright and clean-lined inside.
But $1.9M? I have to doubt it. I don’t think the real mansions in the nearby neighborhood could fetch more than $900k right now.
Also, the 1516 SF is the assessor’s number, and does not count any lower level space or anything that might be available in the attic space.
I wish my family owned a bank; that would make it so much easier to BUY THIS HOUSE, which is clearly what I need in my life!
I can see myself BBQin and partying all summer long on that beach… damn nice!
i can see myself in january at 20 below cursing myself for paying 2mil for a small place.
If I could afford a 2 million dollar place here, i could also afford a winter home in Florida or Texas, Arizona, wherever…
Does anyone know what the deal is with the abandoned and boarded up mansion across the street (west) and just a touch north of this place? There’s a huge vacant lot associated with it as well.
Who used to own it? Why the heck has it not been renovated or torn down?
I’m curious – what have been the asking price reductions since December?
“it is protected from further development by the Lakefront Protection Ordinance…”
I hate NIMBYs and NIMBYism…this is why Edgewater will remain the styx compared to other neighbodhoods.
*runs to 7-11 to buy lottery tickets*
The ordinance covers the entire Chicago lakefront
People pay a crap ton of money to buy places like this is Michigan City Indiana. Indiana, which is horrible and disgusting state to live in.
If you could build a dock and also store a boat, I think it would sell for ask. There is no real competition to this in the area.
“The ordinance covers the entire Chicago lakefront”
How do you explain the Spire (or rather its hole) then?
No way this crap shack sells for 1.9M. The private beach is amazing and this was probably a good deal back in 2001 for 1M. I think 1.5 might get this place sold. I’d tear it down. Build a 1M home and for 2.5M you have one of the most unique SFH’s in Chicago.
“How do you explain the Spire (or rather its hole) then?”
West of LSD.
LSD doesn’t run this far north.
From Sheridan & Thorndale up to Sheridan & Rosement (except for Berger Park) its private lakefront property. Why does the city put up anti-growth ordinances on this lakefront property?
All it does, idiot NIMBYS, is give a huge windfall to whomever owns property at these places. And we wind up with antiquidated 1930s-1970s era fugly highrises and no new lakefront development outside of downtown. Genius folks, really genius.
As if that ugly black highrise up in Edgewater isn’t hideous enough they prevent any new lakefront development so it looks like a fugly monolith.
Nice and unique, but I’d rather have beach frontage somewhere quieter and prettier, like Wilmette or Glencoe. Too bad that’s 4x the cost.
If you head north in between milwaukee and green bay there is no shortage of lake front property. It’s all farming community up there but there’s plenty of land.
Isnt there a movement afoot to make all City of Chicagio beach public access — including the private beaches on the North Side? It seems to me this is why these properties are popping up recently.
You can buy a house on the lake with a private beach in many north shore suburbs (Highland Park, Lake Forest, Winnetka, Wilmette). For a similar price, you get a MUCH nicer house, good school districts, etc.
Not sure why anyone would live here
Oh by the way, there are no houses on the lake in Winnetka for $2 million. First one to find one gets a prize. I saw an earlier thread where the closest one that could be found was Lake Bluff (where? is that a suburb of Milwaukee?)…
WANT!
“Isnt there a movement afoot to make all City of Chicagio beach public access — including the private beaches on the North Side? It seems to me this is why these properties are popping up recently.”
From what I have read it doesn’t involve tearing down the buildings but instead doing a Burnham style landfill around this area similar to Northerly Island. I don’t see it happening any time soon but people are able to put forth some outrageous ideas when they envoke Burnham’s name.
Property values are popping up here simply because it is the beach and lake and there really isn’t much private beachfront property in Chicago.
I went to a Third of July party very near this place. A friend has a condo in one of the four-plus-ones up there, also with a private beach. Pretty amazing, in the city, to see nothing but lake from your windows and to be able to build a bonfire on the beach on a cold night in the summer.
Yes, that last part was probably illegal anywhere in the city, but it was fun anyway!
Totally want this, and think it could go close to ask — VERY difficult to replicate.
“LSD doesn’t run this far north.”
Re-read your question. I answered it correctly and completely.
You did not ask why the Ordinance applies to this location and not the Spire, you asked why it doesn’t apply to the Spire.
You’re online, google it if you actually want to know.
“It’s a little piece of Malibu in Chicago.”
Yeah…OK Sabrina…South Central maybe but not Malibu. And before you all start getting your panties in a wad, that is merely a bad joke…both my comment and this house.
YUCK and for $2 mil? Talk about wishful thinking on the sellers part. It would take a price of $1 mil to sell and another $250k to renovate it back to the original style. NASTY place.
For $2 mill they could sure give it a face lift. First they should rip down those hideous hedges and let us actually see the house. Second, why all the concrete in the front? Why not some grass for the young’uns? Oh and the countertops need changing.
ok i have decieded at lunch that to go buy a lotto ticket and win the lotto then buy this place for 1.5mil only update the mechanicals if needed, landscape the front yard and update front of house.
anyone know the yearly cost maintenance of the beach (erosion and stuff)
serpico,
You don’t buy this house for the view of its exterior on the outside (it is pretty fugly). You buy this house for the private beach and the views of the lake on the inside.
So Bob, you would actually buy this ‘ugly, in dire need of a renovation’ house just for the views and the beach? For $2 mil?
How about a nice upper level, new apartment in one of the highrises in Lakeside East? Same views and you can pretend your beach is private…
Or for two million $$, how about the Trump Tower unit with the 5000 Sq Ft terrace? I can go on and on spending a couple of million on some outstanding places in Chicago that have water views…
interesting, ought to test the old supply-and-demand charts something ferocious. we know the supply is beyond minimal, but what is the demand to actually be ON the beach when there are so many places where you get great views, etc.?
There are currently 3 homes available in Evanston across the street from a park/beach for $2.3-$2.85M.
As for the North Shore homes with private lakefront, there appear to be 32 currently available from Evanston to Lake Forest.
Evanston, 1 asking $9,000,770
Wilmette, 2 asking $4,495,000 to $5,300,000
Kenilworth, 1 asking $6,500,000
Winnetka, 6 asking $5,200,000 to $10,750,000
Glencoe, 5 asking $5,995,000 to $8,500,000
Highland Park, 8 asking $2,999,999 to $8,930,000
Highwood, none
Lake Forest, 9 asking $3,390,000 to $15,000,000
Of course, none of these are comparable at all to the subject. Perhaps one or two of the guest houses are?
OK, I am completely wrong….you need more like 4 million
You can find many better lakefront homes over in Indiana for much less money and still be very close to the same commute to downtown. For example, the house linked below has an asking price $100,000 less and is about 1000 times more impressive, yet is less than a mile from the commuter train to downtown (1.25 hours) or about an hour downtown by car.
http://gniarmls.rapmls.com/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=Gniarmls&PRGNAME=MLSPropertyDetail&ARGUMENTS=-N281329010,-N256910,-N,-A,-N19938406
Sorry, they are asking $200,000 less.
wleo,
I said I’d buy it for $1 million. $2 million, although seven figures, is still quite a bit aways from $1 million. In fact its an entirely different segment of the housing market.
so then you’d consider the Trump 51st floor 5000 sq ft apartment with a view?….
lol just curious…
as much as i detest trump, that place is awesome. buy it and rent it out for parties. how many ppl can you fit on a 5000 sf terrace?
The better kept secret in Chicago is not to buy a random 1500 sq foot home on the lake, but instead spend a few hundred K on a yacht and park it in Burnham, DuSable, Belmont, Montrose, etc. If you want to enjoy the lake, that is the way to go. You will have no problem hosting nice parties on the lake and it’s tax deductible too…
“You don’t buy this house for the view of its exterior on the outside (it is pretty fugly). You buy this house for the private beach and the views of the lake on the inside.”
Bob,
Let’s be clear: I don’t buy this house at all. Second, I do recognize what this house’s key selling features are supposed to be. $2 million for a private patch of sand. My point is that this seller is ridiculously out of touch if they think that a buyer is blindfold him or herself when they walk up the driveway. These are simple cosmetic fixes that will ADD tons of equity to the house.
Or instead of buying a boat, or this place (for 2 million) you could just have the coolest bonfire ever with a giant stack of $500k worth of dollar bills….
Across the street from the beach isn’t comparable to ON the beach, value-wise.
don’t like house or area or boats
Tipster,
Beverly Shores homes are not private lakefront. They are on the south side of the street. I don’t consider them equivalent if I have to “look both ways” to get to the beach.
Ogden Dunes, on the other hand, has true beachfront, is mostly cheaper and about 15 minutes closer by train. Miller Beach in Gary is even closer and cheaper, with true beachfronts on probably the nicest beach of all.
Btw, this isn’t beachfront (across the street with views,) but what would a Keck & Keck home like this sell for on the North Shore? http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/1161-North-St-Joseph-St_Gary_IN_46403_1110535991
Oh yeah, that Keck & Keck is still overpriced.
Sorry if someone already said this but, if you want beachfront property, move to FL, CA, SC, NC, VA, etc.
Yes, I know it is more expensive, but then you’re also talking about the Atlantic, Pacific, or Gulf of Mexico – not freaking Lake Michigan.
I guess someone with a strong imagination could talk themselves into this property. But in my eyes, it’s for the “not so rich, but rich enough” person who lives in the south in some new construction condo / resort area who wants “beach front property” up north in the summer time.
That K&K house looks like a frickin Elementary School… BLECH!
you guys need to remember also you are paying for an exclusive club.
only 20 other single family homes in chicago have a private beach.
dont the factories in indiana dump in the lake?
^^^^^
Yeah but whats a little, or lot of ammonia into the water? A natural disinfectant, right? hehe..
I don’t know CSal.. I think I take lake Michigan over the Gulf. I keep thinking Galveston. not good!
CSal,
if you want beachfront property, move to Brazil!
right, Ze?
I should have been more specific when I said the Gulf – was thinking of the gulf side of Florida when I mentioned that and didn’t take into consideration TX, AL, MS, or LA.
And yeah, if you can speak Portuguese, you should check out Brazil.
“Sorry if someone already said this but, if you want beachfront property, move to FL, CA, SC, NC, VA, etc. ”
The thing is some high level jobs are tied to this area. I could see some rich person with a high level job buying this place (law/acctg partner, surgeon, etc) who (or their wife) just really likes the beach/entertaining. Not to say they would live here without repainting the thing–that blue is atrocious. Not everybody wants to live downtown as there are tons of jobs up in N Shore/Evanston.
If this property is still connected to the Giannoulias family in some way, the only thing this can mean is that the proposed park, LSD expansion is going to get forced through no matter what, and probably within the next 5-10 years. Being so politically connected, I’m sure they’ve gotten the early heads up.
There’s no other compelling reason to dump this property in this market otherwise.
Funny in ’03 I wanted to see what the hell was going on with 25%+ annual appreciation in Naples so I went down to take a look. Place was just awful. Everything closed by 10pm and nothing within 30 miles. As for AL, MS, or LA, I don’t even consider that to be part of the world unless it’s college football season. Although I have a good friend that insists Huntsville,AL is very nice.
Anon.. still can’t get past what I see as massive wage pressure, not there yet. And I am definitely not letting go of my complete demolition of the middle class in America theory.
Roma… scary thing is what beachfront now costs here. I think when the World Cup comes here in 2014 this place becomes untouchable.
If you want cheap lakefront, look at Lake Huron. Michigan is really hurting now and the Detroit Auto Excs are dumping their “Beach Homes”. I own a three bed/two bath home on a nice stretch of beach (45 ft) for less than 300K. 5.5 – 6 hour drive from downtown Chicago.
For a true Edgewater MLS listing of genius please check out MLS: 07242462. Although you might have trouble seeing it if you’re in a neckbrace.
Gotta wonder what this area looked like in 1916 when this “cottage” was built…
Bob,
‘Although you might have trouble seeing it if you’re in a neckbrace.’
-love it, another great example of a professional RE agent. Maybe he/she will realize their mistake in another 56 days on market.
Tipster, Beverly Shores homes are not private lakeshore, but part of the national lakeshore program. The few remaining homes on the lake are leased from the federal government, with leases (great deals, but usaully not assignable) expiring at undermined times such as the death of leasee. These homes are slated for eventual demolition. Great beach, even though public, and great views from houses at beachfront, as they are often situated high.
G, the price for the Keck and Keck house in Gary is way out of wack, as you can pick up a Keck and Keck house in Glencoe or Highland Park for that amount. Modernist houses sell for a lot less in NW Indiana, in the $200,000 range
chrisM makes a very, very intriguing point
“If this property is still connected to the Giannoulias family in some way, the only thing this can mean is that the proposed park, LSD expansion is going to get forced through no matter what, and probably within the next 5-10 years. Being so politically connected, I’m sure they’ve gotten the early heads up.
There’s no other compelling reason to dump this property in this market otherwise.”
you guys are missing the point of this place, yes you can buy a beach house in another state or……
…….
……you could have woke up this morning ate breakfast on your private beach, commuted 25 minutes to work, come home tonight and have a few brew’s on your own private beach. then do it all over again tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Indeed, Groove. Also, some here seem to be missing the other side of this – this is a 14,392 sqft beach front lot on the northside. In the context of the City, that is a gigantic single family lot. During the bubble (I know maybe not the best comparison), there were 3,125-6,250 sqft teardown lots on Burling in Lincoln Park selling for $1 mil. I know there is not as much going on in this part of Edgewater as central Lincoln Park, but it;s your OWN PRIVATE BEACH! Also, nice is that the properties to either side have walls and embankments flanking the beach, so you never have to worry about strangers “using” your beach.
HD says: If you head north in between milwaukee and green bay there is no shortage of lake front property. It’s all farming community up there but there’s plenty of land.
I gather you splurge and rent a car every so often?
“6,250 sqft teardown lots on Burling in Lincoln Park selling for $1 mil”
If you knew of a 50′ lot on Burling that was available for *only* $1mm, why didn’t you tell us?
ze: “massive wage pressure”
That’s part of what the devaluation is for, duh. What % of income do the (prosperous) working class pay for housing in Europe, BRIC, elsewhere? I’m talking the stable class that sends their kids to school and don’t move frequently, whether renting or ownnig–it’s more like EsEff than Akron, no? That’s part of what will change–working class americans won’t have a house and two cars and a boat and mutliple new tvs and, and, and.
For $2 million, if you’re still working (i.e., going into an office) and raising a family (i.e., they’re tied to a particular school, routine and group of friends), you can do much better: (i) up in the north shore suburbs (perhaps a few blocks from the beach, which, though nice, is a frozen tundra most of the year) or (ii) by spending $1.2 for a decent 3 bed in east LP and $800k for a lake house within reasonable driving distance of Chicago.
If you’re not geographically restricted, spend $800k on a place in Florida (that was $2 million in 2007) and $1 million on a place in a mountain resort town (that was $1.5 in 2007), then spend $200k on about 25-50 visits to Chicago, NYC and the actual Malibu (or abroad) as you see fit.
Ze –
I was down in the Naples area this past spring and I must agree I just don’t see why people are attracted to that area. I was at a hole in the wall Irish pub and a goose and tonic cost more than it does in Chicago.
I will say though that the entire city does not shut down at 10 PM – a few bars open until 2 AM (and they get packed). And I think Marco Island is within 30 miles and that is a good time…
“I was down in the Naples area this past spring and I must agree I just don’t see why people are attracted to that area. I was at a hole in the wall Irish pub and a goose and tonic cost more than it does in Chicago.”
Naples is great – love the weather, not an obnoxious spring break town. Great restaurants, Barefoot Beach is great, Doc’s on the beach… Hint: when you go on vacation don’t fret over paying an extra dollar for a drink.
Silly boy ze…people don’t go to Naples to party their asses off with cheap drinks. This is a location for the people who have worked hard their lives (simply picking up a phone and advising your broker to invest in XYZ counts) and are now ready to lay around enjoying life….much like you claim to be doing in your castle in Brazil.
Ah yes Westloop. My thoughts were on being asked to leave Shulas at 10pm because they wanted to close. Real crazy partying I was up to eating those bacon wrapped shrimp.
Naples sucks. Period!
it would be nice on a day like this to go home after work and have a few drinks on the beach 🙂
Beverly Shores has Michigan City schools, i.e. not kid friendly. There is only ONE community on the lake to live in in NW Indiana and it ain’t Ogden Dunes.
Once Mary Anne Elephant Lover Smith goes the low zoning on Sheridan will too. Hence all the abandoned mansions, she lets the block clubs make all her decisions and nothing gets done.
If the lake level goes up, all those high rises and breakwaters will prevent any beach in front of this place, not a good investment from that perspective.
Ah yes Westloop. My thoughts were on being asked to leave Shulas at 10pm because they wanted to close. Real crazy partying I was up to eating those bacon wrapped shrimp. Naples sucks. Period!
Lord. You were at Shula’s? No wonder why you think Naples sucks. You should have checked out the T.G.I.Fridays there too – but the drinks would be spendy! If you don’t understand or appreciate Naples, go where you go where ever that may be.
“Ah yes Westloop. My thoughts were on being asked to leave Shulas at 10pm because they wanted to close. Real crazy partying I was up to eating those bacon wrapped shrimp. Naples sucks. Period!”
Lord. You were at Shula’s? No wonder why you think Naples sucks. You should have checked out the T.G.I.Fridays there too – but the drinks would be spendy! If you don’t understand or appreciate Naples, go where you go where ever that may be.
Oh geez, Shula’s isn’t that bad… if you’re a senior citizen 🙂
it’s cute but so far north for 2m. love the water but it needs a lot of renovation.
Use your imagination folks; lots of potemtial here if you have the money.
New agent (Andrew Yonke, Cedar Realty Advisors, LLC???) and a slight drop in price: 1.8 mil.
sorry, 1.9
1.65
see ya on the way down…
Mega millions is still not responding to my emails, bastardz!