Crib Chatter

This 3-bedroom duplex-up penthouse at 1239 N. State Parkway in the Gold Coast came on the market in September 2023 (yes, the house next door in the picture above, featured in The Lake House movie with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, is no longer there as it was torn down for a new mansion).

Built in 1997, 1239 N. State Parkway has only 3 units. It has attached parking including a “bonus spot” for guests which is shared by the unit owners.

If it looks familiar, that’s because we actually chattered about this unit back in 2011.

Miumiu said:

“I actually love the so called penthouse, unit 3. I am not sure why everyone is complaining about the finishes. This place is airy and open. I love everything with exception of the fire places. I am sure it does not cost all that much to redress those.”

You can see our 2011 chatter here.

This penthouse is two stories and “lives like a single family home.”

It has 25 foot cathedral ceilings in the living/dining room along with a double sided fireplace that is open to the living/dining room and also the kitchen/breakfast space.

The kitchen is on the first floor and is open to the rest of the space. It has white cabinets, an island and “top of the line” appliances along with a breakfast space.

All three bedrooms are also on the main floor with two out of the three carpeted, including the primary bedroom.

The primary appears to have an ensuite bathroom with a double vanity, a tub and a separate shower. It also has a fireplace.

There is an open staircase to the second floor which has the family room which is open to the space below which as a wet bar with a wine refrigerator.

This unit has 3 outdoor spaces, including two decks on the main level, one on the front in the living/dining room and a second off the primary bedroom as well as an 800 square foot private rooftop terrace with a fire pit, lighting, custom built-ins and landscaping.

The listing says there are speakers in the living room, dining room, kitchen and family room.

This unit has the features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and one car attached garage parking.

The listing also says: “The association has no deferred maintenance, assessments are extremely low.”

This building is near the shops and restaurants of Division and Rush Street as well as the Jewel supermarket and Division Street farmer’s market.

When we last chattered about it in 2011, it was in the midst of the worst of the housing bust. The unit sold for $337,000 under the 2004 price of $1.349 million.

In September 2023, it was listed at $1.499 million, which would be its all-time high sales price.

Will this property finally break out?

Lissa Weinstein at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the listing. See the pictures here (sorry, no floor plan).

Unit #3: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, duplex up, no square footage listed, penthouse

• Sold in November 1997 for $775,000
• Sold in November 2004 for $1.349 million
• Sold in January 2012 for $1.012 million
• Sold in June 2017 for $1.25 million
• Currently listed at $1.499 million
• Assessments of $250 a month (includes parking, scavenger)
• Taxes of $22,255
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Attached garage parking included
• Shared guest parking space with other unit owners
• 2 fireplaces including double sided
• Bedroom #1: 18×16 (main floor)
• Bedroom #2: 12×10 (main floor)
• Bedroom #3: 12×10 (main floor)
• Living room: 21×13 (main floor)
• Dining room: 21×10 (main floor)
• Kitchen: 21×17 (main floor)
• Family room: 24×21 (second floor)
• Laundry room: 5×7 (main floor)
• Deck: 49×21 (second floor)
• Deck: 21×9 (main floor)
• Deck: 15×11 (main floor)

This 3-bedroom vintage row house at 554 W. Fullerton Parkway in Lincoln Park came on the market in July 2023.

Built in 1886, the row house is on a 20 x 101 sized lot. It has a parking pad behind the row house with one parking space. It’s not gated.

If it looks familiar, that’s because we last chattered about it in April 2011.

In the chatter, a poster named Ed said:

I think this looks well done and the neighborhood should see a reduction in traffic and increased quiet when the hospital moves in 1 year.

We all tried to guess about what would be built on the old Children Memorial’s site. See our chatter here.

This row house still has many vintage features including the original mahogany front door and staircase, 12 foot high ceilings, extensive crown molding, ceiling medallions and 3 original stone fireplaces.

There are also ebony hardwood floors throughout and a wet bar and dumb waiter.

The first floor is the kitchen, dining room, utility/laundry room and half bath. It has two separate entrances, both north and south.

The kitchen has white cabinets, what looks like stone counter tops, stainless steel appliances and an island with seating for one. It also leads to a back brick patio which is fenced in.

The second floor has the living room and family room, along with built-in bookcases, and the wet bar.

The third floor houses the three bedrooms. Two of those, including the primary, are en suite.

The row house has a front garden, in addition to the back bricked patio.

It has central air.

This property is in the heart of Lincoln Park, near the shops and restaurants of Lincoln Park, the lake front, beach and Lincoln Park Zoo.

Originally listed in July 2023 for $1,615,000, it has been reduced $117,500 to $1,497,500.

Are mortgage rates over 7% having an impact on the sale?

Maria Liancourt at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Or see it at the Open House on Sunday, September 24 from 11 am to 1 pm.

554 W. Fullerton Parkway: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, no square footage listed, row house

• Sold in April 1992 for $350,000
• Sold in November 2005 for $899,000
• Originally listed in February 2011 for $1.25 million
• Sold in December 2012 for $1.015 million 
• Originally listed in July 2023 for $1,615,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $1,497,500
• Taxes are now $16,339 (they were $11,991 in April 2011)
• Central Air
• One car parking onsite at the rear of the property
• 3 original fireplaces
• Bedroom #1: 14×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 14×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #3: 8×7 (third floor)
• Living room: 18×12 (second floor)
• Family room: 14×12 (second floor)
• Wet Bar: 5×4 (second floor)
• Kitchen: 17×12 (main floor)
• Dining room: 15×12 (main floor)
• Utility/laundry room: 3×8 (main floor)
• Foyer: 6×8 (second floor)

This 3-bedroom in The Renaissance at 5510 N. Sheridan in Edgewater came on the market in September 2023.

Built in 1927, The Renaissance is an elevator building with just 32 units. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places. There are only 2 units per floor. It has indoor and outdoor parking as well as guest parking.

The building has a bike room, private storage, and 2 private gardens with grills and seating areas. There’s no door staff.

This unit is on the second floor and has tree top views. The prior listing says it has south and east exposures.

It has refinished hardwood floors and vintage features such as a foyer and gallery along with a decorative fireplace in the living room.

The unit has a full size dining room which is being used as a family room in the listing pictures.

The kitchen is an eat-in with a wood banquette, two pantries, white cabinets, quartz counter tops and a mix of white and stainless steel appliances.

All three bedrooms are en suite, with a jack-and-jill bathroom between the primary and the second bedroom.

This unit has window air conditioning but there’s no washer/dryer in the unit. There is coin laundry in the building.

There’s parking available immediately outdoors for $75 a month. There’s a waitlist for the garage parking which is $110 a month.

This building is near the Foster and Hollywood beaches, a Mariano’s and Whole Foods and the shops and restaurants of Andersonville.

The listing says its in the Goudy Elementary school district.

There are express buses to downtown nearby.

Listed at $445,000, with 2200 square feet, is this a vintage lover’s dream?

Edward Watts at Jameson Sotheby’s has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #2B: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2200 square feet

• Sold in September 1998 for $292,500
• Sold in December 2018 for $310,000
• Currently listed at $445,000
• Assessments of $1305 a month (includes heat, cable, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal, Internet)
• Taxes of $6435
• No central air but window units
• No in-unit washer/dryer (coin laundry in the building)
• Outdoor parking is available for $75 a month with a waitlist for garage parking at $110 a month
• Decorative fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 20×11
• Bedroom #2: 16×12
• Bedroom #3: 10×10
• Kitchen: 15×9
• Living room: 26×15
• Dining room: 20×14
• Foyer: 11×5
• Gallery: 16×6

This 4-bedroom Block Y townhouse at 28 S. Throop Parkway in the West Loop came on the market in September 2023. (This picture is not one of this particular unit but it is some of the townhouses in the complex.)

Built in 2004, this group of townhouses has some which front the street and some front a “lush” courtyard. These townhouses have attached 2-car garages.

This townhouse has 4 levels and faces the central courtyard which has a pond and mature trees.

It has a front patio with a tree. The main floor has a family room, with carpet, and a full bath as well as the 2-car garage.

On the second floor is the living/dining room, the kitchen and a half bath. There are hardwood floors on this floor and a fireplace.

The kitchen has dark wood cabinets, what looks like granite counter tops, and stainless steel appliances along with an island with seating for 2.

There’s a balcony off the kitchen and living room.

Three of the four bedrooms are on the third floor, including the primary bedroom which has vaulted ceilings and an en suite bathroom.

There’s also a second full bathroom on this floor.

The fourth floor is the fourth bedroom but it could also be an office or flex space with access to a terrace.

This townhouse has central air.

This complex is near Skinner Park, Skinner West Elementary, and the shops, restaurants and coffee shops of the West Loop.

The listing says it was “rarely available.” It’s last sale was 17 years ago in 2006.

Listed at $1.199 million, that’s almost double the 2006 sales price of $629,000.

With inventory low, will the sellers get their price?

Bernadeta Szopinska and Ramunas Skara at Skara Realty have the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #28: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2900 square feet, townhouse

• Sold in December 2002 for $575,000
• Sold in May 2006 for $629,000
• Currently listed at $1.199 million
• Assessments of $278 a month (includes scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $20,915
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer
• 2-car attached garage parking
• Fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 16×15 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 9×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #3: 9×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #4: 13×15 (fourth floor)
• Living room: 18×24 (second floor)
• Kitchen: 13×13 (second floor)
• Family room: 19×19 (main level)
• 2 balconies (second floor)
• Terrace off top floor room

This 1-bedroom in the John Hancock at 175 E. Delaware in the Gold Coast came on the market in September 2023.

Yes, I’m still calling the building the John Hancock until someone else buys the naming rights.

The Hancock was built in 1969 and has 703 units and attached rental parking. It’s one of America’s most iconic condo buildings.

The building has 24/7 door staff, on-site maintenance and engineering, a fitness center, indoor pool, a grocery store, multiple party rooms and the sky lobby.

The listing calls the Hancock the “pinnacle of urban living.”

This unit was renovated in 2023 and some walls were removed.

It is a north facing 61st floor unit with views of the Lake, Lincoln Park and the north side without any diagonals.

It has wide plank hardwood floors throughout.

This is the floor plan that had the den in front of the bedroom. The glass walls to the den were removed but it still has a 10×8 office on the floor plan.

The kitchen has also been opened to the living room and has white custom cabinets, granite counter tops, a tile backsplash, top of the line stainless steel appliances and a peninsula with seating for 3. It also has a wine cooler.

The bathroom has also been renovated with a walk-in-shower and a white vanity.

The Hancock has allowed units to add washer/dryers and this one now has it tucked away behind a kitchen cabinet.

The unit has wall air conditioning and parking is available to rent in the building.

This building is in the heart of everything in the Gold Coast and Streeterville. It’s near the Mag Mile, Oak Street Beach, shopping, restaurants galore and numerous bus routes and the subway.

The listing says this unit “delivers it all.”

Listed at $425,000, that’s $115,000 above the 2019 sales price of $310,000.

Buyers love “new.”

Will the renovation get this unit sold quickly?

Robert Picciariello at Prello Realty has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #6104: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 929 square feet

• Sold in July 1988 for $155,000
• Sold in June 2006 for $365,000
• Sold in January 2019 for $310,000
• Currently listed at $425,000
• Assessments of $880 a month (includes doorman, exercise room, indoor pool)
• Taxes of $6650
• No central air but wall units
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Rental parking in the building
• Bedroom: 11×15
• Office: 10×8
• Living room: 14×21
• Kitchen: 7×11

This 3-bedroom penthouse in Gateway Lofts at 1738 W. Belmont in Roscoe Village came on the market in September 2023.

Built in 2001, Gateway Lofts is a boutique elevator building with 14 units and attached heated garage parking.

It does have some amenities, including an exercise room and club room with a ping pong table along with 2 shared rooftop decks.

This penthouse is a single floor unit with front and back terraces.

It has 11 foot ceilings and exposed brick walls with the living/dining and kitchen in open concept at the front of the unit.

The living/dining room has enough space for a den/office.

There’s a fireplace.

The “upgraded” kitchen has dark cabinets, granite counter tops, Bosch stainless steel appliances, a water filtration system and a huge island with barstool seating.

There is a huge, private front terrace off the dining room with skyline views.

The unit also has an open concept family room.

The three bedrooms are fully enclosed and each has windows.

The primary bedroom has “new” carpet but the other two bedrooms have hardwoods.

The primary has a fireplace, it’s own private terrace and is en suite with dual vanity and whirlpool tub.

This unit has the features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and 2-car heated side-by-side garage parking which is included.

There’s also a second refrigerator, tucked next to the laundry, and a 5x6x8 storage unit.

This building is near the big Whole Foods in Lakeview, the shops and restaurants of West Lakeview and Roscoe Village as well as transportation with buses and the Brown line.

The listing says it’s in the Burley school district.

Listed at $859,000, and at 2400 square feet, it is in a rare boutique building that has bigger building amenities like an elevator and exercise room.

Is this a high rise alternative?

Paul Ragi at @Properties Christie’s has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Or see it at the Open House on Saturday, September 16, 2023 from 11 AM to 1 PM.

Unit #4: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2400 square feet, penthouse

• Sold in September 2002 for $540,000
• Sold in July 2013 for $715,000
• Currently listed at $859,000
• Assessments of $656 a month (includes exercise room, lawn care, exterior maintenance, snow removal, scavenger)
• Taxes of $13,566
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• 2-car side-by-side heated garage parking included
• 2 fireplaces
• Elevator in the building
• Bedroom #1: 16×17
• Bedroom #2: 13×11
• Bedroom #3: 12×11
• Living room: 30×19
• Office: 13×12
• Foyer: 11×7
• Kitchen: 17×12
• Dining room: 14×12
• Family room: 16×16
• Laundry room: 4×7
• Terrace: 29×10
• Balcony: 13×4

This 3-bedroom Sandburg Village townhouse at 1314 N. Sandburg Terrace in Old Town came on the market in August 2023. (The picture above is of some of the Sandburg Village townhouses but not this specific one.)

Thanks to The Cat for requesting that we chatter about this property.

Built in 1965, Sandburg Village was a planned community of high rises, townhouses and the artist lofts.

Village amenities include 2 pools, tennis courts, pickleball courts, a dog run, a package room, a playground, hospitality rooms, onsite cleaners, dentist, barbershop and nail salon. There is an extra fee for many of these amenities for the townhouses.

The listing says this townhouse is “tucked away.”

The main floor has the living/dining and kitchen, a full bath, with a Toto toilet and Sherle Wagner vanity, and a bedroom which is currently being used as a den which has built-ins and overlooks the private patio.

The living area features built-in cabinets and shelving and large floor-to-ceiling windows along with a sliding glass door that opens to the brick private patio, with a tree and landscaping. It’s fully enclosed with walls and fencing.

The living/dining/kitchen has a black and white checkerboard tile floor.

There is a de Guilio kitchen with white cabinets, granite counter tops, a breakfast bar, and luxury appliances including a Subzero refrigerator, a Thermador cooktop, a GE double oven and a KitchenAid dishwasher.

The second floor has the other two bedrooms and a full bathroom.

The primary bedroom has built-in cabinetry and hypoallergenic carpeting. The second bedroom is used as an office.

There is a lower level which the listing says could be used as a family room. There’s also a utility room with the washer/dryer.

The listing also indicates that a third bathroom could be added in the lower level.

It has central air and one car outdoor parking which is covered and has a garage door.

This townhouse is also on a shared landscaped courtyard, if you need even more outdoor space than your private patio.

Sandburg Village is between Old Town and the Gold Coast and is near all the shops and restaurants of both. It’s also near several bus lines and the Red Line subway.

It appears that this townhouse hasn’t sold in several decades.

Listed at $785,000, is this townhouse an oasis in the middle of the city?

Millie Rosenbloom at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

1314 N. Sandburg Terrace: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed, townhouse

• I couldn’t find a prior sale going back to 1986
• Originally listed in August 2023 for $785,000
• Currently still listed at $785,000
• Assessments of $443 a month (includes lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)(extra fee for other Sandburg Village amenities)
• Taxes of $11,664
• Central Air
• 1-car covered outdoor parking with garage door included
• Bedroom #1: 12×17 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 11×17 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 11×17 (main floor)
• Living room: 16×20 (main floor)
• Kitchen: 14×18 (main floor)
• Family room: 19×14 (lower level)
• Utility room: 14×17 (lower level)
• Patio: 16×23 (main level)

This 2-bedroom in the Astor Tower at 1300 N. Astor in the Gold Coast came on the market in May 2023.

Astor Tower Condos was built in 1962 by Bertrand Goldberg. It was originally the Astor Tower Hotel and had some famous customers including the Beatles.

It now has 78 condo units and garage parking. It has 24-hour door staff, on-site maintenance and management, a fitness center and a rooftop 360-degree deck.

Apparently, the building is not on the historic register, nor is it landmarked. Block Club Chicago has more on how it was built:

In 1959, Bertrand Goldberg began designing a strikingly modern high rise for Astor Street, juxtaposed by the surrounding classical revival townhouses and apartments. The Astor Tower featured a structural center core of poured concrete upon which twenty-four residential floors were hung, and further supported by twelve parameter columns. The core and columns rise for a full five stories before the residential floors begin, giving the building the shape of an “ice pop.”

This innovative design required Bertrand Goldberg Associates structural engineer Bert Weinberg to revise the building’s structural calculations, requiring three more stories to be added to the design, delaying the start of construction. Meanwhile, Marina City had broken ground beside the Chicago River in 1960 and was constructed as scheduled, with its first residents moving in to the finished first tower in 1962, a year prior to the opening of the Astor Tower Hotel.

This unit is a “rarely available” half floor corner unit with “breathtaking” lake and city views from its floor to ceiling windows.

There are “newer” hardwood floors throughout.

The kitchen is “eat-in” with sleek flat panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances and a panel ready integrated refrigerator, granite counter tops, a slab backsplash and a peninsula.

The primary suite is on the southwest corner with skyline and sunset views. It has a walk-in-closet and an en suite bathroom with marble vanities, rain shower and body sprays.

The unit has the features that buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and 2-car tandem parking which is included.

This building is near the shops and restaurants of the Gold Coast, Rush Street, and Old Town as well as the beach and parks.

Originally listed in May 2023 for $699,900, it has been reduced $149,900 to $550,000.

That’s below all the sales prices since 2006.

Is this unit a deal?

George Furla and John Kosmopoulos at Dream Town have the listing. See the pictures here (sorry, no floor plan.)

Unit #26A: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1600 square feet

• Sold in October 1999 for $315,000
• Sold in May 2006 for $680,000
• Sold in April 2010 for $810,000
• Sold in October 2014 for $772,000
• Originally listed in May 2023 for $699,900
• Reduced several times
• Currently listed at $550,000 (includes 2-car tandem parking)
• Assessments of $2889 a month (includes heat, a/c, doorman, cable, exercise room, coin laundry in the building, on-site engineer, party room, sundeck)
• Taxes of $11,851
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• OR, you can rent it. Listed on August 31, 2023 for $5750 a month
• Reduced
• Currently listed for rent at $5,000 a month (is THIS a deal?)
• Bedroom #1: 18×13
• Bedroom #2: 15×10
• Living/dining room combo: 18×27
• Kitchen: 11×7

This 2-bedroom in the Michigan Avenue Lofts at 910 S. Michigan in the South Loop came on the market in July 2023.

Built in 1911, it was converted to loft condos in 2001 during the loft boom. It has 262 units and attached garage parking.

The building has 24/7 door staff and an exercise room.

Sorry, but the picture above does not reflect the new Helmet Jahn (his last) high rise apartment building going up directly to the south. I need to update this picture as having a 70 story building next door is a big change for this building.

This unit, however, is a corner unit with north and east exposures. It does not face into the new building. It faces Michigan Avenue and Grant Park and has tree top views.

The listing says this unit has had “impeccable renovations” in 2021 in which “no expense was spared”.

Should it even be called a “loft” anymore?

It still has the 11 foot high ceilings but if you look at the 2011 listing pictures, you can see that they removed the exposed ductwork, one of the “loft” features.

These east facing units have no outdoor space BUT in the original conversion, the developer built in interior “sunrooms” that faced east, had a door and usually tile floors. That sunroom has been removed. (See the 2011 pictures.)

This unit has new hardwood flooring (still diagonal), fresh paint and a fireplace.

The kitchen has been “redesigned” and has a high end Dacor stainless steel appliance package, 2 tone white and wood cabinets, gray glass subway tile backsplash, and an island with seating for 4.

The bedrooms are in a split floor plan. Both have windows.

The primary faces east and has an en suite bathroom which has been renovated and which “rivals the luxurious atmosphere of a spa.”

The unit has the features that buyers look for including central air, in-unit washer/dryer and a tandem 2-spot parking space which is $50,000 extra (see listing picture).

This building is across from Grant Park, near Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, the shops and restaurants of the South Loop and Michigan Avenue as well as numerous bus line and the subway.

Listed in July 2023 at $625,000, it has been reduced to $595,000.

Buyers love “new” and this unit has the preferred view in this building.

Why isn’t this selling?

Susan Corcoran at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here. Sorry, no floor plan.

Unit #204: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1750 square feet, loft

• Sold in July 2001 for $437,500
• Sold in May 2011 for $485,000
• Originally listed in July 2023 for $625,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $595,000 (plus $50,000 for tandem 2-car garage parking)
• Assessments of $1242 a month (includes heat, a/c, gas, parking, cable, exercise, exterior maintenance, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $11,535
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 12×17
• Bedroom #2: 1212
• Living/dining room: 22×25
• Kitchen: 8×17

This 2-bedroom in Park Millennium at 222 N. Columbus on the New Eastside came on the market in September 2023.

Park Millennium was built in 2002 and has 480 units and attached leased garage parking.

It’s a full amenity building with door staff, an indoor lap pool, fitness center, sauna, sundeck with outdoor grills, a dry cleaner and even a grocery store.

This listing has been “completely renovated” and is now the “epitome of urban living.”

The unit has wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows.

It has light wide plank laminate wood floors throughout.

There is an “open concept” kitchen with self close white and gray cabinets, a breakfast bar with seating for three, white quartz countertops, a deep sink, brand new stainless steel appliances, and a herringbone backsplash.

The primary bedroom is en suite with an organized walk-in-closet.

The bathrooms have “contemporary” bathroom fixtures.

This unit has the features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and there is rental garage parking attached to the building.

This building is near Millennium Park, the Loop and Michigan Avenue as well as shops, restaurants and the Mariano’s and the Lakeshore East park.

It has come on the market for $479,950 after selling in May for $320,000.

Buyers love “new.”

Will this sell quickly?

Shawn Jones at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the listing. See the pictures here (no floor plan).

Unit #1609: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1170 square feet

• Sold in August 2005 for $390,500
• Sold in May 2023 for $320,000
• Currently listed at $479,950
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 12×12
• Bedroom #2: 12×10
• Living room: 18×17
• Dining room: 11×7
• Kitchen: 10×7