Crib Chatter

  Every day I walk north down Michigan Avenue,  I am reminded that the Ritz-Carlton project at 664 N. Michigan is struggling. Over a year ago, they put a big sign up on the sign of the old Farwell Building that said 30% sold.  Then, they replaced that last summer with 40% sold. It’s been at […]

Fulton House at 345 N. Canal is one of those rare buildings that no one seems to know much about yet it has a prominent location right on the river next to River Bend. Built in 1903 as a cold storage warehouse,  it was converted into apartments in 1979-81.  It was converted into condominiums in the 1990s.  […]

Why buy a one bedroom in River North or Streeterville when you can buy a two bedroom for much less? For those looking to buy, it pays to look at the high rises that are slightly older.  Such is the case with Park Place at 600 N. Kingsbury on the edge of River North near […]

The Elysian is a 60 story hotel/condo building being built in the Rush Street Corridor at 11 E. Walton.  It will have 188 guest suites (i.e. hotel rooms) and 51 private residences. Interestingly, there are 7 listings on the MLS for units in the building even though the building is far from complete.  Two listings […]

When you think of The Palmolive at 159 E. Walton in the Gold Coast, you think of exclusivity.  There is something neat about that building.  It is not flashy or “new” but has an understated elegance. The building sold pretty quickly in original sales but since then it has actually struggled- at least in some […]

With 550 St. Clair in Streeterville nearly completed, the developer is getting more aggressive in trying to sell the remaining units. There was a half page ad in the Sunday Chicago Tribune in the Perspectives Section (interesting that it was not in the real estate section) promoting: “Special Prices on Remaining Units.” The ad didn’t say […]

The Sunday Real Estate section of the Chicago Tribune had an article titled, “Seers, soothsayers and educated guessers” about what might go on with the Chicago real estate market in 2008 (and beyond).  It had a few interesting tidbits about the Chicago condo market.  1.  Younger people will be able to buy condos if they […]

Recently, I highlighted a townhouse in the South Loop in what many consider to be the “new” Gold Coast. I thought I’d see what you can get for your money in the “old” Gold Coast on the North Side.  As it turns out, quite a bit. Sutton Place is an interesting townhouse gated community in […]

A 3 bedroom unit has just been reduced at 1111 S. Wabash in the South Loop.  Developed by the Gammonley Group in 2005, the 34 story building was one of the first new high rises to be built during the South Loop boom. Is this a steal?  It is the cheapest 3 bedroom for sale […]

   It’s back!  Last September I chattered about a Lincoln Park Mansion at 2440 N. Orchard that appeared on the foreclosure auction list.   It is new construction totaling 9,400 square feet including 6 bedrooms, 6 baths and 3 half baths. In September of 2007, it had the following stats: Listed for $4.6 million Auction price of $1,325,655 […]