Crib Chatter

This 6-bedroom vintage greystone at 538 W. Deming Place in Lincoln Park came on the market in January 2024.

Built in 1889, it is on an oversized Chicago lot measuring 27×190. It has a heated 2.5 car garage and both a true front, and back, yard.

If it looks familiar, that is because we chattered about it in 2016 when the family that had lived in it for several decades was selling it.

Back in 2016, JohnnyU said “This place is about $3-400M away from being a truly elite property” and Jenny said “This is exactly the type of home I would want if I was wealthy.”

See our chatter here.

While the facade of the house is 1889, with some of its original features including stained glass windows, the interior is “all-new” as of 2019.

The house has its 12 foot vintage ceilings, crown molding and custom millwork.

It has 3 fireplaces including in the family room, living room and primary bedroom.

There is a built-in hutch in the dining room.

But the floors are white oak wide plank hardwoods and it has a curved center wood staircase that is to the period which appears to have replaced a modern white staircase per the 2016 listing pictures.

We debated the era of the staircase in the prior chatter (1980s?).

It now has a 4-stop elevator.

The main floor has the living room, dining room, kitchen and breakfast room, as well as the family room which overlooks the backyard.

The kitchen is open to the family room  and has white cabinets, a big island with seating for three, and luxury appliances including Wolf, Bosch and Subzero.

It also has a Butler’s pantry and a walk-in food pantry along with a breakfast room.

The family room has a glass Nana Wall that opens up to the backyard.

Three of the bedrooms, including primary, are on the second floor, with 2 more on the third floor and the sixth bedroom in the lower level.

The primary suite has features you normally don’t see in a historic home including a dressing room, spa bath with dual vanity, steam shower and radiant heated floors.

The primary also has a private 23×8 terrace.

The top floor has a blue lacquered office which opens to a private roof deck.

The lower level has a full bathroom, second laundry, a second “catering” kitchen, a recreation room and a home theater.

The house has central air.

The baths are “modern” with custom tile by Ann Sacks and Artistic Tile.

The backyard has been designed by Botanical Concepts.

The listing says the house has all “new” mechanicals in 2019, including a backup generator.

This house is in a prime East Lincoln Park location near the shops and restaurants on Clark Street including coffee shops like Starbucks and Colectivo. It’s also near several bus lines and Lincoln Park.

Listed in January 2024 at $3.975 million, it remains listed at that price.

Buyers love “new”.

Will the sellers get their price?

Jennifer Ames at Engel & Volkers Chicago has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

538 W. Deming Place: 6 bedrooms, 6 baths, 6,000 square foot, single family home

• Sold in August 1992 for $907,500
• Sold in May 2016 for $2 million
• Listed in January 2024 for $3.975 million
• Currently still listed at $3.975 million
• Taxes of $25,913
• Central Air
• 2.5 heated car garage
• Oversized lot of 27×190
• 4-stop elevator
• Skylights
• 3 fireplaces
• Bedroom #1: 18×16 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 18×13 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 17×9 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 14×11 (second floor)
• Bedroom #5: 16×10 (third floor)
• Bedroom #6: 15×12 (lower level)
• Dining room: 16×15 (main floor)
• Kitchen: 15×14 (main floor)
• Breakfast room: 10×8 (main floor)
• Family room: 22×16 (main floor)
• Pantry: 9×7 (main floor)
• Living room: 16×13 (main floor)
• Walk-in-closet: 18×11 (second floor)
• Laundry room: 13×6 (third floor)
• Office: 16×13 (third floor)
• Recreation room: 18×13 (lower level)
• Home theater: 16×13 (lower level)
• Second kitchen: 9×8 (lower level)
• Laundry hook-up (lower leve)
• Terrace: 23 x 8 (second floor)
• Roof top deck: 16×14 (third floor)