7 Bedroom SFH with a Turret Tower for $5.2 Million in Old Town: 1515 N. North Park
This 7 bedroom single family home at 1515 N. North Park in Old Town came on the market in April 2023.
I don’t know when this house was built, but it was sometime after 2005. It’s on a double lot measuring 50 x 101.7 and has a unique front facing 2.5 car attached garage with a snow melt driveway.
The house is custom built with masonary brick and limestone and has a side yard.
The most prominent feature is the turret tower which the listing says has “panoramic” views of the city skyline.
The house has 12 foot ceilings, 8 foot doors and hardwood floors.
The living room has coffered ceilings and deep crown molding.
The kitchen is a “chef’s kitchen” with white custom cabinets, a Wolf range cooktop and custom copper hood, Wolf convection ovens, and a commercial Thermador refrigerator, granite counter tops, an island with black cabinets at the base, and a breakfast bar with seating for four. There’s also a separate eating area.
There are two bedrooms on the second floor, including the primary, three bedrooms on the third floor and two more in the lower level. The lower level bedrooms appear to share a bathroom.
The primary suite has a walk-out balcony and a private staircase to the turret which has a personal office. It also has 2 large walk-in-closets, and an en suite bathroom with a double vanity, steam shower and jetted bath.
Some unique features:
- A 5 stop elevator
- A top floor well appointed gym with a professional indoor sports court
- A 3-season room with a wood burning fireplace
- Grilling patio with built-in DCS chef’s grill
- Geothermal radiant heat
- Multiple laundry rooms
- Sonos multi-room sound system
- Covered roof top deck and multiple balconies
It has central air.
This house is near the shops and restaurants of Old Town including FoxTrot and Starbucks, and is near the Chicago History Museum, Second City and Lincoln Park. It’s also just a few blocks from the Brown line stop at Sedgwick.
Listed in April 2023 at $5.2 million, it’s still listed at $5.2 million.
The upper bracket has seen brisk sales in 2023. Will this house sell this year?
Chaz Walters at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
1515 N. North Park: 7 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 8400 square feet, single family house
- Sold in August 2005 for $735,000 (looks like just the lot)
- Originally listed in April 2023 for $5.2 million
- Currently still listed at $5.2 million
- Taxes of $51,910
- Central Air
- 2.5 car attached garage
- 3 wood burning fireplaces
- 5 stop elevator
- Bedroom #1: 23×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 16×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 16×12 (third floor)
- Bedroom #4: 14×14 (third floor)
- Bedroom #5: 14×12 (third floor)
- Bedroom #6: 17×14 (lower level)
- Bedroom #7: 17×15 (lower level)
- Living room: 17×15 (main level)
- Dining room: 17×13 (main level)
- Kitchen: 24×17 (main level)
- Eating area: 18×12 (main level)
- Family room: 29×19 (main level)
- Pantry: 8×6 (main level)
- Exercise room: 29×20 (lower level)
- Gym: 27×24 (fourth floor)
- Laundry room: 8×5 (second floor)
- Walk-in-closet: 9×7 (second floor)
- Balcony: 9×8
- Roof deck: 18×30
McMansion hell
I love turrets but this one doesnt work
Feels like a poor persons version of what they think a rich person would build circa 2005
At a minimum they should take their name off the BB court
Holding tight to that $5.2 mil number I see. I guess I would too if I shelled out for an elevator in my home.
“I shall build my castle and it shall have a turret!”
Not enough shoes in the closet.
“Selling Real Estate takes Chaz”
It’s hard to get past the staining and damage on the front steps at the ask.
Who installed those hardwood floors? You can see every single one in the light is showing crowning. Also seems cheap to do such narrow wood floors in a 5M house; you don’t need to do wide plank but at least not the narrowest option.
“It’s hard to get past the staining and damage on the front steps at the ask.”
Looks like water from a irrigation head, no? But agree it looks like crap, Way to go Chaz! Good job putting out even minimal effort
“Sonos multi-room sound system”
Does anyone (other than Sabrina) find this impressive, especially on a >$5MM home?
Looks like it would have been a fun place to hunker down in during the first few months of the pandemic, but otherwise there are just too many more compelling options for the money.
“Looks like water from a irrigation head, no?”
Think that caused the erosion of the limestone, too?
McTurret on the McMansion. Does this belong to some athlete of note? Both a fitness room in the basement and a rooftop gym? Blech….get rid of the roof top gym!
“Think that caused the erosion of the limestone, too?”
If its acidic, possibly. Dont think its wind or abrasion. Pontential for spalling? Joints in this area look bad as well
Was guessing the “staining” was due to being wet and the color saturation of the picks – Good job Chaz
Some of the homes built in LP over the last 2 decades are simply obscene. Totally out of touch with the neighborhood. Way oversized. This isn’t the worst offender but it’s bad enough. And who the heck needs 7 bedrooms, anyway? It’s just a way to show off.
And after all that, it’s on the wrong side of North Avenue. A block from the housing projects.
I’m taking tomorrow off so there won’t be a new post. We’ll regroup after Labor Day.
Things are slow right now. There’s some new properties coming on the market but it’s not much.
This home is not well staged or decorated for a $5-mil home. North Park is a nice street in Old Town with a lot of conveniences but I would rather live on the other side of North Ave, in Lincoln Park.
Hey was a trader…but he and a partner bought Burt’s Pizza…son is a star athlete so understand the house…and hey we’d all like to own it so we could sell it ?
“Not enough shoes in the closet.”
Is 33 pair of shoes really a lot for a couple with a $5m house?
yes, I know they don’t come with the house but the furnishings look mediocre at best. for a $5+ million house, I’d expect it to be more lavishly furnished. almost cheapens the house.
It has central air
and probably costs the GDP of Costa Rica to run.
“Is 33 pair of shoes really a lot for a couple with a $5m house?”
Nope. I would expect to have my own walk-in-closet just for shoes at this price point.
“and probably costs the GDP of Costa Rica to run.”
This is true of any large space, no? Many 10,000+ homes have multiple cooling systems. My dad had a big house out in the suburbs with 2 or 3 air conditioners (I don’t remember the exact number.) He used to pay $1500 a month in peak summer to cool that house. But that was back 20 years now.
At least we’re not in Florida where you have those bills for months on end.
@MB… I would never want to own this. This is tacky.
question first
“It’s hard to get past the staining and damage on the front steps at the ask.”
How to remediate? Is it just a power wash or need to stain the stone? I have no idea clearly.
comments
” unique front facing 2.5 car attached garage with a snow melt driveway ”
It’s not that unique to have front facing garages nor snow melt driveways. In fact there are other snow melted drive ways on this street. I know because I have driven down the street in winter when trying to find parking.
also the reason for the front drive ways is that for that side of the street there is no back alley and for the snow melting, it’s because the gradient is so high that you don’t want any ice and lose control of the car
” it’s on the wrong side of North Avenue. ”
because it’s on the wrong side means you can build what you want versus constraints in the triangle. you would never get the curb cut for your own garage north of north ave.
and the public housing isn’t any greater of an issue on the 1500 block versus the 1600 block. maybe 20 years ago when cabrini was still a thing but nowadays no difference
“finishing standards”
i totally agree with this comment. Like the front room and the kitchen were done at a nicer level and then the bedrooms might as well be in Palatine.
“It’s not that unique to have front facing garages nor snow melt driveways.”
We have had this chatter several times over the years on Crib Chatter. The result was, that, indeed, it IS rare to have a front facing driveway or any kind of driveway at all in the city. And in Old Town? Certainly.
Does it exist? Of course. We all can tell you examples of it here and there. Is it unique to have it? Yes. Yes, it is.
“And in Old Town? Certainly.”
“Is it unique to have it? Yes. Yes, it is.”
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/unique#:~:text=If%20something%20is%20unique%2C%20it%27s,that%20you%20are%20very%20special.
If something is unique, it’s the only one around. You might think getting a nose ring would make you unique, until you see five other people on the street with the same piercing.
If someone calls you unique you know that you are very special. The reason is that the Latin prefix uni- means “one.” (Technically speaking, it isn’t possible to be “very unique” — you either are or you’re not.) Think of the prefix in unicorn for a creature with one horn and unicycle for a cycle with one wheel.
So I just took a closer look at the east side of 1400 – 1600 block of N. North Park
1437 N NORTH Park – front facing parking for a 3 unit building
and then the next building up
1439 N North Park – front facing parking for a SFH
and then the next building up
1443 N. North Park – front facing parking for a SFH
then a couple of older buildings without
and then some multi unit building
1455 N. North Park – curb cut to park in the rear
and then to
1509 n. north park – front facing parking for a SFH
and then to
1511 N. North Park – front facing parking for a SFH
and then to our subject property
1515 N. North Park – front facing parking for a SFH
Agreed that it is hype to say “very unique” and it’s permutations, but if we can have a “more perfect” union in our Constitution, then I’ll tolerate the Very Unique crowd.
“How to remediate? Is it just a power wash or need to stain the stone? I have no idea clearly.”
Depends
Somethings causing the erosion/spalling, need to figure that out first
I would advise not staining stone without talking to someone knowledgeable about wall cavity design. Staining is going to create a barrier on the outside that will not permit vapor transmission (moisture gets trapped in the wall
“So I just took a closer look at the east side of 1400 – 1600 block of N. North Park”
Wow. Now do the REST of the neighborhood. How many others in Old Town? How many others in Lincoln Park? Obviously, this ONE street without an alley has several homes that have it. It’s still unique to have a front facing garage and driveway.
As I said, we HAVE discussed this many, many times on this blog over the years. I’ve been told, by all of you, that “driveways” just don’t exist in most of the neighborhoods close to downtown, on both the north and south sides.
A front garage and driveway IS unique.
“If something is unique, it’s the only one around. You might think getting a nose ring would make you unique, until you see five other people on the street with the same piercing.”
The definition of “unique”: sole, unusual or special.
A front driveway IS unusual or special in Chicago, a city of alleys. Sorry. This IS unique. Heck, having a driveway IS unique, as we have discussed many times (at least in this neighborhood. You will find more driveways in, say, Edgebrook and other further west neighborhoods)
Also, I’m assuming that this is the only $5 million home for sale in all of the city with a front facing garage and driveway.
Sab persona says in response ““And in Old Town? Certainly.””
and then says “Wow. Now do the REST of the neighborhood. How many others in Old Town?”
Chichow reply: You can do your own work to support your assertion.
but please just take a look one street over: Wieland
https://goo.gl/maps/kKDKoEQ9SNSLJ4Wz8
plenty of front facing driveways 1446 1448 1449 just up and down the street
Sabs persona then says: ” How many others in Lincoln Park? ”
Chichow reply: You can continue to move the goal posts
Sabs persona then says: “Also, I’m assuming that this is the only $5 million home for sale in all of the city with a front facing garage and driveway.”
chichow reply: Again you can move the goal posts
Front facing garage and driveway (room to split hairs, of course) here:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1407-N-Hoyne-Ave-60622/home/14107600
Garage doesn’t exaxctly face front here, but close:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1932-N-Burling-St-60614/home/112340155
“Chichow reply: You can do your own work to support your assertion.
but please just take a look one street over: Wieland
https://goo.gl/maps/kKDKoEQ9SNSLJ4Wz8
plenty of front facing driveways 1446 1448 1449 just up and down the street
Sabs persona then says: ” How many others in Lincoln Park? ”
Chichow reply: You can continue to move the goal posts
Sabs persona then says: “Also, I’m assuming that this is the only $5 million home for sale in all of the city with a front facing garage and driveway.”
chichow reply: Again you can move the goal posts”
Sabrina in a nutshell
anontfo:
Front facing garage and driveway (room to split hairs, of course) here:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1407-N-Hoyne-Ave-60622/home/14107600
chichow: and over 5 million ( are you saying splitting hairs because the garage while front facing is set pretty far back ie. longer driveway? – TBH I a little unsure from the photo and don’t plan on driving by)
Front facing garage:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3-W-Burton-Pl-60610/home/177289556
1800 block of Burling has a lot of $5m+ homes and no alleys, so…just nothing that’s both built and for sale ATM.
“are you saying splitting hairs because the garage while front facing is set pretty far back ie. longer driveway?”
Exactly.
anon tfo says:
Garage doesn’t exaxctly face front here, but close:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1932-N-Burling-St-60614/home/112340155
==
chichow says: HAHAHA I remember this being built. I really stopped going to Burling though. The amount of exterior scaffolding they had put up was insane. Much bigger than even some of the reno work sometime on the 1400 – 1600 block of Dearborn.
anon tfo says
Garage doesn’t exaxctly face front here, but close:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1932-N-Burling-St-60614/home/112340155
chichow reply
I remember this going up. I had forgotten as it’s been a while. The amount of scaffolding used was over the top much more than even the double lots big places on 1400 to 1600 n. dearborn buildings
anon is playing hardball with the burton listing. that’s gold coast. that’s like blocking the next assertion away from old town to lincoln park to gold coast
bet you can’t find one IN Lake Michigan. (insert emoji)
well markets are open. More interesting things to ponder. Have a good weekend Cchatterati
“Front facing garage:”
Didn’t we chatter about this property a few years ago? I thought we did.
Mansion next door has a 3-car garage on the street. These homes are unique. Very rare in Chicago to have a garage like this where the garage doors are not facing the alley (there is an alley next to this house.)
Thanks for proving my point.
Oh- and all those garages on corners don’t count. They aren’t “front facing.”
“chichow: and over 5 million ( are you saying splitting hairs because the garage while front facing is set pretty far back ie. longer driveway? – TBH I a little unsure from the photo and don’t plan on driving by)”
It has a coach house as well.
Thanks for showing with all these examples how rare it is to have a front facing garage with a driveway. It just isn’t available much in the dense neighborhoods. You can find side driveways in the areas that used to be farms like Old Irving Park where there are some bigger lots and weirdness.
But the city was laid out well with the alley system in the core. It’s unique to have a front facing garage.
“Chichow reply: You can continue to move the goal posts”
I never moved the goal posts. There are thousands of properties in Chicago. It’s unique to have a front facing garage and driveway in the core. Larger lots in the farm land areas sometimes have it (down in Beverly, Old Irving, Edgebrook etc.) But in the core? The city was designed with an alley system. Garages are in the back.
“but please just take a look one street over: Wieland
https://goo.gl/maps/kKDKoEQ9SNSLJ4Wz8
plenty of front facing driveways 1446 1448 1449 just up and down the street”
Yep. Unique. Thanks for pointing out these two weird streets with no back alleys. It’s a BIG city. Old Town is a dense neighborhood. Having a front facing garage and driveway is unique in the city.
SABS persona doubles down on Unique
https://youtu.be/aE9oOHrRMJI?si=rkMaHv8J2vpmrMCV
You chatter about this property numerous times
40 w Schiller
It’s one of the properties on the old town garden walk
Just in the same block are a number of properties
With front facing garages and driveways
57 w Schiller
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ypeAbzN2jmuu7phj7?g_st=ic
At what point do the double downs damage credibility?
“At what point do the double downs damage credibility?”
???