Looking for a Vintage Penthouse in East Lakeview? 739 W. Brompton
This top floor vintage 2-bedroom at 739 W. Brompton in East Lakeview came on the market in February 2015.
Built in 1924, the mid-rise building has 9 units.
This penthouse has the large layout you would expect from that era with a full-size dining room and sunroom.
Many of the original features remain including wainscoting, moldings, and a wood burning fireplace in the living room.
The kitchen has white cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.
There is a marble bath in the master bathroom.
The unit has most of the features buyers look for including washer/dryer in the unit and central air.
There’s no parking, however. It appears to be rented in the neighborhood.
At 1800 square feet, is this a good townhouse alternative for a buyer who loves vintage?
Richard Curto at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #3N: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1800 square feet
- Sold in April 1996 for $207,000
- Sold in August 2009 for $405,000
- Originally listed in February 2015 for $465,000
- Still listed at $465,000
- Assessments of $272 a month (includes cable, water)
- Taxes of $7067
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- No parking- looks like it is rental in the neighborhood for up to $280 a month
- Wood burning fireplace
- Bedroom #1: 14×14
- Bedroom #2: 14×13
- Dining room: 19×12
- Living room: 20×15
- Kitchen: 13×10
- Sunroom: 15×8
Let’s put the crib back in cribchatter: Looks like another nail in the coffin for raising a family in a 2bd/2bth apartment. Why don’t sellers clean up the 2nd bedroom and take out the damn crib? Does it really let the buyers know “oh wow, this is where the baby could sleep” or does the fact that you’re selling the place admit that the condo is too small to raise a family? I conclude the latter. Obviously there’s no way of knowing the current owner’s motivation for selling, but perhaps someone can explain the psychology of this.
Otherwise, it’s a very nice, spacious, and modest place. No ridiculous, pseudo-luxurious upgrades that you pay a premium for and then try to pass on to the buyer at an even more inflated premium.
Lack of parking and 3rd bedroom may discourage potential buyers from even considering this place, but the square footage allows for bedrooms that are bigger than a prison cell, and a living room wider than 12ft, which you can’t say for many of the newer McCrap boxes.
While this is a personal opinion about the decor (is that allowed on CribChatter??) — It’s also nice to see books dominate the interior versus a 60″ plasma mounted over a fireplace. I facepalm everytime I see that in a vintage unit.
townhouse alternative? heckey naw
People that want townhouses probably want attached parking and lots of other things that this place doesn’t have (like non vintage poopers)
Also I love the “penthouse” comment haha, realtors
Saying top floor is appropriate, but using Penthouse as a descriptor in a three story walk up is just retarded. This place appears to have good bones and would probably be a better buy than some of the new construction stuff with much smaller square footage.
A little sleuthing indicates that the owners of the unit are not the owners of the baby who sleeps in the crib. So, either a crib for a grandchild, or it’s occupied by tenants.
Exactly sonies… think of how many different people over the past 90 years have used that toilet. Ick.
There is something about these courtyard buildings that depresses me. Growing up, I always associated them with poor people. The hallways always seemed dark and dreary (and oftentimes smelly). Everything has changed now, but the sadness I used to feel walking in these buildings has not diminished.
“using Penthouse as a descriptor in a three story walk up is just retarded”
Perhaps were it a real penthouse–a 4th floor tacked on and set back–then it would be plausible.
It’s hard enough to deal with the penthouse descriptor for the top 3 or 4 floors, or the two units that share the top floor of a taller building.
Perhaps the agent describing this unit as a “penthouse” also thinks being a realtor qualifies as a real profession, not just a part-time gig for chain smoking, gin guzzling 40-50 yo divorcees? Oh, and I can smell the stale smoke and mold from the pictures.
Since when does a 3rd floor apt qualify as a “penthouse”? If so, I’ll be sure to list my place as a penthouse if I ever sell, because I have no neighbor across the hall from me on my tier, and am on the 3rd floor with 4 exposures (the 4th only partial).