Is a Fireplace a “Must Have” Feature in Chicago? 625 W. Jackson in the West Loop
This 2-bedroom corner loft in the Capitol Hill Lofts at 625 W. Jackson in the West Loop just came on the market.
The Capitol Hill Lofts have 90 units and a parking garage along with an exercise room.
This is a corner brick and timber loft with a balcony.
Both bedrooms have windows, which is rare in many 2-bedroom lofts.
The kitchen has what looks like maple cabinets, stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.
It has the other features that buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and you can buy a garage parking space for $20,000.
There’s also a fireplace.
But if you take a closer look, it’s basically located in the kitchen island.
Apparently, the developer of this building thought that each of the lofts had to have a fireplace.
Is a fireplace a “must have” feature for you in your home hunt?
Kimberly Becker at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #611: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1300 square feet
- Sold in September 2000 for $241,000
- Sold in December 2014 for $351,500
- Sold in May 2012 for $295,000
- Sold in April 2013 for $302,500
- Sold in May 2015 for $359,000
- Currently listed for $395,000 (parking is $20,000 extra)
- Assessments of $585 a month (includes cable, exercise room, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
- Taxes of $6156
- Central Air
- Washer/dryer in the unit
- Fireplace
- Bedroom #1: 13×12
- Bedroom #2: 16×13
To answer the question, yes but this one is terrible
There is no way this is anywhere near 1300sf, layout is horrible (so much wasted space in the bathrooms) Fire place is laughable.
Is the new design model to have the master bathroom + WIC be larger than the bedroom.
That being said, I think if they throw in the parking it will sell
Is a fireplace a “must have” feature for you in your home hunt? ,/i>
It use to be a high must have, now it’s kinda a nice to have but I could realistically live without if I had other features like really good usable outdoor space, kick-ass kitchen, nice office, etc.
NAS.TY.
That is the most awkward and horrible place I’ve ever seen a fireplace installed. I would want that ripped out right away. Whose brilliant idea was it to match the kitchen cabinets with the wood beams throughout? The layout is a nightmare and the area sucks. I lived at The Edge on Desplaines for a year and the 7-11 on the ground floor of this building always attracted the weirdest people. I couldn’t imagine living above that. And this is too far south and east to be considered close to restaurant row and fulton market as the listing agent implies.
fireplaces add +$5k to places with our antiquated appraisal system
like people give a flying eff about a fireplace anymore for that kind of money… nice job by the developer adding that but making the living room 18×8′ lol!
and also I would never live here… its too close to the intersection of like the two busiest interstates in the entire midwest, union station and a bunch of other gross things
Personally, I think fireplaces are an anachronism and would be happy to live in a place with zero fireplaces. But sadly, developers keep sticking them all over in new houses. The current house I live, built in the mid 00’s, has literally five fireplaces (though only two are “true” woodburning fireplaces).
I really miss White Hen
I no longer spend the winter in Chicago, but when I was a full-time resident, a fireplace was a must. (We still use ours in Oct and Nov before heading south for the year.)
This particular fireplace, though? No… just no.
nice tiny fridge, too.
A wood burning fireplace is awesome. I love them. I have no interest in gas fire places. What’s the point? I have a gas fireplace in my unit and I want to rip it out. It’s ugly and takes up space. On the other hand, I am concerned about hurting the property value by removing it.
The fireplace in this particular unit is a detriment. It’s hideous and takes up valuable cabinet space. Sabrina, I really don’t know where you find these places 🙂
I have 5 gas/wood fireplaces (with chute & chimneys) in my house, but have never used them. I think they look great, but am not sure if it is more efficient to use them on gas mode or just use my regular whole house furnaces?
Screw efficiency and environment..you live in place with grey ugly long winters…you need a fireplace…but as I have posted before..am a bit of a fanatic about it as I have mind on from Oct to May. The best would be to have a wood burning for weekends and holidays and a gas for everyday use, but like I said..I am an outlier on this. Our neighbor have two they never light..freaks.
This fireplace however, is an abomination! Also must haves are outdoor space which I do not see in this place.
Wood burning or true gas with a chimney is very nice. This is a vent-less gas fireplace. Illegal in some states (not IL). Basically worthless bc you are instructed to open a window when in use, or the gas smell (and side effects) are too much.
This would be a great location for me, just a few blocks from my office on Wacker. The main room is nice enough, but the bedroom seems about 1 foot away from the other building’s windows. Need some shades! Price seems pretty fair.
I love fireplaces, they are a must-have, preferably one of each, gas and wood burning. Nothing says cheap or cut corners like the lack of one in all but the most utilitarian of properties.
“lawn care”!?!?!?!
How old is this picture? I thought White Hen Pantry left the Chicago area a long time ago and most of the stores are now 7-11.
well sabrina has been running this blog for what 12 years now?
LAST WHITE HEN RIP 2013.
JAN TERRI SAD.
LOLZ!!!
“How old is this picture? I thought White Hen Pantry left the Chicago area a long time ago and most of the stores are now 7-11.”
Think of how historical the picture is! Lol.
But yes, if I have a photo in my collection I usually don’t take a new one unless something drastically changes, I’m in that area and remember the old photo is old or a combination of both of those.
Are you saying it makes a difference if it’s a 7-11 versus a White Hen? Lol.
I don’t live in Chicago but follow the RE market and this story touches one of my pet peeves about Chicago RE. Hands down, unit after unit in Chicago have the ugliest execution for fireplaces that I have ever seen. This one is particularly ugly, but the standard execution is often horrible as well. Terrible surrounds and mantles, the boxed out construction that ruins the plane of the wall they sit in. Many of these loft and vintage properties retain their interesting features – its a shame developers have mucked them up with these home depot like addons