Live in a 144 Year Old Row House: A 3-Bedroom at 552 W. Belden in East Lincoln Park
This 3-bedroom vintage row house at 552 W. Belden in East Lincoln Park came on the market in October 2019.
Built in 1876, it is on a smaller than normal Chicago lot of 20×127 but still manages to have a 2-car garage.
It has some of its original features including the original wood staircase, molding and trim.
The row house has 2 fireplaces.
Are those original mantles? The listing doesn’t say.
It has a different layout than you’d see in modern construction.
The entry level floor has a library, family or bedroom, a powder room, laundry room and storage.
The second floor has the living/dining room and kitchen, which leads to a deck.
The kitchen has white cabinets, exposed brick walls, what look like granite counter tops and customized white and stainless appliances.
Two other bedrooms, including the master, are on the top floor and share a bathroom.
The yard has a brick patio.
It has space pak cooling.
There are also skylights.
It appears from the floor plan that the family room/bedroom on the main level was added on at some point. The deck is on top of that room.
The listing says:
Floor plans represent how the owners are currently living in the home. Decorate, renovate, reconfigure, or add on to customize to your taste and needs.
Currently listed at $1.195 million, are you ready for a project?
Brad Lippitz at Compass has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
552 W. Belden: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2529 square feet
- Sold in September 1985 for $398,500 (per Redfin)
- Originally listed in October 2019 for $1.195 million
- Went temporarily de-listed in February with no showings (COVID shutdown issue?)
- 2 car garage
- Space pak cooling
- 2 fireplaces
- Original staircase
- Bedroom #1: 19×17 (third floor)
- Bedroom #2: 14×12 (third floor)
- Bedroom #3: 17×15 (main floor)
- Living room: 15×20 (second floor)
- Dining room: 11×15 (second floor)
- Kitchen: 9×11 (second floor)
- Den: 11×17 (main floor)
- Storage: 14×7 (main floor)
- Foyer: 7×6 (main floor)
Covid + telework + riots + progressive tax + crime + new pension budget holes = this should go back to 1985 levels. Isn’t alcohol consumption sharply declining as well? .
Call it fearmongering or whatever but this is basically the trend in Manhattan. Search Google News for “Manhattan exodus” since New York always leads the trend.
AnonIDGAF, you are wrong because Sabrina says that all this makes us stronger. The Manhattan exodus is all fake news, right?
Not as bad as the SL Penthouse but other than the den, its seems frumpy
If Larry & The Fat Man don’t react tonight and get this under control the city is screwed
Is it bad window treatments week on CC?
Manhattan exodus will prove to be fake. Manhattan will see lower prices and not lower population. Lots of people want to live in nyc but don’t want to pay $5k a month for 900 sq ft. So Manhattan will adjust with lower prices,
Chicago will adjust with lower prices and lower population.nyc has someone who will move-in if the price drops. Chicago not so much.
“Manhattan will see lower prices and not lower population. Lots of people want to live in nyc but don’t want to pay $5k a month for 900 sq ft. So Manhattan will adjust with lower prices,”
This violates the fundamental laws of supply and demand.
The main appeals of living in downtown Manhattan or Chicago are:
1.) Proximity to work
2.) Proximity to businesses frequented by crowds (restaurants, bars, shopping centers).
If remote work becomes the norm, and social distancing becomes a long term need, I can’t understand why ANYONE would prefer to live in a city.
“The second floor has the living/dining room and kitchen, which leads to a deck.”
Piano nobile! Fancy!
Seems like a lot for a 2 bed + (nice) office/den. But then there is about $700k for the dirt built in.
The angled refrigerator location seems pretty awkward–why was that a good decision?
“If remote work becomes the norm, and social distancing becomes a long term need, I can’t understand why ANYONE would prefer to live in a city.”
Because working remote won’t become the norm. And humans prefer to interact with other humans, attend sporting events, go to museums, have the foods of the world at their finger tips, be close to the country’s largest international airport.
It has been shown over centuries that most arts and creativity happen in cities. Sometimes it can be pinpointed even to certain blocks within some cities. There is an energy when you get a bunch of painters, singers, songwriters, novelists, sculpture artists, dancers and musicians all in one location.
This is what people are paying for.
When you move to London, you are not moving there for the weather.
“Not as bad as the SL Penthouse but other than the den, its seems frumpy”
Same owners since 1985. Not everyone redecorates every 10 years. They are marketing it in that manner.
The row house next door on the left (if you’re facing the front of this property) has a dumpster in front of it and is clearly being renovated. Hire those contractors. Lol.
“The Manhattan exodus is all fake news, right?”
What exodus?
There aren’t yet official numbers saying that 50,000 have moved in the last 2 months, are there? Until there are more than just anecdotes from some suburban agents saying they are seeing “tons” of Manhattan shoppers (and maybe they are?) then I will believe in the “exodus.”
If there is, and the same thing happens in San Francisco, then it will hopefully bring some sanity to those markets.
It’s long overdue. And would make sense.
Other cities are deals compared to those two. Let’s hope a lot of New Yorkers take another look at Chicago and what you get for your money here along with our better quality of life.
“Covid + telework + riots + progressive tax + crime + new pension budget holes = this should go back to 1985 levels. Isn’t alcohol consumption sharply declining as well?”
Lol.
We’re back to the comments from 2009 and 2010 when all the bears on this site said house prices would drop by 50% or more (they never did) in the city core.
Crain’s just reported on someone who paid over ask on a $2.5 million unit in the West Loop. So, sure, this should sell in the $300,000s. Dream on.
“It has been shown over centuries that most arts and creativity happen in cities. Sometimes it can be pinpointed even to certain blocks within some cities. There is an energy when you get a bunch of painters, singers, songwriters, novelists, sculpture artists, dancers and musicians all in one location”
So does civil unrest and disease
“So does civil unrest and disease”
Of course. So?
And no one in the rural areas is immune, or free from, disease anymore either. Some of the biggest outbreaks of COVID right now are in small town America with big meatpacking and agriculture facilities. In the era before the automobile, you had some protection fleeing the city.
In the modern era, you don’t.
“We’re back to the comments from 2009 and 2010 when all the bears on this site said house prices would drop by 50% or more (they never did) in the city core.”
We are dealing with a hell of a lot more than we did in 2009/2010.
This is not a recession. The pandemic is the beginning of an unprecedented shift in the way we operate. COVID + riots + damage from riots could be more significant to the city than the “white flight” shift to suburban living in the 60s.
“We are dealing with a hell of a lot more than we did in 2009/2010.”
Um…no. We’re not. Not on the economy. People’s lives were destroyed in the financial crisis. People on Wall Street were literally hours away from fleeing the island. Literally. Economic system nearly broke down. Hours away from a banking collapse.
Damage from the riots is nowhere close to what happened in the 60s. Half of Washington DC burned to the ground. Home values didn’t recover for 50 years. But the cities, in the 1960s were already poor. It got worse in the 70s after everyone really did flee. The cities were not coming off an all-time high at the time of the late 60s riots.
Totally different situation.
2009-2010 was the worst housing crash in Chicago in 75 years. How will this be “worse”?
Come on.
By the way, when this owner bought this row house in 1985, that area would not have been that “good.”
Nowhere in the city was very “good” in 1985.
well unemployment is currently 7 times! worse than it was at the peak of the financial crisis in 08/09
so that’s one data point
“Nowhere in the city was very “good” in 1985.”
bullcrap, a majority of lakeview/LP east of Halsted was very good in 1985
“Damage from the riots is nowhere close to what happened in the 60s”
I am not sure how you can assess that since riots are continuing to occur as we speak.
”
Of course. So?
And no one in the rural areas is immune, or free from, disease anymore either. Some of the biggest outbreaks of COVID right now are in small town America with big meatpacking and agriculture facilities. In the era before the automobile, you had some protection fleeing the city.
In the modern era, you don’t.”
Your incessant shilling for city life is getting tired and stale. Most people will make the decision on where to live based on cost/benefit.
The same automobile gives one the access to the “painters, singers, songwriters, novelists, sculpture artists, dancers and musicians all in one location” and get TFODodge while not having to deal with the civil unrest and lessens the chance of being in a pandemic hotspot (Tip – not every rural location or suburb has a meat packing plant).
“Your incessant shilling for city life is getting tired and stale.”
Why would anyone bother living in the city? All the restaurants are the same in Naperville.
“Your incessant shilling for city life is getting tired and stale.”
At the rate things are going, there isn’t going to be much of the city left to enjoy.
Cop shot at Home Depot on North Avenue, I presume interrupting looters. Shooter(s) headed eastbound on 606 Trail.
https://m.broadcastify.com/listen/feed/30697
“Why would anyone bother living in the city? All the restaurants are the same in Naperville.”
Yes. Many are.
They just had a large protest there this afternoon.
What’s your point anon(tfo)? That Millennials who grew up in Naperville and are 35 are now going to up and sell their condo so they could move back out there and take the Metra into work every day?
LMFAO.
“Your incessant shilling for city life is getting tired and stale. Most people will make the decision on where to live based on cost/benefit.”
Why the fuck are you ON this site if you don’t believe in “city life”????
My god.
I’ve been blogging about Chicago real estate for 13 years. The city is vibrant and, until COVID, booming. But that’s true of ALL the cities in America. This is the era of the city. I don’t know why you are so clueless about it. It’s NOT a new phenomena. Has been happening for 10+ years.
We WANT America to win, right? We WANT our cities to be vibrant, beautiful places with great restaurants, jobs, great public transportation, hiking trails, beaches, bike paths. We WANT that right?
Unless, you really don’t because you’re some weird asshole. And if you don’t want it like HH (who doesn’t live in Chicago, as we all know), then I don’t know why you are on this blog in the first place.
What a waste of time and your life.
Chicago is one of America’s great cities. It is, possibly, one of the most beautiful.
Yes- I WILL shill for “city life” because it’s fantastic. And I feel blessed for my good luck every day that I get to live here.
“I am not sure how you can assess that since riots are continuing to occur as we speak.”
Because I have lived in cities which were decimated by the 60s riots where literally half the city was burned out and didn’t recover for 50 years.
Do you see that anywhere right now?
NO.
Let us pray that we don’t.
“bullcrap, a majority of lakeview/LP east of Halsted was very good in 1985”
“good”?
That was working class. I never felt I would be mugged going into Wrigley Field back then but we didn’t linger outside after games were over either. Different times.
“well unemployment is currently 7 times! worse than it was at the peak of the financial crisis in 08/09”
That’s bullshit and you know it sonies. Utter bullshit.
Was there $6 trillion dollars pumped into the economy in 2008-2009 within 2 months? Was there sonies? Did the unemployed get $4,000 a month in 2008 Sonies? Did the “gig” workers getting 1099 get unemployment sonies?
NO!
So take your “stats” and shove it. The only stat that will be relevant about unemployment is after the reopen when we see who can even return to their jobs and how long it will take to help those that can’t.
I never said there won’t be a recession. Of course there will be. Obviously. But this is a government induced recession. There wasn’t nothing wrong with the US economy going into this public health crisis.
The Congress will do another big aid package. That’s inevitable. You can’t buy a pool anywhere right now sonies. You can’t buy a bike. Does that sound like 2008 to you? It was MUCH more grim in 2008 because there was no Fed/Congress replacement.
I hope everyone stays safe. Just stay home.
“The same automobile gives one the access to the “painters, singers, songwriters, novelists, sculpture artists, dancers and musicians all in one location””
You obviously aren’t a creative JohnnyU.
You can’t just “drive” into a city and then go back to your boring suburb or rural town and think you’re going to paint the next great American painting. They’ve actually studied this. There are, literally, certain blocks in some big cities which have seen artistic and literary creations above what they should have seen.
But why?
Because there is something about density, architecture, having exposure daily to other creative that pushes others to also create.
There’s a reason Florence is Florence, right? That the renaissance began there. And it shows in the buildings, the sculptures, even the gardens!
Wake up JohnnyU.
“Why the fuck are you ON this site if you don’t believe in “city life”????”
Typical strawman
“I’ve been blogging about Chicago real estate for 13 years. The city is vibrant and, until COVID, booming. But that’s true of ALL the cities in America. This is the era of the city. I don’t know why you are so clueless about it. It’s NOT a new phenomena. Has been happening for 10+ years.”
Blogging for X years, shilling for a couple of years at a JoeZ level.
“We WANT America to win, right? We WANT our cities to be vibrant, beautiful places with great restaurants, jobs, great public transportation, hiking trails, beaches, bike paths. We WANT that right?”
I’d like the entirety of America to be vibrant
“Unless, you really don’t because you’re some weird asshole. And if you don’t want it like HH (who doesn’t live in Chicago, as we all know), then I don’t know why you are on this blog in the first place.
What a waste of time and your life“
I like seeing Dunning Kruger in real time
“Chicago is one of America’s great cities. It is, possibly, one of the most beautiful.
Yes- I WILL shill for “city life” because it’s fantastic. And I feel blessed for my good luck every day that I get to live here.”
I’m happy for you (really) but it’s kinda sad that you can’t acknowledge any faults in the city.
Beautiful, beautiful property. Great location. I love that stairway. Not much space for a family, but this would be fantastic for a retired couple (if they can deal with all the stairs).
Obviously you’re paying for the old world sophistication and the LP location, not the space. This doesn’t look much bigger than an Alta Vista Terrace townhome, and it’s quite a bit more money. Better location, however, and a little more outdoor and parking space. I wonder if the roof could be decked.
Sabrina, I normally love your comments but have to disagree with you on your 1985 observation. I was in high school across the street from this property in 1985 and believe me, it was a very, very nice neighborhood even then.
Maybe it wasn’t in 1960, but it was already an exclusive area by the late 1970s. I had a lot of very wealthy friends who lived in LP then, trust me.
My parents couldn’t afford LP in 1975 and had to settle for Lakeview. LP was already expensive even in 1975.
“You obviously aren’t a creative JohnnyU.”
Opinions vary
“You can’t just “drive” into a city and then go back to your boring suburb or rural town and think you’re going to paint the next great American painting. They’ve actually studied this. There are, literally, certain blocks in some big cities which have seen artistic and literary creations above what they should have seen.
But why?”
This is just a load of shit.
“Because there is something about density, architecture, having exposure daily to other creative that pushes others to also create.
There’s a reason Florence is Florence, right? That the renaissance began there. And it shows in the buildings, the sculptures, even the gardens!
Patrons
“Typical strawman”
Why don’t you answer the question? Because you have no answer.
You’re on here wasting your ass time if you hate the city we’re all talking about. That’s the point of the blog. It’s chattering about Chicago real estate.
You’re like HH. Why is he on here? He has NO interest in actual Chicago real estate. But at least we’ve established he’s not from this city that he hates.
What’s your excuse JohnnyU?
“I’m happy for you (really) but it’s kinda sad that you can’t acknowledge any faults in the city.”
This isn’t the Reader. Go over there if you want to bitch and moan. This is a blog about real estate. That’s it.
EVERY city. EVERY state. EVERY country has “faults.”
So?
I choose to believe that Chicago is one of America’s greatest cities. Because it is. I’ve lived in several major cities across the country. Actually, I liked them all. That’s the beautiful thing about America. Plenty of great cities. But I live in this one and so I choose to highlight its great real estate.
There are people still, gasp, moving here from other cities. There are others hoping to move up, and out of that starter condo into something bigger. There are those who dream of living in Lincoln Park and others who want to be in a high rise in the South Loop.
Isn’t it great? So many options. So many beautiful buildings and homes. This is why the city continues to attract the world’s greatest architects. It’s like nowhere else in the country.
If you want to talk about real estate, please do. But why you’re on a blog hating about the place is beyond me.
It’s gorgeous, Dan #2. But without blowing out the back where the deck is, it’s going to be tight for a family.
At least it has parking, which not all vintage row homes do.
There has to be almost nothing in this area in 1876. Yikes.
“Why don’t you answer the question? Because you have no answer.”
I already did
“You’re on here wasting your ass time if you hate the city we’re all talking about. That’s the point of the blog. It’s chattering about Chicago real estate.
You’re like HH. Why is he on here? He has NO interest in actual Chicago real estate. But at least we’ve established he’s not from this city that he hates.
What’s your excuse JohnnyU?
Because I point out that Chicago isn’t all rainbows and lollipops, I hate the city?
Because I point out there are valid reasons why some may choose the suburbs, exburbs, rural Vs Chicago I hate the city?
Because I think the city’s real estate can be grossly over priced,I hate the city?
Because I point out that there’s going to be a serious property tax hike in the near term, I hate the city?
Because I dare disagree with you on the quality of CPS, I hate the city?
So, I’ll directly answer the question (you might want to try it for a change)
I’m a big fan of classical Chicago Residential architecture (architectural porn) and the flip side (architectural train wrecks)
There’s some intelligent posters who’s posts interest me
I like watching the Dunning-Kruger effect
My mistake: the cop was not shot, but was hit by a car driven by fleeing looters who were eventually nabbed. The cop is “stable” (thank god).
https://twitter.com/SecondCityCop/status/1267573647646081027
“Home Depot on North Avenue … Shooter(s) headed eastbound on 606 Trail”
That doesn’t make any sense. The only Home Depots on North Ave are at Elston and out in Northlake. The 606 doesn’t go east of Elston–unless Sterling Bay was *really* fast during the stay at home.
“What’s your point anon(tfo)?”
http://cribchatter.com/?p=22985#comment-375087
“At that point, “city living” is irrelevant.”
“That doesn’t make any sense. The only Home Depots on North Ave are at Elston and out in Northlake. The 606 doesn’t go east of Elston–unless Sterling Bay was *really* fast during the stay at home.”
I believe the car chase ended in Bucktown, then looters may have gotten on the 606. they were caught in someones yard. this is what I heard from neighbors. live close by. cop was on an atv and was injured in an accident.