Contemporary Living in Bronzeville: 3120 S. Indiana

The modern look isn’t confined simply to the north side of the city as this 32-unit David Hovey-designed complex at 3120 S. Indiana in the Bronzeville/The Gap neighborhood attests.

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The listing says “Mies Van der Rohe inspired” and so it seems, with floor to ceiling windows and open space.

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Akos Straub at Jameson Realty has the listing. See more pictures here.

Unit #401: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1300 square feet

  • Sold in December 2005 for $239,000
  • Currently listed for $299,000 plus $10,000 for parking
  • Assessments are $451 a month (includes an indoor pool- see listing pictures)
  • Taxes are $3603
  • Central Air

41 Responses to “Contemporary Living in Bronzeville: 3120 S. Indiana”

  1. I was just thinking how horribly cold this would be and how hard and expensive to heat and cool and then, lo and behold, I read “radiant heat” – nice.

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  2. nd: My apartment is mostly windows and I very rarely have to turn on the heat. In fact, I usually have the window open during the winter.

    It is too goddamn hot…I would worry more about the summer. I usually have my AC cranked full blast just to make it cool.

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  3. a – do you live here or somewhere else?

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  4. David (the first one) on January 13th, 2009 at 11:34 am

    Nice place – Hovey’s work in the region has generally been stellar and created very nice living spaces that manage to be unique while being true to modernist minimalism in form and materials.
    But, the 2005 price is closer to where this should be, based on location. It’s not a dreadfully unsafe area, it’s just far from anywhere desirable. Be ready to hop in the car for 15-30+ minutes to do anything at all.

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  5. nd: Somewhere else, But I have a place full of windows like this. I cant say they’re exactly the same and have the same efficiency, but generally more windows = more heat even in the winter. The Illinois building has excess heat problems as well.

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  6. “Be ready to hop in the car for 15-30+ minutes to do anything at all.”

    I agree with the rest, but this is meaningful exaggeration. To do anything David (or, to be fair, I) wants to do, sure. But this isn’t a 15 minute drive from the loop, so it’s just persepective.

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  7. a – that assumes a sunny day or you face south with no shade, a north facing glass wall would be cold. I’d be concerned about cooling this in summer if it faced south.

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  8. cool place. how is bronzville with crime? i’m not so familiar with the location.

    also, are there websites to get listing history easily? like when sabrina says a place was listed in aug for 250k and lowered in november to 220…is that info available without a secret mls code or something? thanks

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  9. Would you call this Bronzeville? This should be renamed IITville or something…. It is nice over there, but not much going on.

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  10. Well, it’s next to the Gap. GapWest could be the new name.

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  11. Streeterville Realtor on January 13th, 2009 at 12:35 pm

    CH,

    You need MLS access for that information. You can’t find it through general broker websites.

    I assume Sabrina is either an agent/broker or maybe married to one?

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  12. How would one get MLS access? Surely there has to be a proxy service or something of the like.

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  13. Bob 2 (Not Bob) on January 13th, 2009 at 12:59 pm

    I use redfin.com

    Great interface and lists sales prices and listing changes if available. You don’t even have to sign up to just browse listings.

    For example for this 3120 S Indiana property it’ll show the following:

    Date Event Price Appreciation Source
    Dec 16, 2008 Price Changed $299,900 — MRED #07071517
    Nov 11, 2008 Listed $309,900 — MRED #07071517

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  14. It has got to be in the 90’s here today. 🙂

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  15. yeah, redfin is good except sometimes they don’t have past prices b/c the listings expired or something.

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  16. I was following one listing and it was withdrawn less than a week ago and relisted and Redfin did not have that history.

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  17. yeah, crime’s not bad here. unless you count the five teenagers that were shot outside Dunbar RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.

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  18. Do NOT walk anywhere withing a mile of this place at night, there’s gangbangers galore here. And don’t walk during the day around here for that same reason.

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  19. Here’s what I have for sales in this bldg:

    3120 S INDIANA AVE 102 8/27/2001 $248,500
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 103 9/20/2001 $0
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 104 9/27/2001 $0
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 105 3/18/2004 $232,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 106 3/29/2002 $218,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 107 10/5/2001 $235,500
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 201 8/6/2002 $219,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 202 9/19/2001 $247,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 203 2/2/2006 $235,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 204 9/17/2001 $0
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 205 7/15/2004 $233,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 206 9/12/2008 $212,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 207 12/21/2005$270,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 301 10/15/2001$0
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 302 11/1/2002 $256,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 303 11/4/2002 $239,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 304 10/15/2001$160,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 305 4/14/2008 $225,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 306 10/5/2006 $231,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 307 5/28/2002 $256,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 401 12/29/2005$239,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 402 1/29/2007 $275,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 403 10/23/2001$217,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 404 10/16/2001$145,000
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 405 $0
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 406 $0
    3120 S INDIANA AVE 407 5/31/2005 $280,000

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  20. So G, what you’re saying is that at $299,000 it would be the most expensive unit ever sold in the building?

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  21. HD:

    At $309. Not $299. Or, if you prefer, they could take $28,999 less than their current ask and still have the highest ever sales price.

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  22. Love those windows!

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  23. anon (tfo),

    But zillow.com, using their scientific proprietary algorithm, says its worth at least 310k. I mean they just can’t _give the place away_!

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  24. Everyone’s buying In Bronzeville for all the finest crime and nothingtodoness! It could be yours for just 31k down and $2291 a month!

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  25. Oh, c’mon Bob, they’re asking for *under* 9%/year increases from the top of the market. There is *no* *way* this place hasn’t appreciated ~30% when the overal market is down.

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  26. Maybe this looks better in person. But I just do not like this unit.

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  27. But Joe Zekas wrote an article telling me to ignore the price the seller paid for the unit!

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  28. This place looks amazing… There is nothing like it in the City for this price!

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  29. 06812579 PEND 3515 S Dearborn St 2D 8035 $376,900

    06895615 PEND 3506 S State St 404 8035 $349,900

    06624749 CLSD 3522 S State St 205 8035 $320,068

    06817116 PEND 17 W 36th St 503 8035 $299,900

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  30. I live around the block from this unit on 32nd and Prairie.Built a new home in 2006 and during the construction process(about 10 months)never had a problem and nothing was ever stolen from the jobsite.
    Lots of activity in the neighborhood with college kids going back and forth from the apartments on King Dr.
    In addition to the police station on 29th and 35th,IIT also has a police force that patrols the area.
    The Dunbar incident was isolated and word is it was some kids from another neighborhood.
    Although it is not Mayberry,I come and go at all times of the day and night,and have never had a problem.

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  31. This neighborhood is amazing with lots of families living here. There are rarely any crimes. IIT Campus is soo close. Lots of faculty and students walk around the neighborhood. Anyway, this building looks ultra modern – very nice!

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  32. I was an IIT student for quite a few years and was personally mugged on the campus. Several other friends had similar incidences. If you walk in groups and pay attention, you will probably be fine, but I do not consider it a safe neighborhood at all.

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  33. nj,
    Did I miss some point about these units? By the way, are you the listing agent on all of them?

    06812579 pending new construction contract dated 2/27/08

    06895615 pending new construction contract dated 12/14/08

    06624749 closed 7/31/07

    06817116 pending new construction contract dated 3/3/08

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  34. “But Joe Zekas wrote an article telling me to ignore the price the seller paid for the unit!”

    Right, because you never know what else went into the transaction. Maybe they got a way below-market deal for some reason.

    Oh, wait, we have all of the comps in the same building, so that can’t be it. Maybe they’re offering to throw something else into the price–notwithstanding the listing saying nothing about it.

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  35. AnonymousfromIIT on January 15th, 2009 at 12:45 am

    I work at IIT, and you couldn’t pay me to live near campus. Just a couple of months ago, there was a mugging at gunpoint at 3 pm on a weekday at 33rd and Michigan. There are safety warnings every few months from campus/near campus incidents, and I’ve heard of students who are uncomfortable walking from their nearby apartments to campus. Less than a block away from this building there are dilapidated buildings taking up blocks of space, and Dunbar is only a few blocks away – there have been two shootings there since August or so, I think. I get nervous walking around at the end of the work day. Yikes!

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  36. AnonymousfromIIT,

    I know the feeling completely. As a student I lived in Bridgeport, which is substantially safer than Bronzeville, but had multiple incidences of being accosted walking the 2 block distance from IIT to Bridgeport, not to forget the above mentioned mugging. There have to be better neighborhoods than this to buy in. On the upside, the neighborhood does seem to be gradually improving, with some new development, perhaps in 15 years things will be completely different and moving into the older grey stone buildings on MLK will be a real possibility, but for now, stay away.

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  37. I don’t know who told those developers that it’s a good idea to throw up brand new housing without getting rid of the gangbangers. Dunbar High School is like 2 streets down and there was a driveby shooting there last week. I do think the area has potential because 312 is becoming the new Upper East side aka you have to make 6 figures just to qualify for a 1 BR + den, let alone a decent condo that you don’t mind forking over almost half your income for. More and more people are getting priced out of 312, LP and LV are packed so the only option is to head south. That entire Bronzeville/IIT area has been “up and coming” for 10 years now, property values haven’t moved. If you don’t mind sitting tight for another 10 years, you might see some ROI.

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  38. Wow, I am seriously shocked at the fear of the IIT students! It seems to me (having been a resident of Bronzville for over 15 years) they are going off a mentality that an ethnic diverse neighborhood is one to be feared. I can tell you that there is a lot of pride here and we keep the riff raff out! On another note, there are no gang bangers living here, there are college students, professionals, and families. Many of the students at Dunbar come very far to attend the specialized technical school. The shooting was not gang related and the full story can be seen at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-dunbar-shooting-chargesjan17,0,5496294.story
    Bronzville has grown into a safe and sensible place to choose to live, the complex has won awards and has been featured in Dwell magazine. I am proud to live here and wouldn’t leave if you paid me!

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  39. While I agree with the Bob above sentiments this Bob doesn’t reside in Bronzeville.

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  40. Lived there, done that on March 11th, 2009 at 1:22 pm

    Boy, you suburbanites and north-sider’s that never went beyond hangin’ out at the Lake-View summer fest or near Wrigley sure like to assume the city is lovely outside of the south-side. “15-30+ to get anywhere…” Where you walking??? Hell, even on the bus, you could be anywhere in 15 min from 31st n Indiana. I lived across the street for 4 years at South Commons… I got stuck there cause it was all I could afford while in Grad School. Thankfully I sold (in 07)before the bottom dropped, but I loved it over there in Bronzeville. Hell, I wasn’t even from there/near there when I bought (left Bridgeport when I bought). Is there crime… sure. But, o naive one’s, there’s been a rapist on the loose in Bucktown/Wicker Park for 18 month’s now with 4 victims (at last count), there was another one working Lakeview in ’07-’08, and good luck NOT getting mugged in Lakeview when the alderman himself is a victim!!! HAHA, so keep buying you’re WAY over-priced condo’s north of Madison. By the way, when you get mugged, broken into, etc., be sure to post here so I can laugh at you for moving to the (sh)city from the ‘burbs and think that you’re safe just ’cause you’re living up north…

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