It’s All About the Views in The Conservatory: 2314 N. Lincoln Park West in Lincoln Park
This 2-bedroom unit at 2314 N. Lincoln Park West, also known as The Conservatory, in Lincoln Park recently came on the market.
There are only 39 units in the building, which was constructed in 1976.
There are just two units per floor.
This 2-bedroom unit has direct views of the Lake and the Park from the living room and balcony.
It also has the bells and whistles buyers are looking for including deeded parking, in-unit washer/dryer and central air.
The kitchen has blue cabinets and white and blue appliances.
There is carpeting throughout the main living spaces.
Is this a deal for the views?
Andrea Geller at Sudler Sotheby’s has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #18S: 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1500 square feet
- Sold in August 1988 for $300,000
- Sold in July 1991 for $360,000
- Sold in April 1997 for $352,000
- Currently listed for $650,000 (includes the parking)
- Assessments of $1293 a month (includes heat, air conditioning, doorman, cable)
- Taxes of $7536
- Central Air
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Bedroom #1: 15×14
- Bedroom #2: 14×11
“There are only 39 units in the building, which was constructed in 1976.
There are just two units per floor.”
With a bunch of full floor units? Or are there a bunch of duplexes?
Seems like a bit too much, given the assessments and taxes (~$2k/mo). The 88-97 appreciation extended = ~$450k, while 3% annually since 88 = ~$575k.
“I guess the look I’m known best for is ‘Blue Steel’.”
this must be Zoolander’s condo
Ups: Great building; supreme location; grand views; and garage, w/d and central air.
Downs: Bathrooms need updating; wood flooring needs to be installed at least in the living rooms; and as anon(tfo) notes, it’s about $75 – $100k overpriced.
But for DINKs who value the park/lakefront, or for the empty-nester/in-town/grandparents who want to host the grandkids (given its optimal location), it’s pretty sweet. It could also work for nicely with one kid if there’s anything left over after paying assessments and taxes to cover the Parker tuition.
and holy cow that wallpaper in the bathroom has to go… I mean seriously you’re trying to sell a $650k 2 bedroom condo and that is probably the ugliest wallpaper i have EVER seen in my life!
“that is probably the ugliest wallpaper i have EVER seen in my life!”
Haven’t seen many old-polish-lady houses in Chicago, then.
ok maybe I was exaggerating a little bit, but still that is the ugliest wallpaper I have ever seen in a 2/2.5 condo trying to sell for 650k!
that view looking south to the city over the park is probably my favorite view anywhere of Chicago…so pretty during the day and amazing at night too.
question though — is that from their porch only or do they have windows looking south to that view?
hard/impossible to tell from the pics/video…
What is up with all the purple?
Does Barney live here?
“question though — is that from their porch only or do they have windows looking south to that view?”
The building has *no* windows on its south (or north) wall. The birdseye view is perfect for confirming that.
lastly, in this day and age it is amazing to me that any agent would allow them to list that place without toning down that blue just a bit.
rip out the blue carpet? maybe not, but at least paint the blue walls something less…i don’t know…blue?
and yes, the wallpaper is hideous.
untold amount of buyers will simply never walk in this place because of being overwhelmed by the amount of work needed to be done…even though it’s not THAT bad.
just dumb not to fix before listing.
“The building has *no* windows on its south (or north) wall.”
Why not???
“Why not???”
Built on the lot line?? Best guess.
This place sucks, period.
Very patriotic colors!
question for people with doormen?
what is the average xmas/yearly tip?
i am assuming 24 door men would require 5-6 employee’s to cover all shifts..
..do you tip each one or do a lump sum?
Groove – Regarding the tip thing when I lived in Wrigley in a 300 unit building the property manager set up a group fund for the door staff and separate one for the maint/garage guys. I used to slip in 100 each and that was considered generous at the time. Some unit owners would do less in the group gift and then give their favorite employees an envelope.
I’d bet that in a small 39 unit building they keep much better track of this than in a 300 unit place.
Good looking out Jp3, i always wondered that.
I would tip the group as a whole as one of the doormen was usually designated the ‘head doorman’. I would also discreetly tip the one(s) who did the most for me and my guests.
It usually did amount to around $500 or so per year during the holiday season and I would tip directly if they were there to receive packages, dry cleaning, groceries, etc. A few times I gave those who appreciated the gesture, a bottle of top shelf liquor or a nice bottle of wine/champ.
I tipped as I do in restaurants, if the service was exceptional, and it was in many cases before unionization, there would be a very generous tip for my fav guys.
In NYC this past year, a few of the Park Ave coops (740 & 780 to be exact) started a ‘movement’ to limit or eliminate totally the practice of tipping….and that in turn led in part to the city wide strike of doormen.
Funny, those who had the most refused to give anything.
“just dumb not to fix before listing.”
Particularly since they’ve been there for 13 years and unless they are HELOC’d beyond belief, they’ll make a tidy sum on the sale.
Allowing this thing to be built so close to the Beldin-Stratford was a crime against humanity. Talk about ruining a beautiful piece of classical architecture.
You should tip at least 1 month’s assessment at the holiday time if the building has a “tip fund.”. If you like certain staff more, tip them extra on the side.
I don’t think it is so bad. Toss down some prefinished wood floors throughout, paint every room, stage it, and it would be showing ready.
Yes, the new owner will probably gut the kitchen/bathrooms at some point in time but not urgently necessary.
Taxes plus assessments plus interest on the loan is at least 3grand a month. Why not just rent?
why would you tip a doorman? i’ve been in condos for the past 10 years and have never tipped a doorman beyond giving whatever was requested for the holiday fund. usually $50.
don’t the assessments cover their salaries?
agree with pete. it doesnt belong so close to the belden stratford.
nice unit
Once lived in a building where the “guidelines” asked the renters to put substantially more into the holiday fund than the owners (a certain fraction of rent vs a fraction of assessments). Haha.
Any service related worker who provides a service for you is usually compensated with a tip. Even though they are paid by teh board, their salaries are not that great and they rely on the tips those jobs offer for a decent living wage.
There is a web site (several actually) that outlines every person you tip in a urban and cosmopolitan, refined urban area…or of course, an exclusive resort accomodations and the business relying on their patrons.
***and please, let’s refrain with logic (need) for such tipping practices for another thread….or go to TripAdvisor New York forums and in the search box type ‘tipping in NYC’ or ‘tipping in the USA’.
It is always a very lively debate as to why people ‘have to tip and why and how much’ are tipped instead of relying solely on these tips.
I have never heard of one months assessments, but that seems like a good idea.
I remember when they were building this place. The positive: it was one of the earliest buildings in the area that was built as condos, so somewhat higher quality overall, and only the large 2BR units. The negative: there were some major delays (not sure if due to construction, the economy or what), and I recall that this building sat half-built for several years. Presumably the litigation and any construction issues were worked out years ago.
In the buildings I’ve lived in- it was customary to give one month’s assessment at the holidays. The money went into the entire building fund- not just the doormen. In the larger buildings, there are engineers and other maintenance people as well as the doorman who work there regularly.
Agree with Sabrina for a change!
What’s the protocol for renters in a condo building?? Other than some basic move-in/out stuff with the front office and saying “good morning” to the doorman, I have little/no interaction with the staff, and I think the association fees run $800-$1000 for my unit.
I’ve never lived in a large highrise before and I’ve never really thought of it, but please God, tell me door men don’t actually get $20,000 bonuses every year at the holidays.
That’s what it sounds like here.
200 units, $500 assessments, $100,000 holiday fund, 5 doormen, do the math.
Something tells me that each of your doormen end up with a few hundred bucks at the end of the year and the guy collecting the money stashes 100k.
This is too much.
LOL.
Groove: Xmas tipping is based upon your expectations for next year; if you’re still at the doorman building in 2011, and occasionally need an extra-curricular favor from said doorman(men), then I’d give each doorman enveloped $100 bill minimum in person if you get a fair number of visitors, packages, deliveries, waiting cars, cabs, etc. Same policy whether renter or owner-occupant. Believe me, they remember and it really helps.
I’d also tip when ever you get an extra special favor, like when I lived in a LSF condo years ago with a smallish freight elevator and a largish new sofa. My friend the doorman let us use passenger elevator, against building rules but after checking vicinity. I tipped him extra; it saved cutting off sofa arms and subsequent resewing. (Folks familiar w/elevators will smile.) We had three regular doormen at their regular shifts. The evening doorman knew all the details of my social life, manning the door as he was, and he’d announce all guests but significant other(s) who had door privileges.
Re: this listing; I recall this building was an empty open shell for several years in the late 70s before it was completed and occupied. Good reason to check building association minutes and structural repair history.
Chicagobull: There are doorman making six figure salaries in some of the top buildings. So why wouldn’t their bonuses be equivalent?
“Chicagobull: There are doorman making six figure salaries in some of the top buildings. So why wouldn’t their bonuses be equivalent?”
Because they’re already making six figures to open doors and sign for packages?