A 3-Bedroom in The Greenhouses with a Private Terrace: 2131 N. Clark in Lincoln Park
This 3-bedroom triplex in The Greenhouses at 2131 N. Clark in Lincoln Park just came on the market.
The Greenhouses were built in 1976 and were designed by Gertrude Kerbis.
It has 11 units along with a roof top deck for residents and outdoor parking.
Crain’s Dennis Rodkin, when he was still with Chicago Magazine, explained their background back in 2013.
(Thanks to the Groove for posting a link to this in a prior chatter about this complex.)
“While working for two top Chicago architectural firms in the 1950s and ’60s, Gertrude Lempp Kerbis made contributions to design elements at O’Hare International Airport and the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado. Today’s tour is at a building that was a benchmark project for her, one that she has said was among the first places where she worked on her own.
Kerbis both designed and developed the residential building for a site on Clark Street and called it the Greenhouses.”
It has a unique design. None of the units have outside windows. They all face into the 2-story glass atriums which, according to our prior chatter, are heated.
Those atriums were expected to be like greenhouses, hence the name of the complex.
This unit has exposed brick walls and hardwood floors throughout.
According to the listing, it has a “brand new” kitchen with custom gray and white cabinetry, which appears to extend into the dining room, stainless steel appliances and white counter tops (quartz?).
The second floor has the three bedrooms, along with the master suite which overlooks the glass atrium.
There’s also a quirky third level den that is just 15×6 and has an exposed brick wall but, again, no windows.
According to the floor plan, it also has a big private terrace off the 2-story atrium but there’s no pictures of it. Nor are there pictures of it in the 2014 listing.
This unit has the features that buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and an exterior, outdoor parking spot.
With outdoor space at a premium, is a condo with an attached greenhouse and a private terrace a hot product?
Robert Adolfson at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
Unit #4: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2000 square feet, triplex
- Sold in July 1989 for $262,000
- Sold in June 2016 for $475,000
- Currently listed at $599,797 (includes one parking space)
- Assessments of $528 a month (includes exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
- Taxes of $9821
- Central Air
- Washer/dryer in the unit
- Bedroom #1: 14×11 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 15×10 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 10×10 (second floor)
- Den: 15×6 (third floor)
- Living room: 25×13 (main floor)
- Dining room: 11×11 (main floor)
- Kitchen: 11×10 (main floor)
- Atrium: 12×8
- Terrace: 27×11
“According to the floor plan, it also has a big private terrace off the 2-story atrium but there’s no pictures of it.“
Yes there is – see photo 9 – nothing special. you cant expect a realator to come back and snap a few photos after it’s done raining, can you?
The greenhouse sounds good in theory, but might get a tad warm starting now thru Sept. thermal transfer in circa mid 70’s glass/storefront isn’t the best. No way I’d buy this with out looking at utility bills and preferably experience the greenhouse space in July and Dec.
The L shaped island/bar is useless.
Though staged well, Don’t think the work done (HD grade) warrants that big of a price jump from ‘16, especially in today’s market
This is “Prime Lincoln Park” by most standards, though not sure how I’d feel about paying over half a million to live within a block of: a mental care facility, a low income assisted living facility, and the Chicago Pizza Grinder (always has dozens of people lingering out front).
@KK — Setting aside the facility for people with mental illness / organic brain syndromes (if they aren’t violent, I am not sure why living near that bothers you),Why would you specifically object to being near a low-income assisted living facility? Would you prefer it if it was a market rate assisted living facility? The fact that people are poor or poor and in failing health is something you object to? I guaranty you will eventually be at least one of those yourself if you live long enough (maybe even both if you live long enough!).
I REALLY like this home and am happy to see that elements of it have remained gorgeous over the years but I think JohnnyU brings up an excellent point on the utility bills. That said, I am not sure how much direct sun this unit gets given the location and surrounding uses. Didn’t bother the 1989 purchaser for 27 years and on the flip side, could minimize your heating bills in the winter. Curious why the 2016 purchaser wants out already. Slam dunk location near the park, zoo, etc. Unique and very liveable floor plan – – private outdoor space and space for separation of living and working, this seems like and ideal unit in a pandemic / post pandemic world…and its not a cookie cutter place. Yeah the kitchen re-do has some disappointing elements like the island, but I could live with it or easily replace it with a much more useful single level island. I look at this versus yesterdays chatter listing and I wonder what would have to be wrong with someone to purchase yesterday’s over something like this for way less money and not too far away.
“Curious why the 2016 purchaser wants out already.”
From the Crain’s story:
“They are now moving to Seattle, where Kang took a job at Amazon.”
@The Cat,
I use to walk up this block every weekday (pre-corona), or quickly detour from it up Lincoln Park West.
I have witnessed both drug use and frequent erratic behavior outside of the mental hospital, including (on multiple occasions) people running down the street screaming, just to be constrained by 2 or 3 medical personnel.
In front of the assisted living facility, have witnessed frequent drug use and panhandling on or near the sidewalk.
I guess I am not as saintly as you apparently are @The Cat for not wanting to witneess/have my children witness these interactions every time we step out the door. Appreciate your virtual signaling however @The Cat.
LOL – – My virtue signalling!!!! The insult du jour. Very creative. Seriously though, what is your plan for aging? Are you 100% certain you won’t have to use a Medicaid facility? That’s called privilege.
Everyone would like to live in a bubble and relegate the less fortunate someplace where they don’t have to see them. What you witnessed in front of the home for those with mental conditions sounds sad – – but equally sad (and you are definitely not alone here as others on this site have made virtually the exact same comments about this same area), is how your reaction is that it bothers you. How about compassion? The issue about the drug dealing sounds like it should be taken up with property management and / or the police – – and is definitely not unique to this location FYI. I live across from some constant drug dealing myself and while it sucks, it is part of the give and take of an urban area. I am not so naieve to think the “war on drugs” will ever be won and I prefer an urban setting to a suburban one (likely where the drug use is just as common just more private).
Isn’t this location steps from one of the best schools in the City?
@The Cat — you’ve got to be kidding. Surely one can sympathize with a situation without wanting to live in it.
Let’s expand your logic further — People who don’t want to live next door to:
…a school: must hate kids
…a half way house: must have no heart for addicts
…a jail: must not understand criminals are people to
…a factory: must think they are above blue collar workers
…a gay strip club: must not be LQGBTQ+ friendly
I could go on and on!
Where someone chooses to purchase a home is a profoundly personal choice, and one of the biggest investments they’ll make! I don’t know why you are even getting into the judgment on people’s perspectives on preferred properties here.
love the comments today (no comment on that from me), I think this place is awesome, but my wife would hate it.
“People who don’t want to live next door to:”
a hospital: must be against universal coverage
a fast food restaurant: must be health nuts
a MC club house: must be wussy
a church: must be atheist
a cemetery: must believe in ghosts
a police station: must be a criminal
a fire station: must be a pyro
a gun shop: must be libtards
a public square: must be anti-free speech
a shopping mall: must be anti-consumerism
a grocery store: must have an eating disorder
This is sort of fun!
BTW, this appears to be the southern most unit on the alley side. Ground level, of course.
As to the heat load of the atria, definitely a real concern, tho I don’t think that the glass is original to ’75, but maybe. And the upper level units get a lot more of the sunlight, with the ‘skylight’ in addition to the wall of glass.
Nice try – – You said you wouldn’t pay a half a mill to leave near “low income assisted living” and a “mental care facility” – – you are very specific in your NIMBYism.
Interesting to think that this was under construction in 1976 while I was attending kindergarten less than a block away (yes at that “best” school someone mentioned above).
“I live across from some constant drug dealing myself and while it sucks, it is part of the give and take of an urban area.”
LMFAO who is this person?
Also as part of their re-lo package hopefully Mr. Amazon big-shot will be made whole on taking any real estate loss as not only is this not selling for 26% more than what they paid for it less than three years ago it is likely going to sell for less, a lot less, if they need to move it quick.
Sure the real estate market in Washington or wherever they’re moving is likely going to tank as well, but they can’t just make it up on the buy if they can’t sell. Full stop for the real estate market is about to happen with real, serious price discovery.
” if they need to move it quick.”
No mortgage. They could probably just rent it out in perpetuity w/o any pain.
Did anyone else notice that a second unit just came on the market? It’s smaller but also has a terrace.
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/2131-N-Clark-St-60614/unit-3/home/13347306
“a second unit just came on the market?”
Featuring, in pic 14, the “common rooftop deck”.
If that’s the best possible pic of the shared roof space, that’s seriously not worth mentioning as an amenity. “Large dumpster and separate recycling” is a better amenity.