A 4-Bedroom Vintage Row House for $649,995 in the Gap/Bronzeville: 3342 S. Giles
This 4-bedroom vintage row house at 3342 S. Giles in the Gap/Bronzeville neighborhood of Douglas just came on the market.
Built in 1902, it’s on a 16.7×125 lot which has a 1-car garage and a small back deck.
What is The Gap neighborhood?
This is a description of how the neighborhood got it’s name from a Chicago Tribune article in 1987 calling it the “next hot neighborhood”:
Poor black neighborhoods to the north, east and west were bulldozed and redeveloped during the late `60s and early `70s. But the urban-renewal binge hardly touched the area bounded on the east by King Drive, on the north by 31st Street, on the west by Michigan Avenue and on the south by 35th Street. This rectangle became known as the Gap, an area of run-down late-19th Century brick and stone houses surrounded on three sides by spanking new buildings like Lake Meadows Apartments, Dunbar Vocational High School and the Illinois Institute of Technology.
The listing describes it as being in Gap/Bronzeville as the Gap might not be a familiar designation to most.
According to the listing this row house has custom finishes and hardwood floors throughout.
If you look at the pictures from the 2015 sale, the interior had been completely stripped out and had to be rebuilt. No vintage features remain.
There are 2 fireplaces, one in the living room and one in the primary bedroom.
The listing calls the kitchen a “chef’s kitchen” with white cabinets, stone counter tops and luxury stainless steel appliances along with a kitchen island that seats 3.
There’s no dining room but there is breakfast room.
3 out of the 4 bedrooms are on the second floor including the primary suite which has an en suite bath with double vanity and walk-in-closet.
The lower level has the fourth bedroom, a family room and a wet bar along with a bathroom.
The house has central air.
The Gap has one of the largest collections of 19th century buildings, some designed by Chicago’s most famous architects.
This row house has come on the market at $649,995 for 3000 square feet.
Has the Gap and Bronzeville become the “next” hot neighborhood once again?
Joshua Mercer at Premier Chicago LLC has the listing. See the pictures here.
3342 S. Giles: 4 bedroom, 3.5 baths, 3000 square feet, row house
- Sold in June 1994 for $52,500
- Sold in November 1994 for $108,750
- Sold in July 1995 for $269,250
- Sold in February 1999 for $201,000
- Lis pendens foreclosure filed in December 2009
- Bank owned in November 2012
- Sold in January 2015 for $135,000 (no interiors- total rehab job needed)
- Listed in January 2021 for $649,995
- Taxes of $3873
- Central Air
- Lot of 16.7 x 125
- 1 car garage
- 2 fireplaces
- Bedroom #1: 14×22 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 8×9 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 11×10 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 11×11 (lower level)
- Living room: 15×29 (main level)
- Kitchen: 12×14 (main level)
- Breakfast room: 12×9 (main level)
- Family room: 15×25 (lower level)
- Laundry room: 6×6 (second level)
1st floor Layout is pretty good for a rowhouse or at least as good as one can. 2 spots for the kids to work with some separation.
Basement looks tall enough and appears to be room for a home office
The upstairs is where this falls apart. Went too big on MBR & MBa and too small on 3br
3353 looks to be an end unit w/ a floor plan
And a hard pass at $650k. The risk/reward isn’t there. You can get “New” in Bridgeport for this price.
Bronzeville / GAP has been the “next hot neighborhood” for at least 20 years.
“Bronzeville / GAP has been the “next hot neighborhood” for at least 20 years.”
Logan Square was the same for about the same period. And it’s still only part of Logan.
So there’s at least a small chance it’s sort of close in parts. I still think a limiting factor is the lack of a unifying vintage commercial strip ala Milwaukee Ave. Even the E-W streets where there is some remaining have become heavily auto-oriented.
Yeah, usually when a neighborhood flips there is a commercial strip that provides the momentum. I just don’t see it here. I’d be more inclined to go further south to Hyde Park or North Kenwood.
I’ve noticed people who buy in the area put more emphasis on space than convenience / amenities so that is the tradeoff.
How are taxes on this only $3,900 / yr?
Could be worse, you could be the owner/Developer/Realator of 3348 S Prairie Ave. LOFL
I Guess the lack of ABnB income is making him serious about selling…
Its HAWT ™!
“Realtor of 3348 S Prairie”
Why does pic 3 label 31st st harbor with the cost to build it out?
Does that cost matter (in a positive way) to anyone looking for a house?
@Russ – I think it depends on the type of business. I’ve always been under the impression that hip restaurants occupy a neighborhood before and during it’s up and coming phase. Retail comes usually after it has gentrified. I think the former is attracted to the cheaper rents, the latter toward the economic stability. Just my opinion.
“I’ve always been under the impression that hip restaurants occupy a neighborhood before and during it’s up and coming phase. ”
Yep, but think about State, Michigan/Indiana, King, Cottage Grove from Stevenson to 51st–there just aren’t many good buildings for restaurants, hip or otherwise. 35/Pershing/47 are a little better, but also not great.
““I’ve always been under the impression that hip restaurants occupy a neighborhood before and during it’s up and coming phase. ”
Yep, but think about State, Michigan/Indiana, King, Cottage Grove from Stevenson to 51st–there just aren’t many good buildings for restaurants, hip or otherwise. 35/Pershing/47 are a little better, but also not great.”
The formula is/was – Its the cheap rent that drives restaurants to the fringes. You also have to be close enough to your customers (Eg Fulton Market)
Barring a big name chef (Bayless/Achatz/etc), I dont see folks heading down from Streeterville
“Yeah, usually when a neighborhood flips there is a commercial strip that provides the momentum.”
Does the Mariano’s count?
Nice supermarkets have been known to be a neighborhood catalyst.
“Does the Mariano’s count?”
It doesn’t not count, but it’s one thing. What’s next door, across the street? Mostly vacant lots.
What happens with the Michael Reese site, and when, is the biggest thing, imo. if/when it ends up being the casino, it will stunt any real neighborhood development.
“Does the Mariano’s count?”
Why are people so f’n fixated on having a WF/TJ/etc in their back yard? Unless you’re totally vehicle free who cares? Even then you can use the myriad of apps to get groceries or use a service like blue apron.
A TJ went in a few blocks from my old place and traffic is jacked up in the area.
“Why are people so f’n fixated on having a WF/TJ/etc in their back yard? Unless you’re totally vehicle free who cares?”
Um…because we live in a city and can walk there? Most people don’t have cars. I know you do in the suburbs JohnnyU but many of us live in Chicago.
So, yes, I will literally make my housing decision based on the nearby grocery stores.
From friends who live in Bronzeville, the Mariano’s opening was a big deal. It’s a great store with wine tasting and the like.
It could start more investment there. The Whole Foods in Hyde Park has led to the Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s only opens a handful of new stores across the country a year so it was a big deal that they got one in that neighborhood.