A Printer’s Row 2-Bedroom Penthouse Loft with Rooftop Deck for $599,000: 161 W. Harrison
This 2-bedroom penthouse triplex loft in Market Square Lofts at 161 W. Harrison in Printer’s Row came on the market in May 2023. I don’t have a picture of this building but it’s the short brick building next to the Vetro in the picture above.
Built in 1905 as the Patton Building, the 12 story building was originally in the printing business and then apparently became a printing warehouse.
It was converted into 80 loft condos in 1997 and became the Market Square Lofts. It is one of the few Printer’s Row loft buildings that has attached garage parking.
The building has a shared rooftop deck, small party room and door staff.
This loft has 15 foot ceilings on the main level with exposed duct work and oversized windows.
Both bedrooms are on the main floor although the second bedroom is currently being used as a dining room and is not enclosed. It has a walk-in-closet.
The primary bedroom is fully enclosed and has a window along with a walk-in-closet and ensuite granite bath with a double vanity, separate shower and Jacuzzi tub.
The kitchen has Schroek cabinets with pull out shelves and a pantry with Viking and Subzero appliances.
There is a separate laundry room on the main floor with side-by-side washer/dryer.
There’s an office on the second floor.
The third level has the family room with a wet bar and a half bath, along with skylights, which leads out to a 400 square foot private rooftop Trex deck. You can see a hose in the pictures so there must be irrigation. And there is electricity as there are lights on the side of the building in the night time pictures.
The rooftop deck has city views.
It appears the top floor was added to the building during the loft conversion.
The loft has features that buyers look for including central air and garage parking is available for $20,000.
Listed at $599,000 for 1800 square feet, is this a deal for all the space?
Susan Dickman at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
Unit #1203: 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, triplex, 1800 square feet, penthouse, loft
- Sold in September 1998 for $295,000
- Sold in March 2001 for $410,000
- Sold in October 2003 for $527,500
- Originally listed in May 2023 for $599,000
- Currently still listed at $599,000 (garage parking is $20,000 extra)
- Assessments of $926 a month (includes heat, a/c, gas, doorman, cable, exterior maintenance, Internet, snow removal)
- Taxes of $6899
- Central Air
- Side-by-side washer/dryer in the unit
- Double sided fireplace in the living room/primary bedroom
- Bedroom #1: 10×19 (main level)
- Bedroom #2: 10×12 (main level)
- Office: 15×9 (second level)
- Foyer: 4×12 (main level)
- Living room: 15×23 (main level)
- Kitchen: 11×14 (main level)
- Laundry: 4×7 (main level)
- Family room: 15×24 (third level)
- Deck: 15×10 (third level)
“Listed at $599,000 for 1800 square feet, is this a deal for all the space?”
It hasnt sold, so no
LOL were back to calling any space a Bedroom
Floor plan is way too chopped up.
Even with stretching the LR pics it still looks tiny
Outdoor area is nice
Current owners got murdered wrt appreciation
Take down the wall rack full of kitchen tools. Not only does it look tacky, it is sub-consciously communicating to prospective buyers that there is insufficient cabinet space.
We went to the Printer’s Row Lit Fest a couple times. These sellers look like they run it.
“2nd bedroom used as dining room”
They left out:
“Super-private 2d bedroom”
Sometimes, it is almost de minimus to recreate a bedroom–ten feet of framing and a door–but this one would be crazy with the meandering stairs and a second opening, and you’d still probably have a partial wall.
Baths need a refresh to be brought into this century.
Meadering stairs aren’t quirky, just a PITA.
“October 2003 for $527,500” + CPI = $865k
+ C-S Condos = $663k
“Outdoor area is nice”
You’re so close to several neighbors that you could ask to borrow a cup of sugar and hand it off over the balcony’s!
What’s the story behind the little blue “office” shed looking structure on the roof? Does not look original to the building.
“What’s the story behind the little blue “office” shed looking structure on the roof?”
It is a “true” penthouse.
It is the Family Room and rooftop access.
1201 also has one, but last sold in 2012, and cannot find a good pic.
1202 also has one, and sold last year for $595k with 2 actual bedrooms and a tandem parking space. See:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/161-W-Harrison-St-60605/unit-1202/home/12813733
Walkthru tour still available for 1205, which sold in ’21 ($500k):
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/161-W-Harrison-St-60605/unit-1205/home/12814462
Penthouse is much smaller on this one, which seems to be the diff in SF.
1206 was slightly bananas when last sold in 2014:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/161-W-Harrison-St-60605/unit-1206/home/14092994
More recent aerials make it look like the owner has not used the roof rights, but hard to be 100% sure.
Nobody aspires to live in Printer’s Row, do they?
“Nobody aspires to live in Printer’s Row, do they?”
I think the proximity to the loop was the big draw, which of course changed in 2020.
“Nobody aspires to live in Printer’s Row, do they?”
Sure they do. To me, it’s the most “New York” neighborhood in Chicago. Reminds me of Soho. The only neighborhood with most of its original industrial buildings still intact.
I really wish they would build something on that parking lot in the middle of the neighborhood. It’s a real drag. Put a new apartment building there with retail. Or a park with restaurants.
“We went to the Printer’s Row Lit Fest a couple times. These sellers look like they run it.”
Lots of book lovers in this neighborhood. I think it’s great. The bookstore is very unique. It’s been there for forever so the neighborhood must support it (by buying books there.) Last time I was there, they didn’t even have a computer. Employee wrote up my books on a piece of paper, by hand, and added it up on a calculator. Maybe their computer was down? Bookstore is beautiful though.
“I think the proximity to the loop was the big draw, which of course changed in 2020.”
Isn’t proximinty back in vogue now? Chicago back up to 65% downtown. Among the highest in the country. Still rising. Feels like pre-pandemic Tues thru Thursday. Plenty of people everywhere. Some more employers mandating three days by this fall, like CME Group.
I mean, they are building million dollar new condos just 2 blocks away. And I haven’t heard of prices being impacted much here by 2023. It’s held its value during the pandemic better than the Gold Coast. Lol. But I guess that’s true of EVERY neighborhood.
“ Isn’t proximinty back in vogue now? Chicago back up to 65%”
River North housing market does not seem to be reflecting this.
“better than the Gold Coast”
Why compare it to an inconvenient, out of vogue with the youth, area? It’s not much different from saying “better than Cleveland”.
“Why compare it to an inconvenient, out of vogue with the youth, area? It’s not much different from saying “better than Cleveland”.”
I heard theres a lot of new restaurants opening up in GG
Hate the look and feel. Not for me. But I’m sure someone must like it.
“River North housing market does not seem to be reflecting this.”
River North has struggled for years, even pre-pandemic. Has nothing to do with everyone going back to the office. My kids are renting. They’d rather rent in River North or Streeterville, than ever buy there. This is mostly why they are building endless apartment buildings and very few condo buildings these days.
That being said, it’s good to see just 340 units on the market in River North right now. Older inventory needs to be absorbed. Still have dozens of million dollar condos available though thanks to One Chicago.
Reduced to $585,000.