A River North Brick And Timber Loft As Big As A Single Family Home: 152 W. Huron
We’ve chattered about this boutique loft building at 152 W. Huron in River North several times in the past.
This 3-bedroom brick and timber loft has 4000 square feet on one floor which is larger than many single family homes.
It has 13 foot high ceilings and a custom modern build-out.
The listing calls the kitchen “gourmet” with stainless steel appliances. Is that a concrete counter top on part of the kitchen island?
All three bedrooms are en suite.
There’s a private elevator and 1-car garage parking.
The listing says this loft is in the Ogden school district.
Is this a good single family home alternative?
Jennifer Ames at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #300: 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 4000 square feet, 1 car parking
- Sold in May 2003 for $833,000
- Originally listed in April 2012 for $1.8 million
- Withdrawn
- Recently re-listed for $1.879 million
- Assessments of $1,137 a month
- Taxes of $9260
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Bedroom #1: 17×16
- Bedroom #2: 17×13
- Bedroom #3: 12×16
“Originally listed in April 2012 for $1.8 million”
CC disagrees with itself:
November 16, 2010: “If you need some direction on what the space could look like, check out Unit #3 which just came on the market for $2.1 million.”
http://cribchatter.com/?p=9572
Given the so-so location (for families) and lack of any amenities/services, I doubt they’ll get very close to what they’re asking, but this sure is a nice place. $1.1-1.3? Maybe $1.4.
Oh man, you people on Crib Chatter and your lofts. Please. All you guys care about is stuff like, “Oh does this Sub Zero fridge have enough space for my gluten-free pomegranate Greek yogurt?”
I like this place a lot! Hard to imagine nearly $2M though. Also, if it has a private elevator, are you responsible for repairs? It’d suck to pay over $1100 a month in assessments and to not even have that cover your elevator which I assume is a limited common element that may be your responsibility.
Also, what is with that swing? The idea could be cool but who wants to have to walk around and base their decorating around a swing hanging from the ceiling in middle of your living room?
bachelor baller pad…..perfect for Joakim Noah? looks pretty interesting, but a little bland, also not a huge fan of the ‘paneling’ it reminds me of a sauna.
This loft is fabulous and its plenty big for a family. The downsides are lack of light and view (and real outdoor space), and lack of building amenities. If I owned a condo this nice, I’d want a doorman, exercise room, lobby etc…some services and amenities, especially with this assessment. The other downside is that the unit does not have any views or appear to get much light. There is a parking lot in front of this building to the east. At some point, this lot will be built on further diminishing the light quality. At any rate, its still a fabulous unit with great finishings (kitchen, appliances, tile, closet) and privacy. You can walk to the best of River North from here (EBC, Montgomery Park, restuarants, etc…). 1.6 should do it.
“if it has a private elevator, are you responsible for repairs? … a limited common element ”
Nah, if you look at the floorplan, there is one elevator for the building, but it opens directly into the unit (see pic #2). I also don’t really understand how that is a “private” elevator, but it seems to be the common usage.
http://www.coldwellbankeronline.com/property/details/2767516/MLS-08124833/152-West-Huron-Street-Chicago-Near-North-Side-IL-60610.aspx Is this cheap for an office space?
“If I owned a condo this nice, I’d want a doorman, exercise room, lobby etc…some services and amenities, especially with this assessment.”
The assessments are under $1,200/mo (parking included). It’s a 4,000 sq ft place in a no service/small building. What do you think the assessments would be in a full service/luxury building on a 4,000 sq ft place, with one garage space? Probably at least the low $2,000’s, maybe as high as the low $3,000’s/mo.
“Is this cheap for an office space?”
If it is actually 2148 rsf, and it’s not severely limited as to uses, I would say yes, very cheap.
Nice place, but I would want some personal outdoor space at that price point. I enjoy grilling too much in the summer to not have that.
Also the views are not that great, not the most important thing, but the higher up units have much better views.
Theres a reason this place has been on the market so long redfin sez (April 2010)
“The assessments are under $1,200/mo (parking included). It’s a 4,000 sq ft place in a no service/small building. What do you think the assessments would be in a full service/luxury building on a 4,000 sq ft place, with one garage space? Probably at least the low $2,000?s, maybe as high as the low $3,000?s/mo.”
Yes, they would be more…probably 2,000 if the building was large, but more in a building this size. My point is that for 1.8 million, I’d want the building to also have some luxuries. I’d pay more for it, but I’d want it. Although this unit has a private elevator, it has no view so you really don’t get the Penthouse feel…more walk-up than penthouse, which is why I prefer a big building. This might be preferable to a sports figure who values privacy (and trains privately elsewhere) or for a wealth person’s in town (i.e., someone who does not need a doorman or services.)
“What do you think the assessments would be in a full service/luxury building on a 4,000 sq ft place, with one garage space?”
And your assumption still includes a much larger association, or a very limited concept of ‘full-service’. A single, full-time door man would run close to $800/mo/unit in this building; 24 hour service would be over 4x that. Certainly cheaper if you hired a security service to provide the desk coverage, but still not anything close to cheap, given the small association.
Sonies, good point on the outdoor space. I couldn’t give up grilling either, at any price. Views, I dunno. Wouldn’t a place this nice and large in this area with views command at least this price, if not more? I think most of us agree this wont go for asking, so at the price it will go for in this location i don’t think views are a must.
“I would want some personal outdoor space at that price point. I enjoy grilling too much in the summer to not have that.”
“good point on the outdoor space. I couldn’t give up grilling either, at any price.”
Isn’t there a terrace? Presumably sufficient for grilling.
There are balconies on each floor, large enough for a grill.
“Is this a good single family home alternative?”
Major question (setting aside many specifics, including price) is sound. Could we live here comfortably as a family wo worrying about our kid making noise, or noise from upstairs? (Though my son’s new ezyroller is whisper quiet and would be perfect here.)
Oh jeez, I missed the balconies in sabrina’s picture… doh!
This is definitely a pimped out bachelor pad. Only thing that kills it for me is the view, but love the overall space.
Benjamon9 (March 4, 2013, 12:36 pm)
“Sonies, good point on the outdoor space. I couldn’t give up grilling either, at any price.”
Really? I find that hard to believe. Plus, if you can afford to live in this place, you can probably afford to go to Outback every night, where they’ll do the grilling for you.
I’d go to Sumi Robata and have them do some grilling for me, fuck Outback and its cheese and grease laden fare
“Outback”
Lesko offering to drive the buyer of this place back and forth to O’Hare or Skokie to go to the ‘Back?
I realize that, since the Red Lobster closed, there’s almost nothing to eat around here for the high class Cary set. You can only go to the Hard Rock, Ed’s and Rainforest Cafe so many times. I guess Carson’s might do in a pinch.
There’s a Chilis at Ontario and State, but that might be a hike for the Cary type, good thing you can catch a cab easily here, or drive out of your heated garage!!!
“Chilis at Ontario and State”
Do they valet Segways?
“You can only go to the Hard Rock, Ed’s and Rainforest Cafe so many times.”
i’m sure they hit Portillo’s just to be edgy.
Went to Wildfire a couple of times.. think that’s a block away.. probably about 9,000 calories per person.
Could have bought #4 for $640K in May 2011 and built it out yourself. Further proof that #3 over priced by at least $600K
http://www.coldwellbankeronline.com/property/details/1693705/MLS-07719390/152-West-Huron-Street-Chicago-Near-North-Side-IL-60654.aspx
“Went to Wildfire a couple of times”
Go by it a least a few times a month, and it doesn’t even enter my consciousness that it’s not long closed. Strange.
Butcher….I totally disagree. It probably cost about 800K-1 million to build this place out with the type of materials used. I recall the raw space. It was not to code and did not have approproate sprinklers, electric, plumbing. Sprinklers in this space with the requisite permitting, electic, plumbing etc… are several hundered thousand before you get to drywall. You’d need lots of lighting in the interior of a space like this. If the total cost was 1.4-1.6 then 1.8 is not an unreasonable ask considering time/labor.
This is west of LaSalle which puts it into no-man’s land River North, but at least you have some action around Wells Street, if there are still any places still open over there. The galleries are kinda cool, but how many times can you walk around there? Too far to walk to Michigan Ave. Just buy a place in 55 E. Erie instead. The subject place sure isn’t “green”, it looks like lots of trees had to die for all that panelling and the countertops, etc.
helmethofer – I disagree about no-man’s land and being able to walk to Michigan Ave. I live down the street from sonies and walk to the Mag Mile and Navy Pier all the time. To me, the area is perfect; easy access to all the amenities of River North and none of the tourists.
“Go by it a least a few times a month, and it doesn’t even enter my consciousness that it’s not long closed. Strange.”
Appears that their own website as well as Opentable lost consciousness too.
Strangely, there is always a ton of people in Wildfire, I walk by it nearly daily and am shocked. But I mean, it isn’t bad, I mean I’d go there when i had some Lettuce entertain you gift cards, then its alright I guess. Petite cheese crusted filet’s aren’t so bad 🙂
I prefer this area of RN and west of here by Montgomery (formerly Erie) Park. Great park, quiet neighborhood away from tourists and Children’s NU hospitals. Definitely not no mans land. Definitely more neighborhoody.
“Theres a reason this place has been on the market so long redfin sez (April 2010)”
That’s because it HASN’T been on the market since April 2010. It was on the market in 2010 and 2011. Then it was off the market for about a year. Came back on last year and is now trying again.
I didn’t put the 2010 list price in the post because there are plenty of properties that have tried in years past but then withdrawn it and waited some time in between. I don’t find it all that relevant if the old listing is more than a year or so old (UNLESS- it has continuously been on the market most of that time.) This property has not been on since 2010.
That’s why I only included the listing history starting with last year.
Why the change in philosophy? You usually include at least a reference to it having been previously listed.
If a certain sometime critic (dare I say it … candyman) is paying attention, this will probably feed the criticism.
Stop trolling the host, anon(tfo).
“Why the change in philosophy? You usually include at least a reference to it having been previously listed.”
I DID say it was previously listed in 2012. That’s all that matters for this market (unless it’s been on the market the entire 3 years.)
This isn’t a change in my philosophy. It’s the exact thing I’ve been doing for 5 1/2 years. I’ve NEVER listed all the other listings if the property tried to sell in 2009 or 2010 but then withdrew it only to re-list years later. That old list isn’t really relevant to this market, as I said. We all know what the market was like in 2009-2010. Lots of people tried to sell and couldn’t (mainly because they were listed too high.) If they tried to sell last year, though, then that’s relevant.
anon(tfo) = troll trying to anger Sabrina.
I was just mentioning that this place tried to sell before and didn’t, I believe the prior asking price in 2010 was something crazy like $2.25 million
“I was just mentioning that this place tried to sell before and didn’t”
Watch it, sonies, or HD will call you a troll.
Honestly, I don’t see what’s so bad about Wildfire, Portillo’s, Hard Rock, or Rainforest Cafe. They’re all pretty good. Honestly, you guys are judging these places without even having eaten at them. Pretty narrow minded, if you ask me. I would stand behind a recommendation for Rainforest Cafe. They have a number of sandwiches which are really quite good, especially the Rumble in the Jungle Turkey Wrap. They also have this dish called Rasta Pasta which is out of this world. Plus it’s a great place to take the kids. But I would never go to Ed Debevic’s. Come on! That place is for tourists! Just cuz I live in Cary doesn’t make me a tourist, geez.
“Honestly, I don’t see what’s so bad about Wildfire, Portillo’s, Hard Rock, or Rainforest Cafe. They’re all pretty good.”
Having dined at all those establishments, I (and probably most others) will tell you that they’re not terribly awful. (And I do lust for a beef and cheddar croissant from Portillo’s every once in awhile)
However, Chicago is home to so many outstanding restaurants: Girl and Goat, Avec, Publican, David Burke’s, Mercat a la Planxa, Japonais, Alinea, Avenues, Moto, Tru, Table Fifty-Two, and so on. Any barb directed at those restaurants is two-fold; we’re insulting chain restaurants with their generic menus while also insulting the out of towners that come to Chicago and eat at a chain restaurant.
“However, Chicago is home to so many outstanding restaurants: Girl and Goat, Avec, Publican, David Burke’s, Mercat a la Planxa, Japonais, Alinea, Avenues, Moto, Tru, Table Fifty-Two, and so on”
Half of which are out of the price range of 80-90% of people visiting Chicago. So not sure you are listing comparables to a Wildfire. Could you imagine handing Bob a check from Alinea? It would be their first ever dine and dash…
We like the Lettuce Entertain You restaurants and frequently bring in food from the Wildfire when we get into town on Friday evenings. These restaurants suit our budget and tastes, which is not especially high class. With all the other options in RN we would not go to the Hard Rock or Rainforest. Too crowded, too many children; and the food is better at other places. Last weekend, using the Groupon coupon, we ate at Carson’s. Had a very tasty steak; reasonably priced wine; and a very chocolate desert.
The food at rainforest is AWFUL, and SUPER expensive
Those other mentioned are acceptable, but still maybe a tad overpriced. Portillos is obviously pretty cheap, but not exactly gourmet, i’d put it a notch above Burger King
But yeah, not everyone can afford $100 a head dinners and wildfire isn’t a bad option at all for those who want something that tastes good on a reasonable <$35 per head budget.
My favorite places for the money i've been is either Bavettes or Joes Stone crab, but again those are like 50-100 a head depending on what you're drinking.
“Could you imagine handing Bob a check from Alinea?”
As entertaining as that would be, don’t think that’s really possible any longer. All tickets all the time. (‘cept drinks and you know bob will insist everyone drink dollar beers.)
This place shows extremely well….a lot better than just looking at the pictures. It is extremely well done and the layout is fantastic. Truly one of if not the best loft in RN. I was very interested in purchasing it for a Chicago residence but the unit directly above was due for a gut renovation and the thought of hearing all of that for 6 months I had planned on staying in Chicago persuaded me not to put in an offer. Now that that unit is finished and this one has had a price reduction it just might be time to revisit it. Between this one and the Smashing Pumpkins place on Astor (the unit directly above his place on astor is still available but not as nice as the original), I did see some promise of making Chicago a summer hangout for me.
” I did see some promise of making Chicago a summer hangout for me”
westloopelo,
so are you getting lazy in your old age? i thought you like the raw space to customize to taste?