A Vintage 3-Bedroom Duplex Down in the Heart of Old Town: 224 W. St. Paul
This 3-bedroom duplex down at 224 W. St. Paul in Old Town just came on the market.
Built in 1890, this condo complex has 4 units including one in a coach house behind the building.
There’s no parking.
We actually chattered about this unit way back in 2008 when it was converted into condos.
Back then, this unit had been on the market for 2 years without a sale.
You can see our 2008 chatter here.
This property has many of its vintage features including original stained glass in the large picture window at the front of the unit.
It has the original Victorian pocket doors and a vintage fireplace mantle (original too?).
The living room has unique inlaid wood floors.
And the first floor also has many original moldings.
The kitchen has white cabinets, what looks like granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.
The master suite is on the first floor and has a unique, built-in armoire along one wall.
The other two bedrooms are in the lower level, along with a full bath and a family room.
The listing says there is a “subsurface drainage system.”
It also says there is “new electric and plumbing” but is that new from the developer in 2008 or new as in 2020?
The property has the features buyers look for including central air and washer/dryer in the unit but there’s no parking with the building.
This building is in the middle of the popular Old Town neighborhood, with restaurants and bars within minutes of the front door.
Is this the perfect property for a vintage lover?
Ryan Cherney at Circle One Realty has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
Unit #1: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2200 square feet
- Was listed in 2006 (per the 2008 chatter)
- Sold in November 2016 for $639,000
- Currently listed at $729,900
- Assessments of $343 a month (includes exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
- Taxes of $12,900
- Central Air
- Washer/dryer in the unit
- Fireplace (gas)
- Bedroom #1: 20×12 (main level)
- Bedroom #2: 13×11 (lower level)
- Bedroom #3: 13×11 (lower level)
- Living room: 14×12 (main level)
- Dining room: 16×8 (main level)
- Kitchen: 16×11 (main level)
- Laundry room: 8×3 (lower level)
- Family room: 16×15 (lower level)
Don’t think paint and repainting the cabinets deserves 90k
That tile backsplash is the bathroom is pretty awful.
At the end of the day it’s just a depressing duplex down that costs $4400/mo
Are they doing in-person showings now in Chicago? If so, the listing broker might want to put a roll of toilet paper in the powder room (oh and then explain to his or her clients that they’ve priced it too high).
Listing sez: Recent complete gut renovation.
I guess this is true if you consider 2005-2006 “recent”.
“I guess this is true if you consider 2005-2006 “recent”.”
Developer got it in May-06
Sold Units 2 & 3 in Jun-07
Sold Unit 4 in Aug-13
Sold Unit 1 in Nov-16
I *hate* most of the finish choices in this unit, but especially the doors and knobs in the lower level.
The front room is nearly unusable–I understand the desire for openness and the back-to-back closets (utilities in one?), but think the layout would be much more usable if the ‘foyer’ were a hallway straight into the kitchen.
The kitchen and baths are pretty random.
Developer got it in May-06
Sold Units 2 & 3 in Jun-07
Sold Unit 4 in Aug-13
Sold Unit 1 in Nov-16
According to the prior chatter, this unit was first listed in Feb ’06. The pictures indicate it was already rehabbed at that point.
“this unit was first listed in Feb ’06”
The selling developer got a deed dated Apr-06, recorded May-06. Possible that was a P-ship/takeout of guy who bought from long term owner dated Dec-05, recorded Feb-06.
“The pictures indicate it was already rehabbed at that point.”
No, they indicate it was rehabbed at the time of the CC post–Jul-08. But almost certainly done when 2 & 3 sold in Jun-07–that was probably when the cert of occupancy was issued.
I like Bob’s comment from ’08:
Bob on July 16th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
They’ll be waiting and waiting. At that price Godot has a better shot of showing up before they find a buyer.
699 (Jul-08) + CPI = $767 (Nov-16), so they ended up at ~17% less than the “Godot price”, and resale asking price 3.5 years later than that is still shy. That the ask backward and 739 – CPI = $572 in Feb-06. Probably could have gotten it sold back then if asking $599, rather than $699.
With respect to the rehab, I believe this place was rented out for many years before it was sold in 2016. 9ish years of rental will take a toll on any place. I’m guessing, but not certain, that light “reconditioning” was done to the place in 2016 after renters had moved out.
Of course, I wouldn’t exclude the possibility that someone is be flexible in their interpretation of the words “recent” and “rehab.”
I love the main floor, but a duplex down isn’t my preferred option.