Contemporary Homes Are Hot, Hot, Hot: 1532 W. Wellington in Lakeview
I know many of you are lovers of the contemporary style.
I didn’t move fast enough to post on this newer construction contemporary 5-bedroom home at 1532 W. Wellington in West Lakeview because it has already gone under contract in less than a month.
But I wanted to chatter about it anyway.
The listing says there is a “serious seller”.
The house came on the market $161,000 under the 2007 purchase price.
Built on a standard Chicago lot of 25×125, it has a 3-story atrium, 3 private decks and bamboo flooring throughout.
4 of the 5 bedrooms are on the second floor with the fifth in the lower level.
It also has a library/office with vaulted ceilings and a private deck on the top floor.
The kitchen has Poggenpohl cabinets and stainless steel appliances.
There aren’t many contemporary homes in Lakeview.
Did the house’s uniqueness for the neighborhood get it the quick contract?
Anne Connolly Rief at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.
1532 W. Wellington: 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 4600 square feet
- Sold in December 2005 for $622,500
- Sold in April 2007 for $1.56 million
- Originally listed in May 2011 for $1.399 million
- Under Contract
- Taxes of $14941
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 20×17 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 11×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 11×15 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 13×15 (second floor)
- Bedroom #5: 11×12 (lower level)
- Library/office: 13×14 (third floor)
I’m normally a sucker for contemporary, but outside of the exterior and a slightly edgey kitchen, this does not seem all that contemporary in style to me. Also, what is with those small pillars? could they really not span the entire width of the building? Those really suck.
I like this place… and the price seems reasonable.
Too close to Ashland, on too busy a street.
Is the Refin agent comment correct that this is a gut, not new in ’07 construction?
This house is awesome, I used to live on this street and it is a stunner, I would have randomly guessed 2 million+ based upon the curb appeal of it, although the interior seems a bit small, it is still a nice place on a great street
and anon, its at least 250′ from ashland and the noise here is practically nothing, It is the quietest area i have lived in since wellington is 1 way going east here
For the location and size, it seems like a great deal to me. If it wasn’t under contract I’d take a closer look.
i was going to say something about how crap like this gets thrown up in the place of perfectly good vintage housing stock, but this place is actually pretty cool. Definitely not cookie cutter and very unique.
Agreed with the lackluster interior does not equal the quality of the exterior.
This would certianly not make it into an issue of Dwell.
Love it. Very jealous. Well done to the buyer.
I would guess about $1.225 million for this one.
“Also, what is with those small pillars? could they really not span the entire width of the building? Those really suck.”
I think that this is a dead giveaway that it is a gut rehab, as why would anyone design it like that?
“Too close to Ashland, on too busy a street.”
Like Sonies says, you wouldn’t say that if you spent any time around here. The area bounded by Diversey, Ashland, Barry, Lincoln and Southport is really very quiet and has almost zero through traffic, because you can’t really go through except on Wellington and that light takes forever.
If you want to see a market sitter in this area, check out
Sorry, forgot to finish that sentence, I was going to say check out 1542 W. Nelson. At $2.25 million against the alley behind Art of Pizza, that place is going to sit until it’s priced around $1.7 million or lower, I would guess.
“and anon, its at least 250? from ashland and the noise here is practically nothing, It is the quietest area i have lived in since wellington is 1 way going east here”
I hate Ashland, especially the stretch from Clybourn to Roscoe, with the white-hot passion of a thousand suns. First block in from Ashland–no go.
“you wouldn’t say that if you spent any time around here.”
I avoid the area because of the traffic and I’ve *STILL* spent enough time around here to know I don’t like it, at least not on Wellington.
“I was going to say check out 1542 W. Nelson”
Wow, some land buyer got *killed* on that one:
May-07 = $662k
Jan-10 = $480k
And it’s a 35.8′ lot!
Had Art of Pizza once and keep meaning to do so again.
“Sorry, forgot to finish that sentence, I was going to say check out 1542 W. Nelson. At $2.25 million against the alley behind Art of Pizza, that place is going to sit until it’s priced around $1.7 million or lower, I would guess.”
I like that place but right on the alley behind the pizza joint, with the delivery cars parked however they damn well please all the time, just doesn’t say $2+ million. It is a wide lot and has video cameras in all the alleys though, which is nice.
“I hate Ashland, especially the stretch from Clybourn to Roscoe, with the white-hot passion of a thousand suns. First block in from Ashland–no go.”
I hate ashland too, but you get a lot more for your money over there. Also, this place is very close to St. Alphonsus so in addition to being a one way street you have a whole block taken up by the nice church/school. I really like that area.
This place went up for sale in this area this week. Seems like a good price to me and probably a million plus if it was a few blocks east of Ashland. http://www.1523barry.info
Without looking at the photos, I’d agree with those who said good price for size and location. Especially compared with the listing for 201 W. Grand we saw yesterday, which in my mind is not in as nice a location and had only 2 bedrooms (and was priced over $3 million).
This is a very pleasant, walkable neighborhood. I’d usually rather go with vintage, but if contemporary is your thing, this might be suitable.
drywall palace. yawn.
Nat, you said it all and I am a sucker for contemporary too.
saw exterior, got excited, saw interior and eh, it’s alright.
“Also, what is with those small pillars? could they really not span the entire width of the building?”
Oh, yeah, forgot this:
As noted, sure sign of reno, but also those are there not so much to hold up the 2d floor, but to hold up the *hole* cut in the 2d floor for that staircase. Can do it different ways, but that’s the way they went. At the price point, I probably would have tried to build a steel frame for that part of the house, but perhaps it wasn’t feasible for a reason other than cost.
Yeah, if this had better looking supports for the stairs and metal stairs (as opposed to drywall) and the other improvements you cc’ers like then it would sell for more than it did…
Its the design details like these that drive up price…
Reminds me of a Thai Lady Boy. Pretty on the outside, disappointing on the inside.
Kevin did you have some unique experiences on a vacation in Bangkok?
There is another SFH for sale right across the street. http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1531-W-Wellington-Ave-60657/home/12577382
Lot less curb appeal, that’s for sure.
It’s no longer for sale, as it was rented out instead, but for an amazing contemporary home, I would have much preferred this one. Better block, amazing greystone exterior, with true contemporary furnishings.
http://www.3632paulina.com
“Nat on June 2nd, 2011 at 1:18 pm
I’m normally a sucker for contemporary, but outside of the exterior and a slightly edgey kitchen, this does not seem all that contemporary in style to me. Also, what is with those small pillars? could they really not span the entire width of the building? Those really suck.”
You saved me a post. Thanks.
Does this show that putting an exterior on like this (and maybe some poogen cabinets) has a big return?
“Does this show that putting an exterior on like this (and maybe some poogen cabinets) has a big return?”
Would appear so.
I think it means that unusual, non cookie cutter properties are doing better. There are fewer contemporary homes…so the supply is less than that of traditional or standard developer homes.
This is an OK contemporary SFH. The design quality is not very high and this property does not sing.
I had poggen cabinets. They were terribly made. Just kept replacing pieces.
Maybe this gut was done for the owner of Flirty Girl Fitness. I think the stripper poles in the living room are a nice touch.
@ jen, beg to differ. It is not a true contemporary by any stretch of imagination to me. It is a confused looking space. Reminds me of a wildebeest, not a zebra nor a buffalo : )
Jen’s right that the Paulina place is a better location, but yes, miumiu, I’d say that place is a bit confused. Not sure why they didn’t just do the typical high-end rehab befitting a century-old place.
“Reminds me of a wildebeest, not a zebra nor a buffalo : )”
Haha jen is trying to pitch a collegiate type brownstone wrigleyville rental as a high end property. I think we know who the wiledebeast is indeed.
jen that’s not contemporary: its when someone with no idea has too much money or credit to gut a brownstone. That kitchen combined with the exterior facade makes me want to puke! lol.
jen are you going for the wrigleyville aged fratboy who struck it rich in the lottery with that rental you’re pitching? I guess it’s worth a shot as they might not recognize what a travesty that place is.
Unfortunately the odds of that renting out at any sort of amount to make sense for the speculators are almost as bad as that aged wrigleyville fratboy of hitting the lotto.
ummm Bob… I am guessing you are just a bit north of a frat boy 🙂 The place has been rented out for three years at that price and just got leased again for that price.
I live in the neighborhood so I’ve been in it and know the owners. To each their own, but personally I love the stunning vintage exterior with a modern interior.
I guess that stretch of Paulina has as much wealth as that 6-10 blocks below it.. I’ve never seen more million dollar+ homes in any stretch of Chicago than 2600-3000 Paulina.
what? being on addison and paulina is in no way a better location than this place, are you guys on crack?
“I’ve never seen more million dollar+ homes in any stretch of Chicago than 2600-3000 Paulina.”
Try Dayon, Burling, Orchard, Howe and Mohawk, north and south of Armitage. Not as long, and not as uniform, but each with basically as many *2* million dollar homes (last sale, not necessarily current value) as that stretch of Paulina has $1m homes.
@Jen
Did they really get $6,950/mo for the rental at http://www.3632paulina.com?
I would expect that place to rent for $4,750 – $5,500.
Any guesses what 1532 W. Wellington would rent for? $5,500? When people list rentals for 6k or 7k, how much lower do they usually end up renting for? Any anecdotal evidence?
re: the place across the street at 1531 wellington. I saw that place in 5/09 when it was priced at $1.499 and listing said “fabulous, unique, seller VERY motivated”. Apparently, seller/developer was not motivated enough to price it appropriately, and here it is still sitting on the market, reduced in price by $220K only 25 months later… Who knows how much longer/lower in price this will be sitting around.
“Any guesses what 1532 W. Wellington would rent for? $5,500?”
Don’t all SFHs in West-ish Lakeview rent for $7300/month?
RyanC – He had 1.4M in mortgages, so he may be pushing towards short sale territory.
Good for the sellers. This implies what is still a big price for South Lakeview.
This one would rent in excess of 5,500. House two blocks away just rented for 7,300 as Anon notes. Plenty of suckers willing to pay that nut apparently.
This is a good not great neighborhood. Lots of dumpy two flats around here. School checks the box.
Stretch of Paulina is a child of the bubble. That whole stretch was industrial or otherwise under utilized property that was converted in the 2000s marketed as “Lincoln Park”. Some spectacular homes but its an island.
Beware the flash mobs of hip urban mommies in SUVs. Heard they had to close the Starbucks on Diversey and Paulina for 2 hours…
Believe there was recently a 211 on the 3000 block of Paulina. I know that’s what I want happening on my street for 2M of house.
“Believe there was recently a 211 on the 3000 block of Paulina. I know that’s what I want happening on my street for 2M of house.”
I’ve never seen it outside of Chicago but it’s amazing how close some of the more expensive properties are to the worst areas. IE: multi-million dollar townhomes a stone’s throw from the cabrini rowhomes.
Also the two biggest homes in the 2600-3000 stretch, a bit of an urban legend not sure if it’s true: one guy supposedly is in prison and the other guy is going to prison. The lack of interior lighting on the guy who supposedly went away supports this legend.
There used to be a plastics plant on the west side between Divers and Wrightwood. Screw radon, you’d need the phase II boring to be comfortable raising a family there.
Alas you get some of these quirky prison stories in many affluent areas. Guy off Hibbard in Winny went down for fraud a couple years back. It’s not easy to make a lot from a little, no surprise some get there with a little more than a little help.