Did You Love the Apartment in “The Breakup”? 448 W. Wrightwood in Lincoln Park
If there was one thing many of us noticed about the movie “The Breakup” with Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston- it was the vintage apartment they lived in.
Of course, that was just a movie, right?
That’s why I was intrigued when I ran across this recent listing of a 3-bedroom unit at 448 W. Wrightwood in Lincoln Park which said if I liked the apartment in The Breakup, then this was the home for me.
Could it be true?
The listing says this unit has been “gutted to perfection” but a lot of the vintage features still remain.
It has stained glass, coffered ceilings and moldings.
The listing says it has an “Ann Sachs kitchen” with white cabinets and stainless steel appliances. (Is it just me or are white kitchen cabinets suddenly “in” again?)
There is central air, an in-unit washer/dryer and a heated driveway leading to garage parking.
But the layout, with the long hallway which was seen throughout the movie, looks surprisingly familiar.
Here’s a link to a blog with pictures of the apartment/set used in The Breakup. You be the judge.
Jena Radnay at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.
Or you can see for yourself at the Open House on Sunday, February 20 from 1:00-3:00 pm.
Unit #1: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2100 square feet, 1 car parking
- Sold in November 1994 for $277,000
- Sold in October 1996 for $365,000
- Sold in December 2000 for $525,000
- Sold in March 2003 for $595,000
- Sold in July 2007 for $640,000
- Currently listed for $699,000
- Assessments of $302 a month
- Taxes of $7145
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in unit
- Garage Parking
- Bedroom #1: 15×13
- Bedroom #2: 14×10
- Bedroom #3: 11×9
love it
This isn’t the apartment..the one in the movie was prettier, I think. also, it was definitely in a high rise too.
I hate to admit that I watched that horrible movie, but J-An and Double V (yes, I just made up those nicknames) had a formal dining room.
not sure what it is worth, but this is a beautiful place.
was the movie really that good to replicate a stage?
didnt see the movie, but this actual condo does look real nice
Yeah its similar but I think the apt from the movie was on Melrose Ave.
Still nice though, would I pay 700k for this? probably not
The first thing I noticed about that movie was the couple being depicted could never afford the condo they were living in. He was a minor partner in his brother’s tour guide company and she was an assistant at a gallery that she didn’t own. I guess I suspended my disbelief by convincing myself they were supposed to be living in North Center or something.
The lasting effect of this film is that ELPers remember that this was filmed in the neighborhood, while DePaulvillers have convinced themselves that it was filmed in their neighborhood. Funniest of all are the SoPoors willing to wager their children’s souls that it was filmed in their neighborhood.
The only filming I personally saw take place was the North Ave Beach scene and the scene on Armitage that everyone and their dog saw filmed.
Not that I really care, I’ll take High Fidelity over the Break-Up any day.
Thank heavens I don’t watch any thing with those people in it : ) I cannot think of a bigger waste of time than watching cheesy romantic comedies.
miumiu – I couldn’t agree more
“I cannot think of a bigger waste of time than watching cheesy romantic comedies.”
Participating in some of the arguments here is certainly a bigger waste of time.
Not much vintage left but does look nice and new. As to white kitchens: they will be popular again as the highest end properties have been fitting them for more than 5 years now. It will make its way to the home depot crowd in about 5 years once they get over dark brazilian cherry/ and we might just slow the rain forest destruction.
Also, what do people think about the sometimes white, sometimes not, doors with all white trim? Good, bad, ugly? Or mere indifference?
And, “Ann Sacks” (spelled wrong in listing) countertop + backsplash, neither of which are white, does not = “white Ann Sacks kitchen” to me.
And yes: could I agree with clio and miumiu- dreadful waste of time?
@anon engaging in discussions with people with various viewpoints and opinions is a great learning experience and definitely an intellectual endeavor to me. Of course everyone must decide what they deem as waste of time for themselves.
“engaging in discussions with people with various viewpoints and opinions is a great learning experience and definitely an intellectual endeavor to me.”
I was referring to the arguments about whether clio is real or not and similar nonsense. If you find those to be a learning experience or intellectually stimulating, I think Milkster wouldn’t want you as a neighbor.
I don’t recall being part of any such discussion, however when I was accused of being the same person as Clio I explained I was not. But, I agree that some discussions are waste of time and futile. This one being one of them. Now if you practice what you preach, you might want to lay low a bit…hehe
Nice place – right now it’s worth around the 2003 sale price. Seller is foolish to price it 10% above the Summer 2007 sale price if they really want to sell it soon.
To call this an Ann Sacks kitchen is a little misleading. When I think of X brand of kitchen it usually refers to the cabinets and not the tiled backsplash.
Anon. You beat me to it with the Ann Sacks misspelling. I’ve seen Sacks spelled Sachs in more than one Re. listing. That said, this condo looks to be exceptionally nice if overpriced.
I know they’re becoming more and more popular, but I really don’t like white cabinets…they just remind of of substandard rental hell. Anyone else remember those white cabinets with the wood-gran laminate at the tops of the doors/drawers…[shudder]
Blah. Boring. Especially at this price. On the first floor.
“Also, what do people think about the sometimes white, sometimes not, doors with all white trim? Good, bad, ugly? Or mere indifference?”
The inconstancy is the killer if its all one floor. I could accept it if one floor was one way and the another floor was another.
its more annoying than “ugly”. and kind of shows a lack of attention to detail.
but as i may have mentioned long before i am a door snob
Did you notice that this place has a heated driveway? How do you think they accomplish that. I know there are certain ways to heat driveways and garage floors, etc. but I’m not sure what the most common method of accomplishing this is.
“I know there are certain ways to heat driveways and garage floors, etc. but I’m not sure what the most common method of accomplishing this is.”
Yeah – it’s great until you get your electric bill!!!!
A bunch of houses in my hood have heated sidewalks out front, and you can actually see the rounded coils under the concrete as marked by where the snow melts fastest. Pretty neat, the sidewalk was warm to the touch.
This apartment is OK, but not at this price point for a place on the first floor w/o a dining room. See ya around 600k.
With a heated garage floor, I know it’s on all the time in the winter (to keep garage at a certain temp), but with a heated driveway, wouldn’t it only be turned on when there’s ice or snow to deal with? Then once it’s melted & dry, no need for the heat?
“I know there are certain ways to heat driveways and garage floors, etc. but I’m not sure what the most common method of accomplishing this is.”
Yeah – it’s great until you get your electric bill!!!!
We are renovating our apartment and doing white trim with stained doors (consistent throughout). It’s a really pretty look.
the break-up apartment was built in a studio on the south side, in a chicago armory warehouse. the original apartment that inspired it is on belmont.
http://www.illinoisfilm.biz/IFO/news/ART_May%2029,%202006.pdf
Joe I – where the heck do you live? I would love to know how much it costs those homeowners to heat the sidewalks. Ridiculous!
“with a heated driveway, wouldn’t it only be turned on when there’s ice or snow to deal with? Then once it’s melted & dry, no need for the heat?”
It’s really “hard” to heat it up once it’s actually cold–even with appropriate insulation under and thermal breaks around, you put a ton of heat energy into the earth and air to get that slab up to melting temps. So, even if you only run it when it’s snowy/icy, it takes a lot of kWs, and it works much better if you turn it on before the precip starts.
I wonder which is more cost effective… the cost of electricity used to heat your sidewalks/driveways or hiring someone to maintain and clear your sidewalk/driveway of snow every time theres accumultaion? Any nerds out there want to calculate?
“DePaulville”, Clio. The much maligned western portion of Lincoln Park that CC’ers love to poop on. West of Racine on the streets near Webster, Jansen, Belden.
Surprising number of high end, luxury, SFH’s around me for whatever reason.
“Surprising number of high end, luxury, SFH’s around me for whatever reason.”
It was in anticipation of *you* moving into the hood.
Lots of cheap crappy places and some industrial-type properties on those blocks 15-20+ years ago that made for available lots for new construction.
Heated driveway means “entrance to parking area is so steep that it has to be heated.”
I have a heated driveway/ front steps which runs off a boiler that mostly heats the stone/ tile floors in some of the rooms of the house. The exterior system can be turned on when needed and has added very little to the general gas bill even in this snowy winter.
Jennifer Aniston
is an absurd human being who does nothing but complain
and get drunk.
Her audience of Naïve, breeder women that derive their entire concept of relationships from her movies should not be surprised
when they:
a) cant get a man to love them
b) witness their boyfriends cheating on them because they are boring.
excellent points James I couldn’t agree with you more!
Beautiful apartment but is it really worth the ask price?
I’m asking you all.
I kinda like that look of the doors being stained/natural. Agree that you’d have to keep it consistent throughout in order to pull it off. This was one of the first things I noticed so funny it was brought up. Is this a new fad/Trend?
They built/placed the boiler and furnace under my steps so it melts the snow on its own, no extra cost. The bottom step needs some salt every once in a while.
better places out there for 700k
“anon (tfo) on February 15th, 2011 at 11:45 am
Also, what do people think about the sometimes white, sometimes not, doors with all white trim? Good, bad, ugly? Or mere indifference?”
I hate it and find it ugly. It looks cheap to me, like “can’t be bothered to strip this trim, but I can throw in a new wooden stained door!” Blah.
General question to realtors/brokers: Have you guys noticed a significant increase in showings over the past 2 days? My broker has been inundated with calls for the past two days from potential buyers wanting to see places – and these are places that have been on the market for months. I know the spring selling season is right around the corner, but this significantly increased interest is still a bit odd….
Price: can’t see any above 300 per square foot and that is a stretch
“Her audience of Naïve, breeder women that derive their entire concept of relationships from her movies should not be surprised
when they:
a) cant get a man to love them
b) witness their boyfriends cheating on them because they are boring.”
James when you mention “breeder” women you are immediately identified as a homos_xual. Sorry but it’s a red flag (or rainbow rather) when a guy uses this term. When a female uses this term it’s usually because she has a lot of regrets in her life, leading to envy of those happy with children.
Anywho this is a boring overpriced McCrapBox and it makes sense as that was a boring, pointless movie. Hard to watch in fact, much as this thing is hard to look at.
“Anywho this is a boring … McCrapBox ”
Really? reno’d buildings from the 20s, with some personality, even if it’s one you don’t like, qualify as “boring McCrapBoxes”? If this is one, I think the phrase has lost meaning.
Overpriced, sure.
“If this is one, I think the phrase has lost meaning.
Overpriced, sure.”
Maybe I disliked the movie so much for wasting 2.5hrs of my life that I mentally associated this as a McCrapbox.
And there is nothing special about this location: yeah its close to the park but how do you get downtown from here? Maybe anonny will venture to kayak but not the rest of society.
“Maybe I disliked the movie so much for wasting 2.5hrs of my life that I mentally associated this as a McCrapbox.”
Were you on a date? Did it not go well?
Bob-
Did you really just ask how you get downtown from here?? I have many friends who live in this immediate area. They either drive or cab it to work.
I could be wrong but if one was destined to using CTA could they not just walk to Cannon and hop on the 134?
“I could be wrong but if one was destined to using CTA could they not just walk to Cannon and hop on the 134?”
Even better:
Only have to walk to *Stockton*. Which is about 200 yards from the front door. And if you don’t like the 134, you can take the 143.
The bar that Vince frequented was The Skylark, which is located in Pilsen. I figured that their condo had to be somewhere in the south loop or west loop to be hanging out at the Skylark.
You have to hate women quite a bit to turn some real estate blog post about an apartment that looks like the apartment in a movie into a rant about how you hate women because of some character in that movie.
Is there really such a thing as a Jennifer Aniston ‘fan’? I’ve never met one. Hollywood always pairs her with a co-star who is the true force behind the audience.
P.s. the movie was decent but sad. There is little humor when longstanding relationships of once happy people end.
“James when you mention “breeder” women you are immediately identified as a homos_xual. Sorry but it’s a red flag (or rainbow rather) when a guy uses this term. When a female uses this term it’s usually because she has a lot of regrets in her life, leading to envy of those happy with children.”
NOPE, I’m an independent female hetero with one child, “Breeders” are the ones that get pregnant on purpose thinking that will force the babydaddy to marry her, or a welfare mom who keeps having more children to get more welfare.
And Jennifer Aniston annoys the piss out of me too
“I figured that their condo had to be somewhere in the south loop or west loop to be hanging out at the Skylark.”
Remember- ALL MOVIES are fake. Kind of like the scene when Harry Meets Sally at the University of Chicago and then they’re driving the wrong way on Lake Shore Drive.
There was NO apartment in The Breakup. As my link in the post shows (and someone else pointed out in the thread)- the apartment was a set. It was constructed in a studio and then they shot all the scenes there.
It was modeled on what the set designer felt was the “perfect” Chicago apartment for these individual characters. So- it wasn’t set in any neighborhood whatsoever because it was fake.
But the apartment on Wrightwood does look an awful lot like the layout of the apartment in the movie.
or a welfare mom who keeps having more children to get more welfare
Illinois has a maximum monthly benefit regardless of how many children one has. Unless you’re referring to food stamps.
under contract!!!!
The apartment in the movie was made in a warehouse . The apartment doesnt exist. All of the scences in the movie inside of the apartment is actually in the warehouse. How do i know this? If you have the dvd, go look at the special features and how the movie was made. : ) It sucks that its not real , but anyone can make their apartment look like the one in the movie if they paint it the same way , get the same furniture and buy a lot of beautiful paintings.