Duplex Up 2-Bedroom Loft with Dramatic Steel Staircase: 17 N. Loomis in the West Loop
This 2-bedroom penthouse loft in Heartbreak Lofts at 17 N. Loomis in the West Loop came on the market in February 2023.
Built in 1924, Heartbreak Lofts was converted into 42 lofts in 2000 as part of the Loftminium conversion. It has garage parking, what looks like a shared rooftop deck but no other amenities or door staff.
This penthouse loft has 12 foot concrete ceilings, concrete columns and exposed ductwork.
It has hardwood floors throughout and industrial style windows on the main floor.
The listing says it has been “transformed” by the current owner. (The “before” pictures are in the 2015 listing.)
It has a “designer” kitchen with Restoration Hardware shelving, stainless steel appliances and vintage touches along with a wood island.
There’s space for a dining room table.
The first floor also has a den/office and a large walk-in-closet in the entryway which acts as a mudroom, laundry room and storage room.
It also has the second bedroom but it appears the wall was removed in the transformation making it open to the living/dining room and a full custom bath.
The dramatic interior winding steel staircase leads to the second floor primary suite which has a walk-in-closet and an en suite custom bathroom with separate tub and walk-in-shower.
There’s also a large, private deck off the primary suite with city views.
The loft has the features buyers look for including central air and there are two garage parking spaces available, one in the building and one next door at Johnny’s Ice House, for $25,000 each.
Heartbreak Lofts is near the restaurants and shops of the West Loop and is near United Center.
Listed at $699,000, is this the perfect home for loft lovers?
James Lotka and Paul Mancini at @properties Christie’s has the listing. See the pictures here (sorry, no floor plan).
Unit #4C: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2100 square feet, loft, duplex-up, penthouse
- Sold in October 2000 for $337,500
- Sold in April 2003 for $351,000
- Sold in May 2007 for $390,000
- Sold in March 2015 for $570,000
- Currently listed at $699,000
- Assessments of $582 a month (includes exterior maintenance, scavenger, snow removal, security)
- Taxes of $11,623
- Central Air
- Washer/dryer in the unit
- 2 car parking available, one in the building and one next door at Johnny’s Ice House for $25,000 each
- Fireplace
- Bedroom #1: 20×18 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 19×11 (first floor)
- Living room: 21×17 (first floor)
- Dining room: 19×11 (first floor)
- Kitchen: 11×10 (first floor)
- Den: 11×9 (first floor)
- Walk-in-closet: 11×8 (second floor)
- Foyer: 10×7 (first floor)
- Laundry room: 13×8 (first floor)
- Balcony: 19×8 (second floor)
Nice bachelor pad. Removing 2nd bedroom wall could be a minor issue.
Q: when is a two bedroom not a two bedroom?
A: when it only has one bedroom.
Why not call it a 3 bedroom? All you need to do is add some walls and completely change the space that is there.
Asinine.
I recall a client many years ago who removed a bedroom wall to create the larger living area. So instead of having a 3/2, he had a 2/2. It created an appraisal issue as it was being comped on 2/2s regardless of the original floor plan being a 3/2. There was a huge delta in value between 2/2s vs 3/2 even though the square footage was similar and it only cost about $10k to put the wall back in…
“There was a huge delta in value between 2/2s vs 3/2 even though the square footage was similar”
I would expect it to be worse for a 2 bed v a 1 bed.
Not a lot of $700k 1 beds in Chicago outside of “A+” highrise buildings.
IIRC, the delta was about $75k or more in terms of appraised value even though it was only a $10k fix… I think it was around 2010ish or so. I just remember 3/2s being in very high demand. Similar situation, bachelor pad…
“It created an appraisal issue as it was being comped on 2/2s regardless of the original floor plan being a 3/2.”
It’s frustrating that it is an appraisal issue. I see tiny ranch houses being sold with 5 bedrooms (3 of which are essentially tiny basement closets). I don’t think tiny basement “bedrooms” should count.
My house has fewer bedrooms than the square footage would indicate. I could add more bedrooms, but the floorplan wouldn’t flow nicely anymore. I could easily add a door to one room and make it a bedroom, but the flow of the house would be awful unless I installed a pocket door that I could always leave open.
When I was buying, I didn’t have to do an appraisal for the house. A computer decided an appraisal was unnecessary. The buyers of my condo had to do an appraisal of the condo though.
I got the cold shivers just looking at the photos… soulless and awful design choices
“soulless and awful design choices”
It’s not exactly my cup of tea either but it has a well executed niche aesthetic for a bachelor’s pad, imo.
@Jenny, a lot of things in mortgage underwriting don’t make sense on an individual level but are in place at a macro level to mitigate risk and inconsistency. There isn’t a lot of room for exceptions and common sense the way the system is set up. Things either are or they are not… regardless of any other information that may be pertinent.
I’ve seen all kinds of weird stuff that makes zero sense in real world like in the example being discussed to people with millions of dollars in bank who can’t qualify due to “lack of income.” It is the inefficiency of an efficient system…
Conventional mortgages sometimes don’t require appraisals if available data on value is deemed to have a level of statistical confidence by the automated underwriting system Fannie Mae / Freddie Mac use along with a low borrower risk profile.
New parents are really going to have to up their baby-name-on-the-wall-above-the-crib game with this place on the market.
“I recall a client many years ago who removed a bedroom wall to create the larger living area. So instead of having a 3/2, he had a 2/2. It created an appraisal issue as it was being comped on 2/2s regardless of the original floor plan being a 3/2. There was a huge delta in value between 2/2s vs 3/2 even though the square footage was similar and it only cost about $10k to put the wall back in…”
Its only money Gary, people have to liiiiveeee
“Its only money Gary”
I’m not sure which of them will be more offended. [haha.]
I love this loft. Great design choices especially for that huge primary bedroom. Love the darkness, especially on the ceiling.
Bathrooms rock. The custom vanities are gorgeous and unique. I’m not a fan of there not being storage in the island, however. In a condo, you have to put it everywhere you can. I’m also not a fan of the open RH shelving. It’s just too hard to keep clean, in my opinion. I don’t mind the look of it though.
But there will be an issue with the second bedroom just “missing.” Most won’t have a pool table to put in that space. Someone could put in an interior window wall which would look amazing but would allow it to be a different space than the living room. Would also still get the natural light. Could do a steel window. But that would be expensive given how big the space is. How much for a custom interior steel window wall? $25k? $50k? I know they aren’t cheap.
“How much for a custom interior steel window wall? $25k? $50k? I know they aren’t cheap.”
Interesting – any photos of recent listing that show what you’re thinking?
Like these. Steel loft partitions.
https://crystaliaglass.com/luxurious-loft-custom-steel-glass-partitions/
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