Foreclosure Alert: Gold Coast Townhouse at 820 N. Dearborn

This set of townhouses at 820 N. Dearborn in the Gold Coast were built in the 1990s.

Unit #B, which is bank owned, is a three level townhouse with the master bedroom on the third floor along with a private roof deck.

It has cherry floors and a fireplace and, at least according to the pictures, the kitchen and baths are intact.

It has been on the market since June and has been reduced once.

Currently, it is listed $210,100 under the 2007 purchase price but is still listed above the 2005 purchase price.

Will this find a buyer at the current price?

Susanne Lenz-Cassara at Re/Max Regency has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #B: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1800 square feet, 1 car parking

  • Sold in January 1996 for $230,000
  • Sold in June 2005 for $477,500
  • Sold in May 2007 for $750,000
  • Lis pendens in April 2008
  • Bank owned as of May 2009
  • Originally listed in June 2009 for $589,900
  • Reduced
  • Currently listed for $539,900
  • Central Air
  • Skylights

36 Responses to “Foreclosure Alert: Gold Coast Townhouse at 820 N. Dearborn”

  1. Doesn’t this place look sad and shabby beside the beautiful old Victorian next door? Next to that, this looks like military housing. And the interior is like the exterior- bland and generic and small.

    You’d only buy this place to be in that neighborhood. Is there any reason for this to sell for more than $400K?

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  2. What is the lot worth as a tear down?

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  3. ***What is the lot worth as a tear down?***

    assuming you can’t tear down the lot unless you also buy out the other unit.

    and per the aerial maps, the parcel looks awfully narrow…..narrower than a standard lot.

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  4. ed,

    What banks are still giving loans for teardowns and build outs?

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  5. Financing’s not a problem except for spec homes.

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  6. Matt the Coffeeman on July 27th, 2009 at 7:38 am

    Holy Moses! That is the ugliest exterior I have ever seen.

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  7. This place is terrible and the realtor certainly isn’t helping… if it has an amazing roottop terrace and master suite, why not show that instead of some insanely ugly and bland whitewashed bedroom closet with carpet? And that kitchen belongs in a 1/1 in a highrise!

    And dear god never ever show a picture of the exterior of this place since it screams “I love the 80’s”.

    I wouldn’t pay 400k for this dump!

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  8. It might techincally be “Gold Coast” but the location is sub-optimal. You’ve got the YMCA which provides you with countless homeless/crazy neighbors. You’ve got Asbury Plaza, a partial low income housing building a block away. And you have a terribly ugly stretch of Chicago Avenue less than a block away.

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  9. Thats true, let me tell you I enjoy walking my dogs near that st. michael’s home or whatever it is around 5:00PM… crazies EVERYWHERE! Its like the GC/RN turns into uptown for about a half hour every day.

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  10. not one window in any of the interior pictures. good place for a vampire.

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  11. The only thing remotely correct about this place is the one bathroom they show. Other than that, gross!

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  12. They must be including the roof terrace in the 1800 sf…interior space can’t be more than 1200 sf.

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  13. This place is exactly why I don’t think banks should hire realtor’s to unload their properties. Geographically that area may be considered the GC but it turns into crap after dark. Are there any plans to get rid of the YMCA building? That would do wonders for that intersection

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  14. Lauren,
    No, no plans to get rid of it. It serves a purpose that is much needed in that area.

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  15. “This set of townhouses at 820 N. Dearborn in the Gold Coast were built in the 1990s.”

    Listing sez built in 1981. Seems more likely, based on the exterior. Assessor’s website sez 25 years old.

    “the parcel looks awfully narrow”

    The parcel is 3423 SF, per assessor. So the lot is ~22-23 x ~150. Not unusually narrow for the area.

    “interior space can’t be more than 1200 sf.”

    It’s three levels; probably about 600 gross sf per level–the deck isn’t more than about 150SF. Might only be ~1200 *usable* SF (lotsa stairs), but it’s at least 1650 SF interior space.

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  16. Kitchen Fail

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  17. David, and whatever could that purpose be?

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  18. He likes to put on various outfits and do the dance I suppose. Ahh David trying to be the liberal advocate for the little people..and also assuming your opinion represents the majority of residents / commentators. Arrogant like a typical liberal.

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  19. CC “Kitchen Fail”

    Perfectly said.

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  20. That’s some serious curb appeal. Hard to believe it’s still for sale.

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  21. a crime against urban planning….

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  22. Went to an open house for one of these units (at least a couple have been on the market in the past year). We walked out almost right away. Very dark, not good condition.

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  23. Bob- you remind me of the Mark Twain saying “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt”. Your ridiculous comment about liberals is pure idiocy and not needed on this site. My parents are successful business owners and I still went to daycare at YWCA and YMCA (in IN, not CHI). it does provide a valuable service for the less than fortunate including medical service, mental health services, fodo pantry, and clothing. And considering the building has been the home of the YMCA since 1931, i think they have a larger say than any resident that moved there after the YMCA set up shop… How awful would it be if rich people could just move wherever they wanted and start demanding that the “riff raff” move out of “their” neighborhood, like they didn’t know what they were getting into.

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  24. “How awful would it be if rich people could just move wherever they wanted and start demanding that the “riff raff” move out of “their” neighborhood, like they didn’t know what they were getting into.”

    Haha it happens all the time.

    “not needed on this site.”

    And also, you don’t speak for this site. I am curious what ever made you think you did? Tough crap. Maybe you can pick up a second job as a rent-a-cop if you want to feel so empowered.

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  25. Please, give it a rest, folks (you too, Bob).

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  26. Ah — I missed that this is the rear unit with an extra level.

    “It’s three levels; probably about 600 gross sf per level–the deck isn’t more than about 150SF. Might only be ~1200 *usable* SF (lotsa stairs), but it’s at least 1650 SF interior space.”

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  27. Bob- 2 wrongs don’t make a right in regards that it already happens. But I know you usually have nothing better to do than get caught in 45 replies in every thread on CC on your smugness, so I won’t waste my time. I also never said I was a moderator for the site but I can guarantee that over 50% of the regulars on this site consider your comments trite and a bore.

    And seriously check out the definition of arrogant and you will see your hypocricy with your response to my previous comment. You, my e-friend, are a pot calling the kettle black

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  28. “but I can guarantee that over 50% of the regulars on this site consider your comments trite and a bore.”

    I doubt you know half of the regulars to make such a guarantee. I think your entire frame of reference is based on your perception of the way the world works and not the way it actually works. In essence your entire paradigm is flawed.

    I’m not stating the YMCA doesn’t provide a valuable service to those who utilize it, it does. I’m stating that in this neighborhood perhaps it isn’t the best location for this service. As MJ said succinctly the location is “sub-optimal” due to this and the other low income housing nearby and I agree.

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  29. chiguy – if the ymca provides such valuable services, why don’t they sell this lucrative land, and go build a brand new complex that’s twice the size located closer to the people that rely on their services the most?

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  30. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
    I think it is a good thought, but you have to consider that some of people that use the Y’s services are the workers at the hotels, restaurants, and retail shops in the area.

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  31. Always thought it was too bad this Y doesnt have a pool/gym.

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  32. “How awful would it be if rich people could just move wherever they wanted and start demanding that the “riff raff” move out of “their” neighborhood, like they didn’t know what they were getting into.”

    How do you think parts of Old Town, LP, etc became what they are today?

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  33. Nice deal, but this is not the Gold Coast. That would be technically starting at Oak St.

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  34. Bob’s comments are usually OK until he starts going off on some tangent about baby mommas in the projects and then I start to cringe.

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  35. Are you kidding me? Some people take this discussion about this horrid townhome and turn it into an appeal against the YMCA? I live in River North not far from this location and the YMCA is NOT my least favorite part. My least favorite part are the tourists (especially in River North) – but it’s part of what the city/that neighborhood is.

    I own a company that employs hourly workers and one lives at the Y for a year to get back on his feet. Yeah, as prissy folk we might say, ew gross – the Y smells funny, people look/act weird, but frankly – I’m not sure those who live there are the problems we have. I live in Chicago because I enjoy the CITY – and that includes the sounds, smells, and peopole who are NOT all like me. I commend the Y for what they do and they make BETTER the neighborhoods they are in. You want sterility, move to the suburbs – I personaly would rather live around the Y than a bunch of people like those here who only want “their kind” in River North or GC.

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  36. There are actually four units in this building, with this one being the second from Dearborn. The roof deck is not particularly private, as there is no separation from the deck for the next unit (not even a knee wall). The parking is one space in a three-car garage (shared with one unit), with the driveway on Dearborn. There is a good sized laundry/utility room in the basement.

    I don’t know what to make of the wet bar in the master bedroom, though.

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