Looking for a Church Loft? 1547 N. Leavitt in Wicker Park
We’ve often chattered about churches being converted into condo units such as this 3-bedroom on the market at 1547 N. Leavitt in Wicker Park.
This one has loft-like features including exposed brick.
On the “high first floor” it has hardwood floors throughout.
The kitchen has maple cabinets, granite counter tops and upscale stainless steel appliances by SubZero and Viking.
The master bathroom is marble.
Bought in 2008 for $509,000, the unit is currently listed at about the same price.
Will someone pay a premium for this church loft?
Susan Lind Hoffman at Keller Williams Gold Coast has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #1N: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed
- Sold in August 2003 for $401,000
- Sold in September 2008 for $509,000
- Originally listed in April 2011 for $509,900 (parking included)
- Still listed at $509,900 (parking included)
- Assessments of $230 a month
- Taxes of $5947
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Bedroom #1: 15×12
- Bedroom #2: 12×11
- Bedroom #3: 12×10
i’m really confused by this layout…is this a duplex or not?
place seems cramped. and i hate the listing description. “tricked out!” “HOT!”…”oh so cool”. i want to punch the realtor.
TV ON the fireplace, don’t see that everyday 8)
and yes, I wouldn’t mind punching the 13 year old that wrote this listing description… oh wait, what?
So adding “HOT” in the listing makes it more marketable?…lol…I don’t get the layout either. I would have thought it is some nice big open space, but pictures are cramped as you noted.
The architect who designed the conversion
has to be completely vision-less or more likely dead inside,
almost all original elements have been covered up / removed so this space can look like the rest of the new construction.
There is nothing church-like about this space
remarkable
Just notice the Hawkeyes bench,
this watered down place has the perfect owner.
as an aside–
I suggest more “theme-of-the-day” postings. Churches, places with basketball courts, pools, views, TVs over the fireplace, etc.
“There is nothing church-like about this space”
The “pew” on the “altar” isn’t enough for you?
The “pew” on the “altar” isn’t enough for you?
nope
“nope”
What if they had acquired the original “Piss Christ”, before it was destroyed, and displayed it on the altar rather than the pew?
An Andres Serrano Piss Christ would help,
but that altar is not interesting at all, its a lame afterthought,
I can go the antique store now and by some church pews for my loft,
Unfortunately all of the original character of this place has been stripped in favor of a cheap conversion,
this an an architectural FAIL.
I would take this property over the wicker park one:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1658-W-Superior-St-60622/unit-8/home/12789855
Barf.
Looks small, cramped. TV on the fireplace looks stupid. I have too many wires and cords to even think about doing that.
If you had kids, that pew would make a perfect time-out chair, though.
@Michelle –Best comment of the day!
“If you had kids, that pew would make a perfect time-out chair, though.”
The black bedspread in the guest room is definitely “tricked out” and “HOT”.
Michelle I love the comment! I think that I’m going to buy a new time out chair as my daughter thinks time out is a modified game of peek a boo. When we send her to time out she just laughs and laguhs.
By the way All Hail the Hawkeyes! They need some prayers if only Tessell had been gone from Ohio State late last season…..
there is nothing better than telling your little squirt either you put your shoes on or a time out, then only to watch your kid stop look at you turn and walk away and go into his time out corner and sit.
you want to laugh so dang hard because its the cutest thing ever, but you know you cant show him he/she won.
they are crafty little buggers….
The home inspector told my 7 year old that the crawl space was the time out room, a few weeks later I discovered she believed him and was terrified!
Can I get in line to punch the realtor please.
Time out? Whatever happened to just a good ole ass whupping? Time out in my house meant my parents were taking time out of their day to beat my ass for misbehaving.
“Time out? Whatever happened to just a good ole ass whupping? Time out in my house meant my parents were taking time out of their day to beat my ass for misbehaving.”
So I take it you do not have kids.
lol @ Russ…you made me laugh. My mom made us write letters explaining why what we did was wrong and I had to apologize to all the parties involved. Honestly I would have rather gotten my ass whupped (spelling?!): )
thanks russ.. I got the eddie murphy shoe throwin mom skit on right now.
I guess I am getting old. I just don’t understand this new parenting stuff. My parents didn’t tolerate tantrums, talking back, and they damn sure didn’t try to reason or have a conversation with me regarding my behavior. If they said No, they meant no and that was the end of it. They didn’t give two shits how I felt and didn’t want my opinion on it. No kids yet, so maybe I will change my tune.
My parents would probably be thrown in jail for child abuse nowadays. I recall getting spanked by neighbors. Even teachers could spank kids. Not only did a teacher spank us (public school too), when our parents picked us up at school they would spank us again for getting in trouble.
Well, to be honest Russ, my parent’s no was no too. I think girls just don’t get spanked as much normally even though I got some..lol…well deserved too : )
I think it is good to be tough and set boundaries with kids. I feel bad for the teachers today that have to deal both with the kids and their parents who think their child is God’s gift to human kind.
My parents certainly never beat me and I’ve never gotten so much as a parking ticket. But yes I do have friends with kids that probably couldn’t even spell no because it’s such a foreign concept to them.
Yeah, it must really suck to have to bite your tongue with some parents these days. I recall being mad at my parents because I unfairly got in trouble at school. I don’t remember what happened, but I got in trouble for something I didn’t do. Teacher told my dad and he promptly spanked me. It didn’t matter that I was innocent. Bottom line for my parents was teacher said I misbehaved and that was the end of it.
Nowadays, parents will argue with the teacher and make excuses.
Between little league not scoring games, timeout, and just an overall coddling of kids, we are raising a bunch of pansies imho. I just see these kids in Oak Park and they just seem so coddled. Can’t play outside unsupervised. Can’t do anything without wearing body armor so little Jackson can’t scrape his elbow. God forbid they have to play on a team that sucks and they actually lose a little league game or they may be damaged for life.
I always knew I was a fantastic parent… until I actually had a child.
“I always knew I was a fantastic parent… until I actually had a child.”
And it only got worse when you started reading here, right?
You know it’s felony child abuse in 42 states to let your kid attend public school in Chicago. *42* states!!
lol @ Michelle, your comments rock. You should consider making a coffee table book. After I read all the stuff about the schools in US, I am so confused I think our kid will not even graduate high school : )
So much love here. Who says this is Crib Hater??
My comment at 11:41 a.m. was the last comment that actually discussed the merits of the property and then the conversation went on a tangent into child rearing. The off-topic discussion doesn’t bother me one bit – but it should bother the seller who can’t even keep cribchatterers interest for more than an one hour and thirty nine minutes.
The buyer actually put down 20%, over $100,000 on this purchase. That’s gotta hurt to lose that. Well, they haven’t lost it yet, technically; but that paper lose is going to have to come sooner or later. I feel bad for folks like this is some empathetic way. I wouldn’t want to lose $100,000. Than again, I didn’t try to buy in 2008 either.
Wow that has got to hurt. But yes they did buy in 2008 so…
“The buyer actually put down 20%, over $100,000 on this purchase. That’s gotta hurt to lose that. Well, they haven’t lost it yet, technically; but that paper lose is going to have to come sooner or later. I feel bad for folks like this is some empathetic way. I wouldn’t want to lose $100,000. Than again, I didn’t try to buy in 2008 either.”
The 2008 buyers, in general (not just this one), are getting killed when they go to re-sell. I’ve seen some serious, serious losses especially in this price point of $500k to $600k. Many thought they were getting “deals” in 2008- because prices had begun to fall. Some bought for less than the previous buyer. But the worst was yet to come. And now those $500k units are worth just $400k.
Lots of people are losing their complete downpayments (if they put one down.) It’s really awful for this generation (mainly Generation X but some Ys.)
“The 2008 buyers, in general (not just this one), are getting killed when they go to re-sell.”
don’t feel sorry for them – the only people selling right now are:
1. people who completely overextended themselves and were greedy (lesson learned).
2. people who don’t really care about the loss they will take (either because they have enough money or they are buying a much larger more expensive house at a bigger discount).
3. people who were stupid and didn’t think carefully about how their life situation may change (lesson learned).
Remember, this is just money – not life/health. As I described, those who are getting burned are learning a valuable lesson – and this lesson will last a lifetime (perhaps) – and maybe, just maybe, losing 100k now will prevent them from losing a lot more in the future. Again, stop making this a bigger deal than what it is.
“Remember, this is just money – not life/health. As I described, those who are getting burned are learning a valuable lesson – and this lesson will last a lifetime (perhaps) – and maybe, just maybe, losing 100k now will prevent them from losing a lot more in the future. Again, stop making this a bigger deal than what it is.’
Clio- for 95% of Americans- it will take decades to overcome a loss of $100k. They will be “behind” their peers for decades (those who rented and never “lost” in the housing bust or those who are simply staying in their homes for the next 10 to 20 years.)
As I’ve said many times- even for very prosperous DINKS, it would take them 5 to 7 years (at the minimum) to resave that kind of cash.
How many are selling for the $100k loss and STILL have a downpayment to buy the next house? Most are wiped out. The only ones I’ve seen buying the next home have been doing so with the help of the bank of Mommy and Daddy- and that is a very small percentage.
Generation X and Y are being wiped out. And the Baby Boomers won’t be able to retire because they were relying on a huge payout from their homes to do so.
Perhaps that’s why sales are at multi-generational lows despite record low interest rates? No one has the downpayment anymore. And it’s about to get tighter as FHA is set to raise to a 5% downpayment and the other mortgage changes could result in 10% or 20% down payment requirements.
“Time out? Whatever happened to just a good ole ass whupping? Time out in my house meant my parents were taking time out of their day to beat my ass for misbehaving.”
hahaha, russ!!!!! LOL
me too mom would smack me around with whatever she had in her hand, it never hurt but i would cry anyway just so i could get to my room quicker.
Dad only hit me ONCE and thats all it took, i am still afraid of him to this day. my mom when fed up would say “thats it im telling your dad” and then i would stop quick 🙂
now for my kid, we have not spanked him YET. wifey and i have talked about it but decided that he is still to young to give a whack or two.
once you have kids you will understand the time out thing, and everything you believed before will all change.
still some kids need a good can of whoooop azz to set them straight.
they need to let teachers spank or at least Nun the hand with a ruler!!!
“Between little league not scoring games, timeout, and just an overall coddling of kids, we are raising a bunch of pansies imho. I just see these kids in Oak Park and they just seem so coddled. Can’t play outside unsupervised. Can’t do anything without wearing body armor so little Jackson can’t scrape his elbow. God forbid they have to play on a team that sucks and they actually lose a little league game or they may be damaged for life.”
speak on russ, speak on!
and the funny thing when i coached even though there was no score the kids would ALWAYS ask what the score was every couple of minutes. and same goes for the real parents they would ask constantly so i had one dad just keep a quiet tally for me 🙂