Get Your Own Authentic Loft in North Center
Who doesn’t like a good loft? Did you ever notice that in the movies and on tv shows the sophisticated characters always live in neat bi-level lofts with spiral staircases? You can find that in many parts of Chicago. And you don’t necessarily have to be in Printers Row, the West Loop or Bucktown to find some interesting authentic loft buildings.
Take the Postcard Lofts at 1733 W. Irving Park Rd. in the North Center area. The building was built in 1900 and originally housed a company that printed out colorful postcards for places around the world (hence, the name.) It’s an older conversion from the 1990s and some of the finishes reflect that.
But that also means the developer did some funky layouts and the units are bigger than what you’d find in a loft conversion today.
I am especially fond of this three story corner unit.
Unit #222: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2379 square feet
- Was listed for $599,000
- Currently listed for $549,000
- Been on the market since at least last winter (per the snow in the streets in the photos)
- Last sold in July 1998 for $262,000
- Three stories with the possibility of a fourth (according to the listing)
- Parking included? (there is a parking space)
- Assessments of $554 a month (which seems really reasonable given the amount of space- but the listing says 6 months paid assessment)
One of the bathrooms is in the old bank vault (you can see the steel door in the pictures). But otherwise, the whole “bank vault” thing is kind of a disappointment (not as cool as you would think.) Inside the bathroom it just looks like, well, a bathroom.
Still, if you do a virtual tour on this property, it seems to have a wacky layout (which authentic loft lovers should like). It also has great windows in the livingroom.
Yes- the kitchen is out of date (gasp- no granite and white appliances and sink) which is probably what is keeping this unit from selling.
That- and the price is expensive for the neighborhood and the building. A 2 bedroom, 2 bath one level 1500 square foot unit with the parking included just went under contract in the building. It was listed for $399,000. Unit #222 appears to be the most expensive unit in the building (that has ever sold.)
There are 67 units in the building.
Jennifer Vogel at Century 21 Sussex & Reilly has the listing (and there is a virtual tour on the site.)