Harry Weese Designed Duplex Up in Old Town Lists for $499,000: 235 W. Eugenie
This 2-bedroom duplex up at 235 W. Eugenie in Old Town came on the market in October 2021.
Designed by famed architect Harry Weese in 1962, the complex has 23 condos and outdoor parking.
Who’s Harry Weese?
From The Art Institute of Chicago:
In 1940, Weese joined the Chicago office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, but was drafted into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1941. Weese returned to SOM in 1946, but left to open his own office, Harry Weese Associates, in 1947.
Throughout his career, Weese was an outspoken advocate for architecture and planning that embraced the social, political, and economic realities of contemporary urban life. Among his most recognized designs are the Washington, DC, metro rail system; the United States embassy in Accra, Ghana; and the Arena Stage complex near Washington, DC. Weese also led the restoration of Louis Sullivan’s Auditorium building in Chicago.
This unit has floor-to-ceiling windows and 2 large terraces on the second floor, one facing north and one facing south.
The main floor has the living room, dining room, kitchen and half bath.
The living room has a floor-to-ceiling brick wall and a wood burning fireplace.
There is carpeting in the dining room.
The kitchen has dark modern cabinets (black or gray?) and dark appliances.
There is a spiral staircase leading to the 2 bedrooms and full bath on the second level.
There is no in-unit washer/dryer but there’s coin laundry in the building. I can’t tell if there is any air conditioning.
Assigned parking is rare in Old Town but this unit has an outdoor space which is included in the price.
This building is in a prime Old Town location, close to the shops and restaurants of Old Town as well as public transportation.
Listed at $499,000, will selling this take a buyer who loves the dark aesthetic?
And yes, for this property we can talk about the paint/colors because even the ceilings have unique paint colors and finishes, but remember, the furniture won’t be there when you move in so please refrain from commenting on that.
Sophia Worden at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here. You may want to look at the 3D feature for a better perspective.
Unit T2: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, duplex up, 1350 square feet
- I couldn’t find a prior sales price but the seller has owned it since 1999
- Currently listed at $499,000 (includes the outdoor parking space)
- Assessments of $334 a month (includes exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, and snow removal)
- Taxes of $6387
- No a/c???
- No in-unit washer/dryer but there is coin laundry in the building
- Wood burning fireplace
- Bedroom #1: 14×19 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 14×15 (second floor)
- Living room: 13×21 (main floor)
- Dining room: 13×12 (main floor)
- Kitchen: 7×19 (main floor)
- Deck: 14×6 (second floor)
- Terrace: 14×6 (second floor)
Nothing a D8 couldn’t fix
Guessing the owner of this place can work in a story about Studio 54 in under 5 minutes
the AC is supplied by 4 in-wall unit…
“the AC is supplied by 4 in-wall unit”
Easily upgraded to the fancy ones with the new chips.
Very unique! The walkthrough double door shower in the master is hilarious.
Unless there are some diehard fans of Harry Weese out there, I don’t see this place selling anywhere north of $400K in its current state,
Theater seating, but no TV? Aren’t films like a major part of the current owner’s life?
“I couldn’t find a prior sales price but the seller has owned it since 1999”
Pretty sure it’s “since 1978” when it was converted to condos.
” films”
You watch *films* in a *theatre*, dahling. TV is just a vast wasteland.
that robin williams photo next to the bed is creeeeepy
“TV is just a vast wasteland.”
Wonder if Newt is still going into the office for a few hours a day. I wouldn’t be surprised.
Someone bring back Hugh Hefner. I think I’ve found new digs for him.
The ad says a celebrity owns this place. Not sure why the buyer should care. This unit is going to appeal to a very narrow band of people, so good luck finding someone who can look past the awful decor and lack of W/D and possibly lack of AC.
Current “celebrity” resident:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Kutza
(kudos to Sabrina, who posted this on another thread)
“Pretty sure it’s “since 1978” when it was converted to condos.”
CCRD only has data to 1999 on it. But maybe the PINS changed or something during that period.
Either way, it’s been a long time for a condo.
It’s nice to see that someone was actually LIVING in their home. They didn’t decorate it to sell it at some unknown later date. They chose what they liked. Hooray.
I love the dark aesthetic. I was never bold enough to do the ceilings but am still thinking about doing it. And after seeing how great this is, it has given me the guts to try it.
Having the walls and ceiling the same color actually makes small spaces feel larger. And the darker colors would make you feel cozy. It’s like a cocoon.
It took me a bit to figure out that the living room ceiling was mirrored. The bravery! I love it. But many buyers will not so they are going to be thinking about the cost of repainting etc. And it IS a big cost even in a 1350 square foot condo.
“Very unique! The walkthrough double door shower in the master is hilarious.”
I noticed this in the floorplan too. Was this an original feature to the building?
“Easily upgraded to the fancy ones with the new chips.”
Most people have programmable thermostats now, right anon(tfo) or do you control your heat/ac without it?
Why are you mocking people who have upgraded their infrastructure to this century? Yes, even the wall heat/cooling units are nice and have technology in them. The old ones did not.
But many of you on this site live in an era from like 30 or 40 years ago. I don’t know why, to be honest. Life is moving forward. What you “remember” or “know” isn’t always the reality today, you know?
Time to move into this century.
This is a really interesting place. It’s not my taste, but it’s cool that the owner made it so unique to his style.
For those thinking about doing the dark aesthetic, Abigail Ahern, a British interior designer, is one of the leading stars in the “go dark” movement.
She painted the interior of her London townhouse black, blue, and gray and it’s been featured in dozens of magazines. She has her own paint line in the UK, teaches classes and has several books on “dark” paint colors and how to find your bravery.
Dark paint colors might not work in Florida or California, but in northern light they are amazing, especially in fall and winter.
Here’s her townhouse: https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/lifestyle_homes/g36164371/inside-the-home-of-abigail-ahern/
“For example, in the first-floor double reception room used as a workspace, she painted not just the walls matte black, but the cornicing, the two fireplaces and the ceiling as well. “What I always try to do is knock back everything, so your eye is brought back to what’s going on in the room. When I painted the ceiling the same colour, it was game changing.””
https://www.standard.co.uk/homesandproperty/interiors/inside-abigail-ahern-s-alice-in-wonderlandstyle-london-home-interiors-guru-adds-drama-with-dark-paint-mirrors-and-oversized-chandeliers-a108721.html
“ Dark paint colors might not work in Florida or California, but in northern light they are amazing, especially in fall and winter.”
I think a lot people are open to darker colors done in a tasteful way, and would jump on a home purchase that where bold design is executed super well. But to Dan’s point, the featured place screams 80s-90s Hugh Hefner. Not exactly tasteful or up-to-date.
“maybe the PINS changed or something during that period”
The pin did not change.
I found reference to his mortgage from 1979, on the same pin, so it’s there, you just need to know/figure-out where to look.
And Rodkin’s story noted that he’d been renting the unit since the 60s, long before the conversion.
“ Most people have programmable thermostats now, right anon(tfo) or do you control your heat/ac without it?
Why are you mocking people who have upgraded their infrastructure to this century? Yes, even the wall heat/cooling units are nice and have technology in them. The old ones did not.
But many of you on this site live in an era from like 30 or 40 years ago. I don’t know why, to be honest. Life is moving forward. What you “remember” or “know” isn’t always the reality today, you know?
Time to move into this century.”
You’ve turned lying into an art form
You weren’t talking stats, you were talking some high tech “chips” in the unit, which you’ve never explained
“You weren’t talking stats, you were talking some high tech “chips” in the unit, which you’ve never explained”
There are semiconductors in those units. Chips! Just like there are in your refrigerator, coffee maker, dishwasher and everything else.
All of these appliances have seen technology advancements, right?
Again, get into this century Johnnyu. It’s getting really tiresome dealing with people who live 30 or 40 years in the past.
“I found reference to his mortgage from 1979, on the same pin, so it’s there, you just need to know/figure-out where to look.”
We don’t know what it originally sold for, so there’s that.