Historic “Race House” in Old Irving Park Returns to the Market: 3945 N. Tripp
We last chattered about the landmarked “Race House” at 3945 N. Tripp in Old Irving Park in May 2009.
See our prior chatter here.
It has been on and off the market since August 2007.
Built for Stephen Race, one of the members of the founding family of Irving Park, the Victorian Italianate house was designated a Chicago landmark in 1988.
According to Wikipedia, the house originally cost $12,000 to build in 1873.
It has been fully renovated and now has a chef kitchen with double oven and custom cabinets.
There is a full english basement and a 3000 bottle wine cellar.
Built on a 50×75 lot, it has central air and 2-car parking- looks like on a side driveway.
Since January 2009, it has been reduced $252,000.
Is this now a deal for the neighborhood?
Heather Lange at Koenig & Strey Real Living has the listing. See the pictures and floorplan here.
3945 N. Tripp: 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2 half baths, 5800 square feet, 2 car parking
- Sold in November 1997 for $285,000
- Sold in January 2002 for $639,500
- Originally listed in August 2007
- Was listed in January 2009 for $1.199 million
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $947,000
- Taxes of $3881
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 30×18 (third floor)
- Bedroom #2: 16×15 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 17×14 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 17×10 (second floor)
Wow – this looks like a great house. I don’t know the neighborhood – but if it is a decent neighborhood, this would be a really great place to live!!! BTW, what’s up w/ the taxes?
Just had an accident.
one thing i always wanted in life was a 75′ deep lot surrounded by parking lots
Amazing house-wow!
the house is so cool, I think I could get over the parking lot…
“one thing i always wanted in life was a 75? deep lot surrounded by parking lots”
For a 24-hour diner, no less. With a Residential YMCA across the street. Only missing a 24-hour currency exchange and a liquor store to make things perfect.
“BTW, what’s up w/ the taxes?”
I am wondering as well. ’09 and ’10 AV were both 28,879. . . so maybe this is one of the many examples.
Or maybe something to do with it being a landmark bldg?
“one thing i always wanted in life was a 75? deep lot surrounded by parking lots”
Hee hee. . . I couldn’t agree more of course.
Cool place in a lot of ways, but I am not sure it’s priced within 20% of a sale price. . .
Sweet metra commute downtown though.
“With a Residential YMCA across the street.”
Could be, but I know that Y, and it does not seem nasty at all inside.
Irony/Trivia: People buy memberships at that Y just so they can park in that parking lot (to commute to cubs games).
“For a 24-hour diner, no less. With a Residential YMCA across the street. Only missing a 24-hour currency exchange and a liquor store to make things perfect.”
LOL!!
and even the landmark taxes and how f’ing awesome this home is can help me get past the land its on and its surroundings.
“Irony/Trivia: People buy memberships at that Y just so they can park in that parking lot (to commute to cubs games)”
Irony/Trivia; my mom took me to this Y to learn to swim
““With a Residential YMCA across the street.””
which is always full, had a friend of the family fall on hard times (again) and couldnt even get in here after trying twice in a year.
Yes, the immediate surrounding are less than desirable, but you’re still in OIP proper — just a few feet to a much nicer area. Gorgeous house and seems to be priced appropriately, even given the drawbacks.
I love everything about this house. Except the location.
And I maybe would have made the kitchen a little larger instead of putting that office on the first floor.
But holy cheesus, what a fantastic renovation.
“Irony/Trivia; my mom took me to this Y to learn to swim”
You very likely learned to swim with members of the greater SquareD family, my friend!
My admiration of the 1878 build date from the last post is only that much larger for this one’s 1873. Those most have been some good years.
The master suite is amazing. I saw this home on the housewalk in 2006.
The history is that this home was a crackhouse with vagrants and bums until it was renovated in the late 90’s and 00’s.
“You very likely learned to swim with members of the greater SquareD family, my friend!”
small world 🙂 my mom also took me to mom and tots over at independence park.
The master suite is amazing. I saw this home on the housewalk in 2006.
The history is that this home was a crackhouse with vagrants and bums until it was renovated in the late 90’s and 00’s.
Historical crackhouse walking tour? How did I miss that one?
This place does look amazing, though I personally am not a fan of the sloping ceilings on the third level. If only it were in one of the more established GZ areas … (though of course, if it were in one of those areas, it’d probably sell for over $2m)
The other thing I like about the listing is how they actually included the floor plans. Seems like very few listings in the city include floor plans, while they are included in many (though certainly not all) suburban listings.
750k and i am a buyer….though I am sure I would not be the only one
$12,000 in 1873 dollars equals $212,372 in today dollars. I will pay not a penny more.
“$12,000 in 1873 dollars equals $212,372 in today dollars. I will pay not a penny more.”
So, the land is priced at $700k+.
To me this is a more established GZ area than some of the fringe areas in logan, west town, east humboldt, etc. it’s more a suburban leafy kind of place like evanston or oak park but it’s in the heart of the city. it suits my needs for home sizes and commuting but it’s not for everybody (thank the gods!); some people only want ELP and that’s a congested commuting nightmare, like rats packed on top of each other, fighting over a parking space in an extremely expensive area. ergh. walking to the lake and the congestion along the path means nothing to me 9 out of 12 months of the year. did that whole lake thing in various neighborhoods during the years and realized how low on the priority list it is for me. i’d rather ride my bike to the closet forest preserve for some serenity. heck, in a moment of weakness, sometimes after a long day at work I’d rather move to long grove and have 3 acres and large home in an established area for only $780k. 50 minute commute downtown with no traffic. but that’s the problem – when is there ever no traffic other than early in the morning or late at night?
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Long-Grove/3857-Rfd-60047/home/17652247
“closet forest”
Freudian slip?
JMM, I think I saw you in the forest preserve. Your car was parked car backwards and you were looking around all sketched out. what’s up with that?
Here’s a ‘contemporary’ long grove home – too bad no pics. still costs less than the race house and on 3 acres.
Downsides are the commutes and deer park shopping/congestion. ergh.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Long-Grove/3619-Crestview-Dr-60047/home/17652817
HD, I doubt our paths would ever cross, subversive activity notwithstanding.
HD, you want big lots? How about this? No neighboring meth operations or trailer parks either.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Winnetka/33-Woodley-Rd-60093/home/13781534
JMM – I did the north shore century in september. Did I ride past your house?
“#JMM on October 20th, 2010 at 4:46 pm
HD, I doubt our paths would ever cross, subversive activity notwithstanding.”
No, we’re on Melrose. In Clio’s old house.
“No, we’re on Melrose. In Clio’s old house”
I’m kind of slow – I don’t get it…. I never lived on Melrose.
HD – You’d pick up the Metra in Prairie View. Hardly a congested ride in the morning from Long Grove down 22.
As far as shopping goes, screw Deer Park. Hawthorn mall’s a better destination.
Reduced to $849,000
$799,000.
hd–
what’s with the new-con/uber-gut house at Grace and Keystone?
I think the owner of the land tore down the existing structure and put up that hew house. Personally, I like it, but others in the neighborhood don’t. Construction seems to be slow going.
There’s a short sale on the block 4020 w grace. it’s a frame sfh converted to a multi-unit on a 45×100 lot with room for a garage in the back off the alley. It has three full baths already. Doesnt look like it has any vintage details remaining. IT’s listed at $299,000 and there is zero interest b/c the price has dropped from $350,000 in the last few weeks. My comps show it worth somewhere between $150,000 and $200,000, tops. I briefly thought about converting to a sfh and building a garage in the back, but the SO said ” I don’t want to live that close to smoque b/c the smell” and that was the end of that conversation. The numbers would have worked too. Buy it for $160,000, plus down a good chunk of change, get a 203(k) loan to convert to SFH (rather deconvert) and build a garage, all the while keeping the PITI payment in the one thousands rather than the two thousands a month. Clean up the siding, do some landscaping, reconfigure the inside. I think it has potential barring any serious structural issues.