Looking for an East Lincoln Park Townhouse Under $425K? 515 W. Belden
This 2-bedroom townhouse at 515 W. Belden in East Lincoln Park came on the market in October 2011.
In that time, it has been reduced $10,000 to $419,000.
Built in 1968, it has the features buyers are looking for including central air and parking.
It has 2 wood burning fireplaces, including one in the master bedroom, and 3 skylights along with wood ceilings.
Both bedrooms are on the second floor. It has the added bonus of having a lower level family room and a lower level office.
There is a galley style kitchen with white cabinets, granite counter tops and white appliances.
The listing says it’s in the Lincoln school district.
The townhouse, however, only has 1.5 baths.
Could the number of baths be a sticking point with buyers?
Or is this a deal for the location?
Judith Kolar at Koenig & Strey Real Living has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #14: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, no square footage listed, parking included
- Sold in May 1992 for $195,000
- Sold in August 1996 for $212,000
- Originally listed in October 2011 for $429,900
- Reduced
- Currently listed at $419,900
- Assessments of $38 a month (includes trash)
- Taxes of $6812
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 15×13 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 13×10 (second floor)
- Family room: 12×14 (lower level)
- Office: 9×10 (lower level)
They must be making some big ass pancakes in that place!
haha that was my first thought, wtf is up with the HUUUUGE spatula
This won’t sell because it’s hideous, small, with low ceilings, and looks like the finest architecture that communist russia could export the United States during the Cold War. Location isn’t everything.
Even with the “skylights” there is no light in the place. Looks like a dungeon.
Paint, better staging and pictures on the sunny day would help sell this place.
maybe its not a spatula, but their snow shovel?
Tough time for these folks to be trying to sell. The 2/1.5 on Webster that just sold for $410k is vastly better, as is the atrium unit (on Clark) that sold back in the fall. And there always seems to be a 3/2.5 available in the codos on Grant at Clark.
It looks like the worst of the 1970s and needs much work to make it seem remotely cheery. 300K max.
This should not be described as “award-winning” unless it won an actual award. Are there awards given out for 1960s townhouses? I just think that award-winning should only be used when one was won.
Architect’s webpage about the development:
http://www.ralphdavidanderson.com/index.php?/works/belden-townhouses/
“This should not be described as “award-winning” unless it won an actual award. Are there awards given out for 1960s townhouses? I just think that award-winning should only be used when one was won.”
A commenter should not be named “bluestreak” unless s/he has an actual blue streak (or is martin lawrence). Are there blue streaks anointed on CC commenters? I just think bluestreak should only be used when blue was streaked.
Also, this:
http://www.ralphdavidanderson.com/index.php?/architect/publications–awards/
And another page showing that the Belden Townhouses did, indeed, win an award:
http://www.ralphdavidanderson.com/index.php?/architect/publications–awards/
Dammit anon.
“has an actual blue streak (or is martin lawrence)”
Luke Wilson isn’t close enough?
So the townhouses won an award for “worst of the 70s”? There are MUCH better places than this for that kind of money.
not enough windows, looks like the same architectural style as a UIC building!
Very brief context about the Chicago Beautiful Committee, which gave the development an award:
http://ddd-hph.dlconsulting.com/cgi-bin/newshph?a=d&d=HPH19700715.2.26&cl=&srpos=0&st=1&e=00-00-0000-99-99-9999–20–164—-hans+morsbach-all
A long time resident of the area told me that this development was a reason why they founded the Mid-North historical district, as *solid* beautiful old homes once stood on this land. Supera (the ones behind the current redevelopment of LP Hospital) and the Ruttenbergs raped much of the historical integrity of the neighborhood back in the 60s and 70s, against the protests of those who were actively restoring the homes you see standing today. The grand old mansion on the northeast corner of Belden & Cleveland was slated for demolition (a 5 plus 1 was planned), but it was purchased at the 11th hour by the neighbors and saved. Ironically, both families live in the area… no shame what-so-ever.
“helmethofer (February 3, 2012, 1:27 pm)
not enough windows,”
i would think living in your parents basement had you used to this style of living?
Well, they built these dumps because that’s what the market called for. I wish they’d have built beautiful 4 bedroom rowhomes instead, as they’d look better and would increase my odds of living in one. But they didn’t.
Somebody should make a documentary (or at least a coffee table book) about the couple of decades during which crapy TH’s/condos/apartments went up in the nicest parts of Lake View, LP and the GC: show what was once at a particular site, dig into the deals/politics that led to the tear down/new construction, and show how it looks today.
“i would think living in your parents basement had you used to this style of living?”
Shut up, idiot.
“Somebody should make a documentary (or at least a coffee table book) about the couple of decades during which crapy TH’s/condos/apartments went up in the nicest parts of Lake View, LP and the GC: show what was once at a particular site, dig into the deals/politics that led to the tear down/new construction, and show how it looks today.”
Some periods in history are richer/wealthier than others. Look at the houses built in the 1920’s versus those in the 1950’s. Those built under the Romans and those in the Dark Ages. You have to study economic history. Some time periods may just have bubble-type monetary inflation helping a building boom.
Plus, there’s a whole theory about architectural tastes post WW2, when modernism (i.e. Mies) was determined by our so-called tastemakers to be considered superior. That’s an entirely different and long discussion that falls outside the economic analysis, other than some cheapskates liked modernism because it was cheap-as-hell to build, like 600 N. Fairbanks (glass, steel, concrete is cheaper than something with artistic labor involved).
“Some periods in history are richer/wealthier than others. Look at the houses built in the 1920?s versus those in the 1950?s. Those built under the Romans and those in the Dark Ages. You have to study economic history. Some time periods may just have bubble-type monetary inflation helping a building boom.”
“Shut up, idiot”
“[insert some racist comment, false fact, or baiting]”
dear gosh man pick a personality!
p.s. i really like the first one in the example
‘Well, they built these dumps because that’s what the market called for.’ I suppose a double wide on this spot would satisfy certain market demands too… what about a gas station? I’m grateful that a handful of neighbors fought monsters like this, as LP would be a *very* different place if they hadn’t. The view from my living room is the same as it was when my house was built… the area was also spared the McMansion craze that has blighted the immediate areas outside of the district. How would you like to wake up to this turd every morning? http://www.rubloff.com/property/chicago/07815100.cfm?searchId=82a347d1-5c19-46a2-8347-4f7981501a4b&page=2&pageSize=20&sortType=1
Groove, you’ve never once proved a fact of mine to be false, and you’re not smart enough to even try. Don’t waste your time, you’ll come out looking like the chump I already know that you are.
Dan, look at the wonderful homes of the fancy pancy victorian 1890’s and then compare them to the arts and crafts four squares of the 1920’s and then to the modernist ranches of the 1950’s. It’s been a long progression towards modernism, man.
THe worst however came about in my opinion during the 70’s they built some really really ugly stuff back then. Most mass appeal housing after 1980 is just ugly. Nobody is ever going to look back at 1999 and say “wow the Toll Brothers movement was fabulous”.
BTW the cathedral of notre dame was built during – yup, the dark ages of 1100 (sorry not the dark ages of 500 AD which again produced Hagia Sophia). ANd norte dame was built in the gothic style, which gothic is the goths, a germanic barbarian tribe (yes those damn germans you love so much)…yeah.
“I’m grateful that a handful of neighbors fought monsters like this, as LP would be a *very* different place if they hadn’t. The view from my living room is the same as it was when my house was built.”
You better watch it jay or you’ll be called Mr. Keating, as compared to Biff & Buzzes of the world (and Ze too) who are our resident Roarks who accept banalities of every description under a progressive banner.
jay:
that house on dickens is awful. it’s like they look all the worst of the 1990’s and put it into a house built in 1999. horribly awful. That’s not even modern, or contemporary, it’s just god awful late 1990’s architecture that just never caught on. That’s nearly as awful as gordon gekko’s hamptons beach house in the original wall street movie.
“Nobody is ever going to look back at 1999 and say “wow the Toll Brothers movement was fabulous”.
You’re wrong about that. In this age of coming austerity, we’ll never see that stuff again for a long time. People will drive around the Barringtons and look at all those massive 5,500 sf houses in wonder, and try and figure out what it must have been like to live in a time when people could afford them, and fill them with furniture, and heat/cool them etc. (not that people really could in 2005, but you know what I’m saying). btw, who is Dan?
helmethofer: you’re wrong. in time those homes will be occupied but unfortunately not by the wealthy inhabitants for whom they were intended. the lawns will become parking lots. the urban cores will slowly revitalize as they did in europe but the poor will be in the exurbs and smaller towns.
“….will drive around the Barringtons and look at all those massive 5,500 sf houses in wonder, and try and figure out what it must have been like to live in a time when people could afford them,”
A pretty funny satire video was going around last year along those lines, only set in a ski resort community.
That my be, that’s another issue, but imho in the future people will not look at those Toll Bros. type 5,500 sf houses derisively, they’ll wonder how the economy ever could have produced enough confidence to have them built, sold and occupied.
This same thing happened in the roaring twenties, and it wasn’t probably until the 1980’s that true comps were built to some of that stuff.
“Don’t waste your time, you’ll come out looking like the chump I already know that you are”
hey its friday and i have the time, if your ready then i am
‘…who are our resident Roarks who accept banalities of every description under a progressive banner.’
I love modern architecture… in its proper environment: the Kauffman House in Palm Springs, amazing! What I don’t like, what I actually despise, is when developers/people are drawn to a neighborhood and its *existing* architectural charms/style, and then seek out to destroy parts of it for their own self inflated ego or financial profit. They steal others aesthetic equity. The reason why I think the Farnsworth house works, is because it’s unto itself…. plop that down on this location against a wall of Victorians, and that’s another story.
‘That’s nearly as awful as gordon gekko’s hamptons beach house in the original wall street movie.’
Check out Ruthless People. The characters were well, ruthless, and the set designers built a place that was as for-the-moment and shallow as they were… lots of Memphis furniture. When the movie came out, that stuff was actually very expensive and in style in some circles (here in LA mainly), but even in the movies, a house says *so* much about a person’s character and values… ala Buzz’s apartment in the original Wall Street, ala the Dickens house… ala the developers of these ugly Belden dumps.
helmethofer: many of these 2000’s+ homes won’t be around for future generations to admire and wonder ‘how did they live like that’. The vinyl siding will have been destroyed, the pergo floors will have warped, the low quality lumber will have deteriorated, etc. Some of the larger brick structres as country estates may still survive, but a majority of them will return to the earth in short time.
” Some of the larger brick structres as country estates may still survive”
Toll Brothers “brick” is all balloon frame with brick overlay, no?
My apologies to all, including the realtor. Tongue bitten, words eaten, etc. I should have done my research. Thanks for posting the link on the history of the building.
“Thanks for posting the link on the history of the building.”
No worries, Luke.
“Supera (the ones behind the current redevelopment of LP Hospital) and the Ruttenbergs raped much of the historical integrity of the neighborhood back in the 60s and 70s, against the protests of those who were actively restoring the homes you see standing today. ”
When the Supera and Ruttenberg families began investing in Lincoln Park, more than 60 years ago, the neighborhood was in desperate condition. If anything, they were important players in spurring the development that made Lincoln Park the premier neighborhood it is tody. All one has to do is look at the carefully preserved historical integrity of the many properties they still own in Lincoln Park, and some of their developments, to realize how laughable the above statement is.
Disclosure: The firm that manages many of Supera’s properties is a client of ours. Ruttenberg’s Belgravia group is a client of ours.I’ve known Mike Supera and Buzz Ruttenberg for quite a few years.
“haha that was my first thought, wtf is up with the HUUUUGE spatula.”
Consider that the spatula may be conventionally sized, but the pace itself is very, very small.
More for the wiki, from Joe-Z.
In fairness to the architect, this townhouse suffers from bad decorating inside and out. Better use of trees, vines and other horticulture would vastly improve the look of the exterior. Better decorating could do the same for the interior. Lack of light from outside certainly appears to make it dimmer than is to most people’s taste. Perhaps that was an aspect of the architect’s avowed Japanese influence. Then again, maybe it was poor design.
One thing in the building’s favor is the lack of facade-ism, which contributes to the ugliness of 80 percent of recent residential building in Chicago. Build a large box with all the charm of the backside of a Best Buy. Slap on a red brick facade with pathetically inept quotation of the Chicago building vernacular circa 1890, and call it a day. Don’t bother using voussoirs to make an arch. Too expensive, and, besides, nobody knows enough to notice the difference anymore. Just spare them from the horrors of modernism!
The main thing I don’t care for with regard to this property are the high-masonry front walls. It really isolates the units from the rest of Belden, even though I GET why that was done in the late 60s for security reasons.
Some may prefer it for the privacy, I guess, but to me it just screams “history of the regentrifying ghetto.”
Boiz – the entirety of the architect’s work makes me think he was inspired by bunkers and bomb shelters.
Jay – Wow, that 1249 W. Belden house is one of the most gawd-awful ugliest monstrosities I have ever laid eyes on, and the pictures taken, truly hidieous! People if you havent checked it out do so. It is LOL awful.
Correction: 1249 W. Dickens
Wow, what a contrast to the million+ townhouse/rowhouse just a couple of blocks east in Belden! Owned/listed by a Prudential agent, conveniently located across the street from the Prudential office that replaced the much-loved Toeer Records. (Talk about “there goes the neighborhood – oh well).
It’s a fine example of what rowhouse living should be all about – quite a contrast to this mid-20th-century tackiness.
In fact, if you go inside you may beel a little bit overwhelmed and underdressed. Climbing the lovingly preserved staircases, I felt that I should have been wearing a bustle, corset and large feathered hat.
That would not be the case here.