Modern 3-Bedroom SFH in Lincoln Park Reduces $100K to $1.65 Million: 625 W. Armitage
This 3-bedroom single family home at 625 W. Armitage in Lincoln Park came on the market in April 2023.
Built in 2017, it was designed by Liederbach & Graham and has a low maintenance corrugated steel exterior.
It is a smaller than standard Chicago lot measuring 17×80 and has a 1-car garage. Some of you may remember that a vintage 1-story cottage once stood on this lot.
Inside the house, it has Georgian pine ceilings, white oak flooring on the second and third floors with concrete floors in the basement, and a wood-burning fireplace in the living room.
The kitchen is a “chef’s dream” and has custom white Amish cabinetry, an island with blue cabinets that seats four, professional grade appliances, Carrara marble counter tops and a hot-rolled steel backsplash.
There are two bedrooms on the second floor including the primary which has a “roomy” closet, custom built-in shelving and a en suite bathroom with a steam shower.
The second bedroom is also en suite and has a private balcony.
The lower level has a large laundry room, storage and the third bedroom.
It has central air.
The listing says the garage roof is “ready for a new deck.” There’s no roof deck.
Additionally, the listing says, “the home is patrolled by a private 24-hour security team exclusively for this specific part of Lincoln Park.”
This home is near the shops and restaurants on Armitage, those on Lincoln and in Old Town. It’s a quick walk to Lincoln Park.
Originally listed in April 2023 for $1.75 million, it has reduced $100,000 to $1.65 million.
Zillow also shows that is has been available for rent. It was listed in May 2023 for $10,000 a month and has been reduced to $8750 a month.
Is this home a steal for a renter?
Vincent Anzalone and Amanda Lee Finck at Dream Town have the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
625 W. Armitage: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, no square footage listed, single family home
- Sold in June 1993 for $174,500 (I only went back for 30 years so you could see the changes in the pricing)
- Sold in February 1999 for $292,000
- Sold in February 2002 for $410,000
- Sold in April 2008 for $485,000
- 2017 home originally listed in April 2023 for $1.75 million
- Reduced
- Currently listed at $1.65 million
- Listed for rent in May 2023 at $10,000 a month
- Reduced twice
- Currently listed at $8750 a month
- Taxes of $17,629
- Central Air
- 1-car garage
- 17×80 lot
- Wood burning fireplace
- Bedroom #1: 16×24 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 16×24 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 15×18 (lower level)
- Living/dining room: 16×15 (main floor)
- Kitchen: 16×21 (main floor)
- Laundry room: 15×15 (lower level)
- Balcony: (second floor)
Interesting place. Love the ceilings. Generally like the overall design – seems like it makes the best of the lot size, etc.
It’s great that there’s no tv in the living room, but it doesn’t look like there’s anywhere good to place one, which seems problematic for most buyers.
Is there no overhead lighting in the dining area?
Bummer that it’s the second bed that has the balcony.
There’s plumbing down there, so it would have been good to have a small bathroom to serve the lower level.
Maybe they should get a couple quotes for making a decent gator deck, then offer closing credit for that?
what’s with the creepy chain link fence area in the basement. cage for dog(s)?
too bad they couldn’t manage (or didn’t want) 3 bedrooms upstairs.
Layout is very janky, kind of a shame as they went thru a major remodel. The DR in a hallway trend can go away anytime.
Living carry corner from a HS for $1.5MM, is a pass
“what’s with the creepy chain link fence area in the basement. cage for dog(s)?”
That was the gun cage. Was clear in the listing pix back in April, when this was a Rodkin feature.
No lower level bath is a big miss. 15’8″ wide is managed well with all the glass, but remains darn narrow.
Otherwise, it’s really nice.
Does appear that the lot is actually 19.5′ wide, as there was a partial vacation of Howe St, which added $90k to the land price. So there’s really $575k basis in the dirt.
“Maybe they should get a couple quotes for making a decent gator deck, then offer closing credit for that?”
Or install it themselves? As we’ve seen with “plans in place for a roof deck” with other properties, it almost never gets built.
“Layout is very janky, kind of a shame as they went thru a major remodel.”
It was a vintage cottage that was torn down. This is a “new” home as of 2017. They were in charge of the layout decisions.
“Living carry corner from a HS for $1.5MM, is a pass”
It’s not kitty corner from the high school, JohnnyU. Vintage condo building is kitty corner on Howe.
It was a vintage cottage that was torn down. This is a “new” home as of 2017. They were in charge of the layout decisions.“
Even worse
“ It’s not kitty corner from the high school, JohnnyU. Vintage condo building is kitty corner on Howe.”
Now you’re trying to pick the flyshit out of pepper. Coming from you is too rich
How would you describe the proximity of LPHS to this home?
“ That was the gun cage. Was clear in the listing pix back in April, when this was a Rodkin feature.”
Are Gun cage is the new wine cellar/display case?
Kitchen cabs and lighting are incongruous with the rest of the aesthetic.
No LL Bath is indeed a huge miss.
Not cleaning the debris off the top of the garage for the listing photos is perhaps indicative of the level of care. I suspect these folks had a new build and treated it as “maintenance free living.” Also the reason there is no roof deck is likely either due to a budgetary constraint (same one that nixed the LL bath) or due to this being built on the cusp of an era where Chicago ZBA was prohibiting new garage roof decks. Subsequently that moratorium has largely been lifted (I think.)
I also have a “no TV in the bedroom” rule so between that and the gun cage I really dislike the sellers LOL. Good thing is the gun cage easily converts to a place for visiting guests unruly quadrupeds or a place for unruly children.
“Chicago ZBA was prohibiting new garage roof decks”
They weren’t really prohibiting the decks, were they?
They just weren’t granting variances for the stairs in the side setback, or allowing them to count toward rear yard requirements.
Either way, they are certainly going in now on new builds around me.
“Are Gun cage[s] the new wine cellar/display case?”
Why not both? As was done here.
“How would you describe the proximity of LPHS to this home?”
“Steps away” or “right out the front door”.
It’s about 250′ if you cross at the crosswalk.
Former cottage was demo’d without a permit:
https://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20140925/lincoln-park/city-owner-lacked-permit-demolish-126-year-old-workers-cottage/
‘Tis better to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission: you don’t have to worry about preservationists if you act first–can’t undemolish an old building.
That being said they are way late listing this thing–the ship has sailed in the RE market that they couldn’t bring this thing to market when mortgage rates were half of where they are now shows they may be stuck holding this bag. Someone will rent it but for nowhere near $10k/mo and that rental rate will imply what it would sell for if the RE market wasn’t frozen.
Don’t even care about name dropping the developer name drop all day if they have significant debt they are in trouble.
Could be a cool workspace for say, an architecture firm. Not really the kind of warm, cozy place that seems like home. And wouldn’t want to be right on Armitage.
“How would you describe the proximity of LPHS to this home?”
You cannot see the high school while standing in front of this house. That’s a big difference from it being “kitty corner.”
People living here are living in the middle of a major city. There are schools, an active fire station just a few blocks away, buses, bikes and corner restaurants with outdoor seating nearby.
If having a school nearby is an issue, then living on Armitage definitely isn’t going to work either.
It’s a shame that the old building was torn down and this was built. I go by often and it is narrow and cold looking. The interior also looks cold and the cage is very weird. Built in 2017 and recently rented, I guess the new owners thought that, too. It’s in a great location aside from being on a busier street. The high school is not an issue as the gate is further west.
“You cannot see the high school while standing in front of this house. That’s a big difference from it being “kitty corner.””
You can see the sign and students milling around.
“People living here are living in the middle of a major city. There are schools, an active fire station just a few blocks away, buses, bikes and corner restaurants with outdoor seating nearby.”
Who cares? That’s not what I posted. For +$1.5MM, most buyers aren’t going to want to live steps away and on the same street as a HS. Quit making up arguments that have no basis in reality or sobriety
“If having a school nearby is an issue, then living on Armitage definitely isn’t going to work either.”
Maybe, maybe not
“Maybe, maybe not”
One might prefer Webster and the rats from the Athenian Room.
“an active fire station just a few blocks away”
It’s half a block away, just east of the N-S alley. You can’t see it at all from this property, even from the garage roof, but it’s closer than LPHS.
“I guess the new owners thought that”
Custom built for them, and he’s in the construction/development biz so wasn’t mislead by an architect. And this was after a prior plan to reno/add-on to the cottage. It was very intentional.
“ One might prefer Webster and the rats from the Athenian Room.”
I was informed that there are no rats at that location. You forgot to mention folks micturating in the alley
holy crap this is one ugly house! From the outside going in it just keeps getting worse and worse!
“You can see the sign and students milling around.”
Oh no. The students! OH MY GOD.
This is glorious from a guy who doesn’t live in Chicago and hasn’t been in the city in years. And certainly hasn’t been in this very location in probably decades. Lots of new construction around this area, including this home and on Armitage, in general.
Give it up. The high school is NOT an issue here. Will there be students walking down the street to go to and from school? Yes. Yes, there will. But you aren’t sitting in your house looking at the school. You cannot see it from this house.
“I was informed that there are no rats at that location. You forgot to mention folks micturating in the alley”
There’s rats everywhere. I’ve seen them walking near the new casino, actually. In the middle of the day. ha ha. Pick up your dog poop. They like to eat it.
Alleys are terrible though. Gives you good light but stuff is always going on. Just the other day I saw a house that had a brick wall up against the alley PLUS a huge net that went up another 10 feet above that. Just made it a little more difficult to get over the wall so probably most just don’t bother. Ha ha. Clever of them. Better than looking at iron stakes that some put up.
“The high school is NOT an issue here. Will there be students walking down the street to go to and from school? Yes. Yes, there will. But you aren’t sitting in your house looking at the school. You cannot see it from this house.”
There’s a pretty broad range of feelings re: living in close proximity to high schools, but I’ve noticed that there are plenty of people who would prefer not to, certainly a big enough number to warrant not simply dismissing their concern. Personally, I’ve not been a person who’s super worried about it, and I’m glad we live six blocks or so from our kids’ high school (and have one starting there in a month), but I will say this – there’s no doubt that the high schoolers’ (and to a certain extent, older middle schoolers’) presence is felt around the neighborhood, from the shopping center a few blocks away (they basically swarm the pizza joint, grocery stores, etc. at lunch time daily and on Fridays after school), to the neighborhood streets. It’s not exactly a problem, but having hundreds teenagers cutting loose for a few minutes, or driving around, in close proximity to one’s home is, at a minimum, noticeable.
“I saw a house that had a brick wall up against the alley PLUS a huge net that went up another 10 feet above that”
More likely about keeping balls in the yard. I see those around behind/beside sport courts.
“the high schoolers’ … presence is felt around the neighborhood”
Do your local HSers like to sign their name (oh, I’m sorry, “create art”) on every flat(ish) surface?
“ Give it up. The high school is NOT an issue here. Will there be students walking down the street to go to and from school? Yes. Yes, there will. But you aren’t sitting in your house looking at the school. You cannot see it from this house.”
Have you ever lived close < 3 blocks from a HS? Guessing from your comments that the answer is no
Here’s some of the petty annoyances you’ll get to deal with.
Increased traffic, speeding, trash, smoking in the alley way, minor theft.
Now I’m sure you’ll say that Chicago high schoolers are different (everyone’s above average), but that’s the reality. It was fine when it’s an inexpensive 2/1 SFH, but it defiantly wasn’t a +$1.5MM home and that’s my point.
Anonny’s point is well made. Other than arguing for the sake of arguing, I don’t understand your responses
“Have you ever lived close < 3 blocks from a HS? Guessing from your comments that the answer is no" Yep. High school and grade schools. One block away from one of Chicago's top high schools. Honestly, with the high school, I never really noticed. But these are CITY schools with a lot of people walking around, lots of cars and teens hanging out at the Starbucks regardless of if there is a high school nearby. I love the buzz and energy. Perhaps you are projecting on the suburban high school experience and that it would be disruptive to live near one of those? Lots more kids driving to them, huge parking lots. You are wanting quiet at all times in the suburbs. Armitage is already a pretty busy street. The high school is NOT your problem while living here. There's a bus that drives right in front of your house every day. That would be a bigger deal, to me. Plenty of million dollar+ houses have sold near this one and on all the surrounding streets in spite of, gasp, the high school. Always gotta find something "wrong" with every property from your perch hundreds of miles away, right JohnnyU? Lol.
Also, your comments JohnnyU about the chaos the teens at the high school would bring to the neighborhood just shows how out of touch you are with what is going on in Chicago right now.
Homeowners aren’t concerned about the local high school kid going to LPHS doing “minor theft” in the neighborhood. (lol) They are concerned about being held up at gunpoint by 14-year olds in a stolen car while they are walking over to Lincoln Park for an evening stroll.
You’re just so out of touch. There’s a reason the neighborhood is paying for private security (as it says in the listing.) And it’s NOT because of the kids at LPHS.
“More likely about keeping balls in the yard. I see those around behind/beside sport courts.”
Nope. Very obviously for security purposes. I really liked it though. As someone who used to live on an alley, my eyes are now wide open about what it means so I’m all for those who find new ways to try and keep their property secure. Lol.
“It’s not exactly a problem, but having hundreds teenagers cutting loose for a few minutes, or driving around, in close proximity to one’s home is, at a minimum, noticeable.”
I guess I just never noticed when I lived a block from a high school. It’s a dense area. This isn’t Hinsdale or Wilmette. The Starbucks on Armitage is already busy.
Also, unless you work from home, you pretty much aren’t there when the kids are. They come at 7 am and leave by 3 pm. They mostly aren’t there on weekends. I don’t get it. But, again, maybe the suburban experience of the kids swarming the local Starbucks after school or the Chipotle IS annoying.
“They come at 7 am and leave by 3 pm”
?? where? Not LPHS–nor Payton, Northside, Jones, WY or Lane.
The Starbucks across from Lake View doesn’t let *anyone* sit down in the 90 minutes before school, lest it be overrun with HS kids.
“ High school and grade schools. One block away from one of Chicago’s top high schools. Honestly, with the high school, I never really noticed. But these are CITY schools with a lot of people walking around, lots of cars and teens hanging out at the Starbucks regardless of if there is a high school nearby. I love the buzz and energy. “
Sure Jan. I knew you’d go all Lake Woebegone. Maybe that was true in the 50s when you went to high school?
“Perhaps you are projecting on the suburban high school experience and that it would be disruptive to live near one of those? “
Nope fairly large city
“Lots more kids driving to them, huge parking lots. You are wanting quiet at all times in the suburbs. Armitage is already a pretty busy street. The high school is NOT your problem while living here. There’s a bus that drives right in front of your house every day. That would be a bigger deal, to me. Plenty of million dollar+ houses have sold near this one and on all the surrounding streets in spite of, gasp, the high school. Always gotta find something “wrong” with every property from your perch hundreds of miles away, right JohnnyU? Lol.”
There’s been no sales of housing > $1MM on Armitage from Larrabee to Halsted, so you are flat out wrong. You start getting > 3 blocks out (IMO) and the impacts are lessened. Also FTW < 200mi
And you like to make the most idiotic arguments not based in any reality. It’s almost like a game where you’re able to drink every time you post something stupid. This post is good for at least 4 drinks – cheers
“lots of cars and teens hanging out at the Starbucks regardless of if there is a high school nearby. I love the buzz and energy. “”
I made the mistake once going to Mariano’s on Elston, near Lane Tech, during lunch time. Total sh!t show. City energy is one thing, tons of teens hanging out is a P.I.T.A
“Sure Jan. I knew you’d go all Lake Woebegone. Maybe that was true in the 50s when you went to high school?”
Huh? Lived there 15 years ago. High school is still there. As is the Starbucks half a block away. Never even noticed. But I live in a big CITY. There’s tons of things going on at all times.
Never heard of people not wanting to live in Old Town because of Walter Payton and kids swarming all over the place. Never have noticed, frankly. Has anyone ever not lived in the Gold Coast because of the college students at Loyola or Moody’s? Never heard of anyone not wanting to live near those schools either.
But, again, if you live in St Charles or Elgin, then, yes, maybe you’re bothered by a bunch of kids gathering at the local Chipotle after class is over. Or you’re bothered by the cheers at the Friday Night football games. But in LP, on Armitage, there’s a LOT more going on that you’re going to be bothered about than, gasp, a high school down the street.
“I made the mistake once going to Mariano’s on Elston, near Lane Tech, during lunch time. Total sh!t show.”
There are thousands of kids that go there marco. It’s a small college (love the architecture there, by the way.) There are a ton of fast food places on all the corners which just must kill it with all those kids.
“There’s been no sales of housing > $1MM on Armitage from Larrabee to Halsted, so you are flat out wrong. You start getting > 3 blocks out (IMO) and the impacts are lessened. Also FTW < 200mi" This is wrong as we chattered about the new condos right across from the fire station (gulp) all sold over $1 million just 2 years ago. And the house at 511 W Armitage sold for $1.225 million in November of last year. Yeah- prices over $1 million are pretty common in Lincoln Park. Go figure.
“ This is wrong as we chattered about the new condos right across from the fire station (gulp) all sold over $1 million just 2 years ago.”
Oh the ones East of Larrabee? You know outside of the boundary I laid out?
“And the house at 511 W Armitage sold for $1.225 million in November of last year. Yeah- prices over $1 million are pretty common in Lincoln Park. Go figure.”
500W is east of Larrabee. Do you even live in Chicago
“the Starbucks half a block away”
Half a block from LPHS?? Where?
Starbucks website says that the three closest stores to this house are, in order:
Halsted & Webster
Clark & Dickens
Armitage & Sheffield
None of those are “half a block” (unlike the “three blocks away” fire house)
Without doing exhaustive research, I’m reasonably sure that the “half a block” intersection (Armitage/Halsted) has been Bank/Bank/Bank/Marquee Lounge for 25 years.
Are you sure you’ve *ever* lived in Chicago?
“Mariano’s on Elston, near Lane Tech”
Western, but yeah.
That’s been a pretty poor Mariano’s from day one–when it was Dominick’s it was completely disgusting. They are in the process of expanding into space to the south–maybe it will end up better.
“Western, but yeah.”
yes, brain fart. and also yes, that Marianos is terrible.
“There are thousands of kids that go there marco. It’s a small college”
no doubt, but there’s still 1500 kids at LPHS.
So you’re “boundary” is two blocks but if you are just on the other side of the street, literally (ha ha), then you wouldn’t “notice” or be impacted by 1500 teens walking by and doing “minor” crimes near your home?
Hilarious argument now. Either the kids are a menace and you don’t want to live nearby, or they aren’t. They aren’t suddenly not a menace because you live 20 feet further east, are they?
Also, this house is just steps away from the current property on Howe. It sold for $2.29 million. Didn’t someone tell them that there would be menace kids swarming everywhere just steps from their home every day? How do they get their car out of the garage? The horror.
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1953-N-Howe-St-60614/home/13347966
“1500 kids at LPHS.”
2500, right?
…
ok, 2060 last year (6th largest in CPS–Lane, Taft, Curie, Kenwood, Whitney Young are bigger). 2148 is supposed ‘capacity’ (9th largest–Senn, Schurz, Clemente, Vocational, Farragut bigger buildings with fewer students; Kenwood is smaller capacity, larger enrollment).
“Half a block from LPHS?? Where?”
The Starbucks I was referring to was a half a block away from the high school I used to live near. Sorry if I didn’t make that clear.
“Sorry if I didn’t make that clear.”
Maybe everyone else got that, but I sure didn’t. Thanks for clarifying.
“2500, right?”
I didn’t look up attendance numbers. I just used what someone else said in the thread.
“ Hilarious argument now. Either the kids are a menace and you don’t want to live nearby, or they aren’t. They aren’t suddenly not a menace because you live 20 feet further east, are they?
Also, this house is just steps away from the current property on Howe. It sold for $2.29 million. Didn’t someone tell them that there would be menace kids swarming everywhere just steps from their home every day? How do they get their car out of the garage? The horror.”
Are you drunk?
You don’t think the impact of students is generally lesser as you move away from the school?