Crib Chatter

Crain’s Dennis Rodkin got to tour the new 4-bedroom duplex penthouse apartment at Old Town Park at 1140 N. Wells in Old Town.

This is the development at Wells and Division which will be 3 towers.

The penthouse is in the first tower. It’s 32-stories with city views. The second tower will be just south of it at 39 stories.

The unit is 4,185 square feet with outdoor space totaling an extra 3,540 square feet.

The first level is the living space with the second floor, which is the penthouse floor, as your own personal rooftop pool, complete with a hot tub, an outdoor shower, and grilling area.

The apartment is furnished with furniture, linens and even dishes.

It includes 3-car parking.

From Crain’s:

“We expect to rent it to a CEO or professional athlete,” Santos said. It’s not certain yet whether a renter will be required to sign a one-year lease or if renting by the month will be allowed. Duncan Wlodorczak, chief of staff for Onni Group and the firm’s only designated spokesman on the property, was not available for comment.

Inside is a sleek design by Onni’s in-house interiors person, Joy Huynh of Toronto, who used a light-toned palette of wood, stone and metal finishes, a handsome set of cantilevered stone steps with a glass stair rail. At one end of the main living space on the 31st floor, the bar and media space are on a slightly raised mezzanine that gives them the intimacy of a library in a suburban mansion. Concealed behind the kitchen, which has a vast quartz-topped island, is a second kitchen for caterers or prep work.

This apartment is now, apparently, the most expensive on the Chicago market.

According to Rodkin, there is a 4-bedroom unit on the market for $37,500 at the Waldorf-Astoria in the Gold Coast.

The apartment buildings continue to be built.

The prices, and apartments, continue to get more extravagant.

Is this penthouse a sign of the top?

And will the apartment market crash or will there be a soft landing?

This $45,000-a-month rental comes with its own outdoor pool, as it should [Crain’s Chicago Business, by Dennis Rodkin, June 17, 2019]

You can see the Old Town Park website here.

This new construction 3-bedroom condo at 4432 N. Western Avenue in Lincoln Square came on the market in May 2019.

This building was constructed in 2019 and has 7 units.

There appears to be 2 buildings side-by-side on Western Avenue with these same layouts. Both buildings overlook Wells Park.

This is an elevator building with some units having panoramic views of the park from oversized balconies.

The kitchen has white cabinets, with quartz counter tops, Subzero and Wolf appliances and a wine refrigerator.

The master suite has heated floors in the bathroom along with a rain head and steam shower.

There are hardwood floors throughout with a concrete subfloor between the units.

Heated garage parking is included.

The listing says this unit is in the Waters School District.

It is just 2 blocks to the Western Brown Line El stop as well as the shops and restaurants of Lincoln Square.

Listed at $675,000, is there demand for “new” in Lincoln Square?

Brian Connolly at @Properties has the listing. It says there is agent interest in the property. You can see the pictures here.

Unit #2: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1750 square feet

• New construction
• Listed in May 2019 for $675,000
• Currently still listed at $675,000
• Assessments of $275 a month (includes scavenger)
• Taxes are “new”
• Heated garage parking is included
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 14×19
• Bedroom #2: 11×11
• Bedroom #3: 10×10

This 3-bedroom mid-century modern single family home at 5428 N. Virginia in Budlong Woods just came on the market.

I don’t have a picture for it yet but I wanted to cover it immediately as it might not last on the market for very long.

Built in 1951, it is on a larger than average Chicago lot measuring 122×50 and has a 1-car garage as well as a driveway.

The listing says the house is “custom.”

Take a look at that front door.

It has the floor plan and features that were common in the 1950s including large windows and a sliding door in the back of the house that overlooks the backyard.

The house has remote controlled skylights in the kitchen which is a chef’s kitchen with modern cabinets, a 48″ six-burner gas stove with dual electric ovens and dual warming drawers as well as other features like a Bosch coffee center.

There are hardwood floors on the main floor.

2 of the 3 bedrooms are upstairs with the third in the lower level.

There are heated floors in both bathrooms.

The backyard is landscaped and appears to be fenced in.

It has a partially covered patio with a built-in pizza oven, barbeque grill and fire pit table all outfitted with a gas line.

There are also exterior speakers and landscape lighting.

This house backs up onto a public park which abuts the Chicago River which has trails and a playground.

The listing indicates that there have only been 2 owners of this house since it was built.

Is this a hidden gem on the north side?

Nancy Huetteman at Redfin has the listing. See the pictures here.

Or go see it in person this weekend at the Open Houses on Saturday, June 15 from 11-1 pm and June 16 from 12-2 pm.

5428 N. Virginia: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1695 square feet

• Sold in February 2012 for $330,000
• Currently listed at $549,000
• Taxes of $6943
• Attached 1-car garage
• Central Air
• Gas fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 13×15 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 13×16 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 12×18 (lower level)
• Laundry room: 6×9 (lower level)

This 3-bedroom vintage single family home at 306 W. Concord in Old Town came on the market in September 2018.

Built in 1896 on a smaller than average 24×94 lot, it has a 2 car garage.

The listing said the house was “totally renovated” in 2006/2007.

Additionally, a great room and master suite were added on to the back of the house which expanded the square footage to 2500 square feet.

The kitchen has white cabinets, black counter tops, white subway tile, a farmhouse sink and luxury stainless steel appliances.

There’s a separate breakfast room and an office, with French doors, on the main level.

All three bedrooms are on the lower level including the master suite which has a spa bathroom.

There’s a deck on top of the 2-car garage but because of the addition, there’s no backyard.

The house has central air.

It also literally has a white picket fence on the front of the property.

Originally listed in September 2018 for $1.35 million, it has been reduced to $1.295 million.

This is just $45,000 above the 2016 sales price.

Is this house a good starter home in a popular neighborhood?

Emily Sachs Wong at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.

306 W. Concord: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2500 square feet

• Sold in July 1996 for $290,000
• Sold in December 2005 for $643,000
• Sold in April 2016 for $1.25 million
• Originally listed in September 2018 for $1.35 million
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $1.295 million
• Taxes of $20,402
• Central Air
• 2-car garage
• Bedroom #1: 16×13 (lower level)
• Bedroom #2: 12×10 (lower level)
• Bedroom #3: 11×7 (lower level)
• Living room: 12×11 (main level)
• Office: 10×9 (main level)
• Kitchen: 12×9 (main level)
• Family room: 17×15 (main level)

This 2-bedroom at 444 W. Fullerton Parkway in East Lincoln Park just came on the market.

Built in 1972, it has 180 units, garage parking, a doorman and an outdoor swimming pool.

This unit has been renovated.

It has hardwood floors and recessed LED lighting.

The listing says there’s a “brand new kitchen” with white cabinets, stone counter tops, a subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances.

It has 1.5 baths with granite counter tops.

This is a high floor, southwest corner unit which the listing says is “preferred.”

It has dead-on south views of the downtown skyline.

The unit has central air but there’s no in-unit laundry. It’s coin laundry in the building.

It does, however, include a deeded garage parking space.

If you love city views, is this a dream home?

Darrell Scott at Compass has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #1808: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 1100 square feet

• Sold in November 1997 for $145,666 (per Zillow)
• Sold in June 2000 for $257,000 (per Zillow)
• Sold in July 2011 for $277,500
• Currently listed at $369,000
• Assessments of $1119 a month (includes heat, a/c, gas, doorman, cable, Internet, pool, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $7220
• Central Air
• No washer/dryer in the unit. There’s coin laundry in the building.
• Garage parking included
• Bedroom #1: 16×10
• Bedroom #2: 13×10
• Living room: 17×14
• Dining room: 19×11
• Kitchen: 11×7

This 3-bedroom in 56 W. Huron in River North came on the market in November 2018.

This is a boutique new construction building with 11 units and a parking garage.

It doesn’t appear to have any amenities or a doorman.

All the units are 3-bedrooms.

Designed by Studio Dwell, each unit has in-unit elevator access and floor-to-ceiling windows.

They each have a large private terrace.

The kitchens have quartz counter tops, Ernestomeda cabinetry and Gaggenau appliances.

There are European white oak floors throughout.

All three bedrooms are en suite with Grohe and Toto.

It has central air and washer/dryer in the unit.

Developers have been building condos with more bedrooms due to demand from families.

Are these bigger, new construction units still what’s hot in River North?

Ryan Preuett at Jameson Sotheby’s has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #2: 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2190 square feet

• New construction
• Currently listed at $1.295 million
• Assessments of $513 a month (includes exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes are “new”
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Parking
• Bedroom #1: 14×13
• Bedroom #2: 12×11
• Bedroom #3: 12×11

This 2-bedroom in the Tiara at 6145 N. Sheridan in Edgewater came on the market in March 2019 (sorry- I don’t have a picture of this building).

The Tiara was built in 1970 along Lake Michigan and has just 50 units.

It’s a full amenity building with an outdoor pool, exercise room and 24-hour doormen. It also has an attached rental parking garage.

The listing says this unit is the only one in the building with a built-in fireplace.

It also says it was “fully remodeled” with an upgraded open kitchen with new stainless steel appliances. It has white cabinets and a black and white tiled floor which is now popular in design magazines.

The unit has a balcony which the listing says faces the lake.

The listing says the building has installed new windows, there’s been balcony work, a new roof and tuck pointing.

It has wall unit cooling, but no in-unit washer/dryer. There’s coin laundry in the building along with leased parking.

This building has two addresses, both 6145 and 6147, if you’re looking for units.

Originally listed at $279,900, it has been reduced to $274,500 for 1600 square feet.

Are high rises right on the lake in Edgewater a deal?

Ioannis Floros at Fulton Grace has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #30A: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1600 square feet

• Sold in August 2002 for $190,000
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in May 2018
• Bank owned
• Sold in January 2019 for $177,000
• Originally listed in March 2019 for $279,900
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $274,500
• Assessments of $993 a month (includes doorman, cable, pool, exterior maintenance, scavenger and snow removal)
• Taxes of $3117
• Wall unit cooling
• No in-unit washer/dryer (coin laundry in the building)
• Bedroom #1: 18×15
• Bedroom #2: 13×12
• Balcony: 15×5

This 5-bedroom vintage row house at 1520 N. Dearborn Parkway in the Gold Coast came on the market in May 2019.

Built in 1898 on a 22×149 lot, it has a 3 car heated attached garage.

The listing says there was a “total restoration” and no detail was overlooked.

It has many of its original features including moldings, marquetry (according to Wikipedia: Marquetry is the art and craft of applying pieces of veneer to a structure to form decorative patterns, designs or pictures), the original wood staircase, stained glass, built-ins and murals.

There are 3 gas fireplaces.

The cook’s kitchen has stainless steel appliances and is adjacent to a family room which leads to a landscaped deck.

All five bedrooms are on the second and third floors, including the master bedroom which is on the second floor.

There’s also a terrace off the second floor.

The baths are stone.

The lower level has a great room, wet bar, wine cellar, storage and large laundry room.

The row house, at 7623 square feet, has 4 HVAC systems, sprinklers, smart-wiring and a security system.

The listing says the light fixtures and sconces are excluded from the sale.

This row house was on the market in 2018 for 10 months.

The current listing says: “New style. New look. Move right in! Freshly painted white.”

Listed at $4.95 million, the upper bracket has been even hotter than last year, when a new record high number of luxury properties was sold.

Will the new style and fresh white paint get this row house sold in 2019?

Suzanne Gignilliat at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.

1520 N. Dearborn Parkway: 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 7623 square feet

• Sold in October 1999 for $2.5 million
• Sold in October 2004 for $3.7 million
• Sold in May 2005 for $3.95 million
• Originally listed in February 2018 for $4.65 million
• Removed in November 2018 at $4.65 million
• Re-listed in May 2019 for $4.95 million
• Taxes of $51,685
• Central Air
• 3-car attached heated garage
• 3 gas fireplaces
• Deck: 20×12 (main level)
• Terrace: 18×18 (second floor)
• Bedroom #1: 21×20 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 15×17 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 9×20 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 12×14 (third floor)
• Bedroom #5: 11×12 (third floor)
• Laundry room: 11×18 (lower level)
• Office: 7×10 (second floor)
• Library: 17×17 (main level)
• Great room: 18×34 (lower level)

This 2-bedroom penthouse in Case Study at 156 W. Superior in River North recently came on the market.

Some of you may remember this property because we chattered about it in 2013 and 2017. You can see our 2017 chatter here.

If you recall, Case Study was designed by Miller Hulls in 2006 and has just 11 units.

There is no doorman or amenities.

This penthouse is a duplex with the living areas on the main floor and the private rooftop terrace on the upper floor.

It has a private keyed elevator and 3 outdoor spaces, including a huge 1200 square foot terrace.

The kitchen has Arclinea high gloss white cabinets, Gaggenau appliances and a 14-foot kitchen island.

It looks like there are concrete floors throughout.

There is also an Elan G smart home system with central remote.

For those with cars, a rare 2-car garage is included in the price.

In 2013, Case Study was in its own little world with an old motel across the street and empty parking lots nearby. But over the last 6 years, new construction luxury apartment high rises went up all over the neighborhood.

In 2013, this unit went under contract in just 3 months.

But if failed to sell in 2017 and is now listed for $305,000 under the 2013 selling price of $2.4 million, at $2.095 million.

Will this lower price get the sale done?

Brooke Venderbok at @Properties has the listing again. See the pictures here– with plenty of pictures of the rooftop terrace and views.

Unit #PH: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 3000 square feet, duplex, 2 car garage

• Sold in August 2006 for $1.635 million
• Sold in November 2013 for $2.4 million
• Was listed in April 2017 for $2.495 million
• Withdrawn
• Currently listed at $2.095 million
• Assessments are now $955 a month (they were $910 a month in 2017 and $639 a month in 2013) includes exterior maintenance and snow removal
• Taxes are now $33,555 (they were $29,927 in 2017 and $21607 in 2013)
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Private rooftop deck that is 1200 square feet
• Bedroom #1: 21×13 (main level)
• Bedroom #2: 19×13 (main level)
• Gallery: 26×5

This 2-bedroom in this vintage 4-flat at 1539 N. Wells in Old Town came on the market in April 2019.

Built in 1895, it is one of the few remaining original vintage residential buildings still on this section of Wells Street in Old Town.

This unit is on the third floor and has hardwood floors.

Some of the vintage features remain including what looks like a stained glass window in the front of the unit, pocket doors between the living and dining rooms and a wood burning fireplace.

It also has some vintage moldings, which have been painted white.

The kitchen appears to have wood cabinets and a mix of stainless and black appliances along with exposed brick.

There’s no parking and no central air. It has window a/c units.

It does have a washer/dryer in the unit.

There’s also a large shared backyard.

This building is next door to Woodie’s Flat, a casual restaurant which has an outdoor patio on the patio in front of the building and on the sidewalk.

You’re also right in the middle of all the other Old Town restaurants and bar scene.

Originally listed at $385,000 in April 2019, it was reduced to $374,900.

On a street with a lot of new luxury apartment rentals and modern condos, what’s the market for a vintage 2/1?

Will a developer simply buy this whole building out?

Damian Kosydar at Compass has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #3: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, no square footage listed

• Sold in August 1999 for $217,000
• Sold in April 2003 for $291,000
• Originally listed in April 2019 for $385,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $374,900
• Assessments of $286 a month (includes heat, security, exterior maintenance, scavenger)
• Taxes of $5061
• No central air. Window a/c units only.
• No parking but available to rent in the neighborhood.
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Wood burning fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 22×8
• Bedroom #2: 9×8
• Living room: 18×12
• Dining room: 15×12
• Kitchen: 15×11
• Laundry room: 5×4