Crib Chatter

This 3-bedroom full floor penthouse at 2521 N. Ashland in Lincoln Park came on the market in January 2023.

Built in 2012, 2521 N. Ashland is a brick building with 6 units and garage parking.

This unit has south facing floor-to-ceiling windows with 13-foot ceilings.

It has dark hardwood floors throughout, custom millwork in the living/dining room, tray ceilings, wainscoting and a fireplace in the living room.

The unit has a “gourmet” chef’s kitchen with full height white cabinets, marble counter tops and backsplash, a breakfast bar, high-end Dacor stainless steel appliances with double oven and new Bosch dishwasher and wine cooler.

The primary suite has a walk-in-closet and “spa-like” bath with steam shower with body sprays, soaking tub, double vanity and heated floors.

One of the other two bedrooms has its own private balcony.

The unit also has a newly finished, private 850 square foot deck where you can grill.

It also has a Nest thermostat, wet bar, and surround sound throughout the home and deck.

This unit has the features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and 2 heated garage parking spaces are included.

Listed at $965,000, that’s $55,000 higher than the 2021 sale.

Will this seller get the premium for this penthouse?

Oana Sirbu at Compass has the listing. See the pictures here (sorry, no floor plan).

Unit #3: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed, penthouse

• Sold in January 2012 for $590,000
• Sold in July 2014 for $780,000
• Sold in May 2021 for $910,000
• Currently listed at $965,000
• Assessments of $209 a month (includes exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $10,993
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• 2-heated garage parking spaces included
• Fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 18×16
• Bedroom #2: 16×12
• Bedroom #3: 14×11
• Living/dining room: 24×16
• Kitchen: 16×11
• Walk-in-closet: 9×6
• Walk-in-closet: 8×5
• Balcony: 14×6
• Deck: 40×21

This 2-bedroom at 1169 W. Eddy in Lakeview came on the market in January 2023.

Built in 2007, the listing says 1169 W. Eddy is an all brick building with 3 units and garage parking behind the building.

We last chattered about this building in July 2012. Apparently, the developer got caught in the housing bust and could not sell some of these units. According to the prior chatter, Unit #3, the top floor unit, had been rented.

You can see that chatter here.

This unit also didn’t sell until 2012.

The listing says it has “luxurious quality” millwork, crown molding, tray ceiling, and chair rail trim.

There are “authentic” oak hardwood floors throughout and white decadent deep window casings.

It has a wood burning fireplace in the living room with a mantle and granite hearth and a dry bar with granite and a wine fridge.

The kitchen has custom dark cabinets with Subzero and Wolf appliances, granite counter tops, a tile backsplash and an extra tall breakfast bar.

The primary suite has a walk-in-closet and en suite bath with a “massive” natural stone shower with built-in bench, a jacuzzi tub and heated floors.

There is an attached private deck and basement storage.

It has the features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and garage parking.

This building is near Wrigley Field and the shops and restaurants of both Southport and Wrigleyville.

Listed in January 2023 for $559,900, it has been reduced $10,000 to $549,900.

This unit sold every two years for a higher price each time until 2016. Now, 7 years later, will the sellers get the premium again?

Elizabeth Amidon at Jameson Sotheby’s has the listing. See the pictures here. Sorry, no floor plan.

Unit #201: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage

• Sold in May 2012 for $385,000
• Sold in March 2014 for $435,000
• Sold in April 2016 for $460,000
• Originally listed in January 2023 for $559,900
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $549,900
• Assessments of $185 a month (includes lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $11,059
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Wood burning fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 13×14
• Bedroom #2: 10×11
• Living/dining combo: 24×17
• Kitchen: 9×11
• Deck

This 2-bedroom top floor duplex up at 644 W. Arlington in East Lincoln Park came on the market in January 2023.

644 W. Arlington was built in 1974 and has 44 units and assigned parking.

It’s an elevator building with a bike room and separate storage units.

Some of the units are duplexed, including this one.

The listing says it has been “fully renovated” including the kitchen and 2 bathrooms.

It has hardwood floors throughout and a wood burning fireplace in the living room along with a 2-story wall of windows and a timber loft ceiling.

The first floor has the living room, dining room and kitchen, along with a full bath and one bedroom.

The second floor has the second bedroom and second full bathroom, however the second bedroom is lofted and open to the space below.

It also has direct access to a large, deeded roof top terrace with skyline views.

The kitchen has wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances.

The unit has assigned parking, wall unit cooling but no washer/dryer in the unit. There is a shared laundry room in the building.

This building is in the middle of all of the shops and restaurants of East Lincoln Park.

Listed at $475,000, that’s double the 2010 purchase price but that was an “estate sale” and the listing said it was being sold “as-is.”

This is only the second sale of this unit since 1988.

Is this still a deal for the location?

Alexandra Solak at @Properties Christie’s has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #5F: 2 bedroom, 2 baths, no square footage listed, duplex up

• There’s no original price listed in the CCRD
• Sold as an “estate sale” in February 2010 for $236,000
• Currently listed at $475,000
• Assessments of $636 a month (includes heat, gas, parking, cable, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $6517
• No central air, but wall units
• No washer/dryer in the unit. Shared laundry in the building
• Assigned parking space
• Wood burning fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 16×10 (main floor)
• Bedroom #2: 13×10 (second floor)
• Living room: 20×13 (main floor)
• Dining room: 10×8 (main floor)
• Kitchen: 10×8 (main floor)
• Deck: 15×25 (second floor)

This 2-bedroom in Millennium Centre at 33 W. Ontario in River North came on the market in January 2023 listed as a short sale.

Built in 2003, Millennium Centre has 363 units and attached garage parking.

It’s a full service building with 24-hour door staff, an outdoor pool, fitness center, package in-unit delivery service, bike room, and a party room.

This unit has a split floor plan with skyline views.

It appears there are hardwood floors throughout the main living space and the bedrooms.

The kitchen has wood cabinets, what looks like granite counter tops and black appliances.

It’s unclear if there is primary suite but there appears to be a walk-in-closet.

It has the features that buyers look for including central air and washer/dryer in the unit. There doesn’t appear to be parking with the unit but it’s available to rent in the neighborhood (and the building?).

This unit is in the heart of River North near Trader Joe’s, Jewel, shops and restaurants and will also be near the new temporary casino.

This unit has come on the market listed as a “short sale” at $425,000. A lis pendens foreclosure was filed on it in April 2022.

But the last sale, in 2010, was also a distress sale. The bank took back the unit in the housing bust, in 2009 and sold it for $309,000.

The 2010 listing said: “Great investment opportunity. Corp owned Property Sold “As-Is” Condition.”

Are short sales and distress sales about to take off in Chicago’s struggling downtown?

Richard Schiller at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here (sorry, no floor plan.)

Unit #33F: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1295 square feet

• Sold in November 2003 for $565,000
• Bank owned in April 2009
• Sold “as-is” in October 2010 for $309,000
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in April 2022
• Listed as a “short sale” in January 2023 for $425,000
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• No Parking
• Bedroom #1: 14×11
• Bedroom #2: 12×10
• Living/dining room: 16×15
• Kitchen: 12×7

This vintage 2-bedroom at 164 W. Huron in River North came on the market in January 2023.

Built in 1921, this building has 3 units.

This unit has a southwest exposure and dark hardwood floors throughout.

It has some original features such as a wood burning brick fireplace in the primary bedroom and a brick wall, which looks to have been painted, that spans the entire home.

The kitchen has gray cabinets, stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops with a breakfast bar.

While the primary bedroom has two walls of windows, I can’t tell from the pictures if the second bedroom has any windows. If anyone can figure out the floor plan, based on looking at the pictures from the 2019 sale, let me know.

It has some of the features that buyers look for including central air and washer/dryer in the unit. However, there’s no parking with the unit. You can get rental parking in the neighborhood and the brown/purple line is just 2 blocks away.

It’s rare to find vintage condo buildings in River North as many haven’t survived through the years.

This one is in the middle of shops and restaurants of the neighborhood.

Listed at $460,000, is this a unit for those who love River North but don’t want to live in a mid or high rise?

Tim Stassi at Dwell One Realty has the listing. See the pictures here (sorry, no floor plan.)

Unit #3A: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in June 1990 for $115,000
• Sold in July 1996 for $139,500
• Sold in October 1997 for $151,000
• Sold in February 2002 for $250,000
• Sold in June 2006 for $342,500
• Sold in January 2019 for $395,000
• Listed in January 2023 for $460,000
• Assessments of $322 a month (includes exterior maintenance, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $7809
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• No parking
• Wood burning fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 10×13
• Bedroom #2: 9×12
• Living/dining combo: 15×17
• Kitchen: 8×10

This 2-bedroom in 257 E. Delaware in Streeterville came on the market in January 2023.

Built in 1917, 257 E. Delaware is a condo building which only has 13 units (although this listing says it’s 12.)

It does not have a doorman nor parking. The elevator opens by key on each floor.

The listing says the owners of this unit “spared no expense” in renovating it. Yet it still retains many of its vintage features.

It has French oak floors in the Chevron pattern throughout, plaster ceiling medallions and custom moldings.

There’s a wood burning fireplace in the living room along with a custom built-in dry bar.

The Chef’s kitchen has blue(?) designer cabinets, imported European hardware, stainless steel appliances, open shelving, Brizo faucets, and Calacatta Borghini marble on every surface.

There’s a separate dining room.

Both bedrooms have custom designed built-ins and wardrobes. The second bedroom is currently being used as an office.

The primary bedroom has the full bathroom with an “enormous” 67 inch soaking tub and oversized waterfall shower along with a Calacatta Gold marble sink honed from one solid piece of stone.

The listing says the half bath has “an Art Deco-styled classic sink in Nero Marquina marble, Lefroy Brooks hardware, an Audubon Society floor to ceiling mural (imported from London), custom Kelly Wearstler lighting and an intricate mosaic pattern by Artistic Tiles cover heated floors.”

The unit has the features buyers look for including Space Pak cooling and Aprilaire whole home humidifier system which are all controlled via a Google Nest smart home system.

It has a family sized washer/dryer but there’s no parking.

If you are marveling at the windows in the living room, that’s because they have been restored along stringent requirements:

The entire home is insulated, and every window and door has been upgraded to new, fire-rated glass and hardware. The five large windows along the northern exposure, along with the exterior north facade are protected and subject to the Landmarks preservation review board.

Restoration Works’ skilled craftsmen fitted the windows to incorporate double-glazing on each individual pane, matching the exacting standards of the Landmarks Preservation board.

All of the windows are operational, tightly weather sealed and offer great soundproofing.

Additionally, all window and exterior door hardware is polished nickel, in keeping with the custom brass and nickel hardware throughout the home.

This building is near the shops and restaurants of Streeterville and the Mag Mile.

Listed at $1.125 million, is this a dream home for vintage lovers?

Carrie McCormick at @Properties Christie’s has the listing. See the pictures here (sorry, no floor plan).

Unit #2BD: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths. 1800 square feet

• Sold in March 1988
• Bank owned in July 2008
• Sold in December 2008 for $375,000
• Sold in April 2009 for $395,000
• Sold in April 2015 for $510,000
• Sold in July 2019 for $471,000
• Currently listed at $1.125 million
• Assessments of $1337 a month (includes heat, gas, cable, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal, Internet)
• Taxes of $8790
• Space Pak cooling
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• No parking- but it’s available in the neighborhood
• Wood burning fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 15×15
• Bedroom #2: 16×12
• Living room: 21×20
• Dining room: 13×13
• Kitchen: 12×9
• Walk-in-closet: 3×6

This 6-bedroom Italianate row house at 1928 N. Lincoln in East Lincoln Park came on the market in November 2022.

We last chattered about it in November, when it was first listed as a single family home.

You can see our chatter here.

Built in 1875, the listing says it was built by Andrew McNally with large blocks of Joliet limestone. The prior listing from last year says that they used limestone because of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. It also said that just 3 families had lived in the house until the prior sale.

It’s on a corner lot measuring 25×100 and has a 1-car garage.

You may recall, the row house has some of its vintage features including the grand staircase with the original wood restored and 12 foot ceilings.

It’s being marketed as a multi-unit building now. The main unit is a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath duplex up and the second unit is a 2 bedroom, 1 bath in the lower level.

The duplex has plaster walls and picture moldings.

The kitchen has gray cabinets and stainless steel appliances with a breakfast bar that opens into the dining room.

It appears there are two fireplaces in the living/dining room.

The room in the front of the unit is now called a sunroom on the floor plan, but was a bedroom in November.

There are now 4 bedrooms on the second floor floor plan. The primary bedroom has an en suite full bath.

There’s also a second bathroom on that level.

The lower level unit has 2 bedrooms and a full bath. The prior listing said it had been “rehabbed.”

It has a separate entrance, a full kitchen and laundry.

The prior listing said the house was repainted, the bathrooms remodeled and the staircase restored since the prior sale.

It has central air and a wood deck. The prior listing said it had a “California patio.”

Here’s the breakdown for each unit:

• Unit 1: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, rents on Airbnb for $4,000 a month
• Unit 2: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, rents on Airbnb for $8,000 a month

This row house is near Lincoln Park Zoo, the Green City Market and the shops and restaurants of Old Town.

Listed in November 2022 for  $1.295 million, it has come back on the market, reduced $10,000, at $1.285 million.

Will the spring season help move this property?

Matthew Liss and Blazena Bilic at Mark Allen Realty now have the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

1928 N. Lincoln: 6 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, no square footage listed but it had 3309 square feet in the last listing, multi-unit row house

• No prior sales price as prior listing said the same family owned it for 70 years
• Sold in January 2022 for $1.129 million
• Originally listed in November 2022 for $1.295 million
• Withdrawn
• Re-listed in January 2023 for $1.285 million
• Taxes are now $17,943 (they were $21,631 in November 2022)
• Central Air
• 1 (or 2?) wood burning fireplaces
• 1 car garage
• 25×100 lot
• Unit #1: monthly Airbnb rent $4,000
• Unit #2: monthly Airbnb rent $8,000
• Bedroom #1: 13×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 14×10 (third floor)
• Bedroom #3: 10×10 (third floor)
• Bedroom #4: 13×11 (third floor)
• Living room: 18×13 (second floor)
• Dining room: 13×12 (second floor)
• Sunroom: 12×8 (second floor)
• Kitchen: 13×7 (second floor)
• LL Bedroom #1: 12×11
• LL Bedroom #2: 11×7
• LL Kitchen: 9×8
• LL Living room: 13×11
• Deck

This 4-bedroom in the Vista Homes at 5830 S. Stony Island in Hyde Park came on the market in January 2023.

Built in 1926, Vista Homes is a co-op with 120 units. According to Chicago Apartments, A Century of Lakefront Luxury, the promotional brochure for the building called it the world’s largest co-op building.

The units ran from four rooms resembling “tiny suburban cottages” to “spacious 11-room apartments as pretentious as a town house.”

The building, designed by Paul Frederick Olsen, has four sets of passenger and freight elevators. It is constructed of red brick with Bedford stone trim and has stained glass windows.

According to Chicago Apartments, an athletic club was supposed to be built directly to the south but was never built. Currently, it’s a large shared garden, with garden plots.

This building is also a rare vintage building that has a parking garage. According to Chicago Apartments, it is connected to the building by tunnel and is the “World’s 1st Co-Op garage.” It’s 2 stories high with room for more than 100 cars.

The building also has door staff,  on-site management, a resident engineer, the gardens and a playground.

This unit is one of the 11-room units and it has park and lake views.

It has some of its original features including a gallery foyer and the original crown modelings. There are also oak hardwood floors throughout.

The kitchen has white cabinets and what look like stone countertops. In the pictures from the 2012 sale, the washer/dryer was also in the kitchen.

The primary bedroom appears to have an en suite bathroom and a dressing room.

The unit has features buyers look for including central air, garage parking and washer/dryer in the unit. These are all rare for a nearly 100 year old property.

This building is near the University of Chicago and the Lab Schools, the Museum of Science and Industry, Jackson Park and the shops and restaurants of Hyde Park. It’s also near a Metra stop.

Listed at $649,000, is this a deal for a family home in this neighborhood?

Robert Sullivan at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the listing. See the pictures and the floor plan here.

Unit #4A: 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2400 square feet, co-op

• Sold in July 2012 for $430,000 (per Redfin as it’s a co-op so it’s difficult to get prior sales prices)
• Currently listed at $649,000
• Assessments of $2780 a month (includes heat, gas, parking, taxes, doorman, cable, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes are included in assessments
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Garage parking included
• Bedroom #1: 19×11
• Bedroom #2: 15×11
• Bedroom #3: 15×11
• Bedroom #4: 11×9
• Living room: 24×14
• Dining room: 19×13
• Family room: 18×12
• Kitchen: 13×9
• Walk-in-closet: 12×6
• Gallery: 30×7

This 4-bedroom co-op in 399 W. Fullerton in East Lincoln Park came on the market in June 2019.

Built in 1926-27 by McNally & Quinn, according to Chicago Apartments, it’s in the French Renaissance style.

It’s an exclusive building with just 2 units per floor and just 32 units in the 17 story building.

It’s also unusual for a building in this period in that there’s a garage on the first floor with valet parking. Garage and guest parking is available in the building.

It has 24-hour door staff, engineering staff, storage, bike storage and an exercise room.

If this unit looks familiar, that’s because we have chattered about it several times the last few years with the last time in October 2021.

You can see the 2021 chatter here.

If you recall, this unit has Lincoln Park and lake views.

It has wood crown molding in the living room along with a gas fireplace.

There are hardwood floors in the living and dining room.

On the kitchen, the listing says: “The kitchen was moved and enlarged; it includes a 5-star range with grill and double oven, a SubZero refrigerator and separate freezer, a Fisher Paykel dishwasher, and a wine refrigerator. (Note: it is possible to open up kitchen walls creating a modern open floorplan.)”

The former kitchen is now the fourth bedroom and has a full bath.

Of the other bedrooms, one is en suite and the other two share the jack and jill bathroom.

It has the features that buyers look for that are often hard to find in vintage units including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and valet garage parking, which is $300 a month.

Originally listed in June 2019 at $899,000, it has been reduced to $575,000.

The listing says buyers can finance up to 70% of the purchase price.

Also, the listing says the taxes are NOT in the HOA.

This building is in a prime location in East Lincoln Park, across from Lincoln Park, near the Zoo and Conservatory, near several bus lines and the shops and restaurants on Clark in East Lincoln Park.

Is this unit finally a deal?

Jennifer Ames at Engel & Voelkers still has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #14W: 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3000 square feet, co-op

• I couldn’t find a prior sales price as it’s a co-op
• Originally listed in June 2019 at $899,000
• Reduced numerous times
• Was listed in January 2021 at $675,000
• Reduced
• Listed in October 2021 at $650,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed “as-is” at $575,000
• Assessments are now $3890 a month (In Oct 2021, they were  $2799 a month (they were $4549 a month in January 2021) (includes heat, doorman, cable, gas, exterior maintenance, lawn care scavenger, snow removal but not the taxes.) The taxes were included last time and the listing said they were $1856 a month. That meant the rest of the assessment was $2593 a month.
• Taxes are now $19,872 (they were $19,652 in Oct 2021)
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Valet garage parking for $300 a month
• 1 fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 19×12
• Bedroom #2: 20×13
• Bedroom #3: 16×12
• Bedroom #4: 13×9
• Living room: 29×16
• Dining room: 19×14
• Kitchen: 17×13
• Foyer: 14×8

This 3-bedroom at 24 W. Erie in River North came on the market in November 2022.

Built in 1890, it was converted into 4 units in 1998. It has an elevator which opens into each unit and an attached garage.

This is a full floor unit with all four exposures.

The listing calls it the “peak of luxury.”

It has a foyer, 12 foot ceilings and hardwood floors.

There is an office off the living room and a separate dining room.

The kitchen has modern wood cabinets with a Subzero refrigerator, 6-burner gas stove, a Thermador double-oven, and a peninsula with seating for 2.

There’s also room for a table.

The primary suite has an en suite bathroom with a double vanity, a walk-in-shower and a makeup vanity along with a gas fireplace.

The second bedroom has a built-in Murphy bed.

The unit has the features that buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and garage parking.

There are two decks, one on the front of the building, facing south, and a massive back deck, facing north.

This building is near all the shops and restaurants of River North and the Mag Mile and is close to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.

Listed in November 2022 at $1.3 million, it’s still listed at that price.

Is this a single family home replacement for someone who wants to live in River North?

Margaret Baczkowski at @Properties Christie’s has the listing. See the pictures here. Sorry, no floor plan.

Unit #2: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2700 square feet

• Sold in November 1998 for $719,000
• Originally listed in November 2022 for $1.3 million
• Currently still listed at $1.3 million
• Assessments of $1550 a month (includes security, exterior maintenance, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $31,705
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Garage parking included
• 2 gas fireplaces
• Bedroom #1: 14×21
• Bedroom #2: 11×12
• Bedroom #3: 16×12
• Office: 9×9
• Kitchen: 17×15
• Living room: 21×20
• Dining room: 21×13
• Laundry room: 4×8
• Balcony: 19×18
• Deck: 22×19