A Rare New Construction 4-Bedroom SFH in the Center of Old Town: 322 W. Willow
This 4-bedroom single family home at 322 W. Willow in Old Town came on the market in April 2018.
It is new construction, which is rare for the heart of Old Town.
The listing says the owner had to relocate after building it.
It has many unique features including a glass staircase, Jonathan Adler, ETT and Minka fixtures.
The upper bathrooms have heated floors.
There are 4″ Rift Sawn hardwood floors and carrara marble tiles.
The listing calls the kitchen a “chef’s kitchen.” It has white cabinets, a 10 foot island, Miele and Subzero appliances, and a Miele built-in coffee maker.
Three bedrooms are on the second floor along with the Master Suite which has two walk-in closets and a sauna.
The other bedrooms are en suite.
The fourth bedroom is on the lower level along with a recreation room, a wine cellar and a home theater.
This house was built on a smaller than standard Chicago lot of 30×78. There’s no parking with the house.
The listing says:
“Seller will secure offsite parking for 5 yrs or offer credit & stain porch.”
The house has been reduced $201,000 to $1.749 million since April.
Is it the price or the lack of parking that is preventing a sale of this home?
Jason O’Beirne at Jameson Sotheby’s has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
322 W. Willow: 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 3420 square feet
- Sold in June 2000 for $310,000
- Lis pendens file in March 2008
- Bank owned in April 2015
- Sold in June 2015 for $426,500
- Sold in November 2015 for $450,000
- New construction
- Originally listed in April 2018 for $1.95 million
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $1.749 million
- Taxes are “new”
- No parking- seller will pay for parking for 5 years nearby
- Sauna
- Bedroom #1: 14×14 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 12×11 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 11×11 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 10×8 (basement)
- Laundry room: 8×4 (basement)
- Theater: 18×10 (basement)
- Recreation Room: 21×18 (basement)
$1.75MM and you dont stain the porch? LOL, Good luck with that.
Why waste the time and effort to install electric infloor heat and not go with Hot water throughout the entire house?
Small Lot, sandwiched between 2 apartment buildings.
what a beatiful home, but some pretty difficult issues that many folks at this price point will not be able to overcome… and seriously with the staining of the porch? LOL
wow..ugly on the outside, but beautiful on the inside. lol
Listing says that owner will stain porch. Probably has to do with how newly-built it is, as normally it’s recommended that you wait some months before staining.
That aside, I think it’s partially the lack of parking which is related to the little bitty lot and lack of decent outdoor space. On the map I like the location, but the street view isn’t that great (I’m not familiar enough with the street to recall what it’s actually like without visiting) and between two apartment buildings, as noted.
The broader issue for me, but this may be where my personal taste is out of step, is that it’s new construction that looks like an extensively rehabbed workers cottage. I think workers cottages can be really cute when authentic, although I prefer that all the vintage charm not be rehabbed out, and when authentic I don’t mind things like the lack of entry way, the plain box format of the first floor, so on, but with new build where you have options it seems uninteresting to just mimic that style. I’d always pick actual vintage or something more modern in style over something like this place, given what is available at the same price point.
But again, that could just be personal preference and may have nothing to do with why this was perceived as overpriced.
new construction?
how can it be when it is in OTT?
Is it correct to say that this the original frame cottage and then gutted inside?
you can go back in time on streetview and see that in 2016 it was an empty lot… 2015 it was a disgusting shack
the original house was illegally knocked down
This is a spec house done by a developer
The 3 years of carry and the reduction is taking a big bight out of his
pro forma..The parking is more than a block away and uncovered
Plus living next to a school in never ideal
Bottom line anyone at this price point wants a garage
“you can go back in time on streetview and see that in 2016 it was an empty lot… ”
Unless it’s showing the wrong address entirely, even the streetview on the Redfin listing still has a vacant lot.
(Oh, wait, just realized that’s what you meant right after I hit send. Nevermind!)
I’m so sick of every house being the same as every other house. Enough is enough with grey kitchens.
First floor is one big room? No parking? Tiny lot? Cheap-looking siding? Just under $2 million?
Where do I sign up!?
“Enough is enough with grey kitchens.”
Don’t worry Jenny. These kitchens are already “out” on the coasts.
The coming trend is for oak wood cabinets to return. Remember those from the 1970s and 1980s? Many houses had them. You could see the grain of wood clearly on the front. Only in 2018, they are more the modern style. But can still see the wood.
In about 5 years, you’ll be commenting on here about how you’re sick of seeing the wood grained kitchens. Lol.
makes more sense then that the original shack being illegally knocked down. I didn’t recall any empty lots in OTT
I’m wondering why they were not able to make a larger place as long as they kept the front look the same.
I also disliked the grainy wooden cabinets. I’ve always wanted blue cabinets and a blue appliances (although, they would not look so good together). At least colorful appliances are starting to become available, but they are all way outside of my price range. Who knows? Maybe with the steel tariffs, appliance makers will start using materials other than stainless steel.
“the original house was illegally knocked down
This is a spec house done by a developer”
Developer connected?
I would imagine that if it was some schlub, OTT would make his life hell
The original building was left in a state of dilapidation for an extended period of time. The owner eventually got it ruled unsafe by the city and knocked it down. It was an end around to avoid keeping the original structure. The OTTA was pissed and tried to get an injunction and keep fighting but either lost the will or figured they would lose the court battle. The reason the current place looks this way is because the owner did have to honor the original structure’s looks when building.
This house is contingent after 6 months on the market. Now priced at $1.475 million.