Rarely Available Vintage American Four Square: 649 W. Wellington in East Lakeview
This 8-bedroom vintage American Four Square at 649 W. Wellington in East Lakeview came on the market in February 2018.
Built in 1904 on a double lot measuring 50x130x108, it was designed by architect BJ Hotton.
It has many of its original features including FIVE fireplaces, stained glass windows, moldings, woodwork and inlay wood floors.
The house also has its original wood grand staircase.
The first floor has a formal living room and library with built-in bookcases.
The listing says there’s an “updated” kitchen with wood cabinets, granite counter tops, luxury appliances and a built-in breakfast nook.
4 bedrooms are on the second floor, the fifth bedroom is on the top floor with 3 other bedrooms in the lower level which has a separate entrance and functions as an in-law unit (there are no pictures of it in the listing.)
The in-law has a separate kitchen and 1.5 baths.
The master suite has a luxury bathroom with a double shower.
There’s also a top floor family room along with a guest suite.
The house has 3-car parking and what appears to be a fourth spot on a parking pad.
The listing says the house in the Nettlehorst school district.
Originally listed in February for $2.5 million, it has been reduced $250,000 to $2.25 million.
Is this house one of the hidden beauties of East Lakeview?
Emily Sachs Wong at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.
649 W. Wellington: 8 bedrooms, 6 baths, 7338 square feet
- There wasn’t older records on the CCRD but Zillow says it sold in July 1997 for $950,000
- Originally listed in February 2018 for $2.5 million
- Reduced
- Currently listed at $2.25 million
- Taxes of $27,675
- Central Air
- 5 fireplaces
- 3-car garage and a fourth space on a parking pad
- Bedroom #1: 19×15 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 16×13 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 12×11 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 12×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #5: 15×14 (third floor)
- Bedroom #6: 11×10 (lower level)
- Bedroom #7: 12×13 (lower level)
- Bedroom #8: 12×9 (lower level)
- Family room: 30×27 (third level)
Not much to bitch about with this house
Details/woodwrok is great
Think they missed with the Granite in the kitchen, and hope they insulated the bedroom ceilings with the Family room above.
what the hell were they thinking with that kitchen? Totally doesn’t belong in this awesome vintage home… Although it is most definitely modernized and nice, it belongs in a gold coast condo or something not here! Other than that what a fantastic place
Personally, I like modern touches in a vintage home – when done with a skillful hand. London townhouses come to mind when I think of great mixes of classic and the new, modern, sleek. I think here they tried to keep the wood tones and finishes harmonious. Works for some, not so for others – I can see how someone would want “period” looking finishes – but we live in 2018 – not 1918. Things are different in kitchen technology now.
The question to me becomes.. for $2.25.. what WOULD I choose? It’s tricky. Theres a house in Ravenswood near/on Wilson that I’m enamored with, I think was featured here at one point – and it’s now down to $1.8 and change. Theres even a mid century modern home in Long Grove featured today on another (I shall keep it nameless) site that is staggeringly awesome. This one just seems a little meh to me to fall in love with. And I’m not that keen on this particular micro pocket of Lakeview. Would love to know what this finally goes for.
“Think they missed with the Granite in the kitchen”
all of it, or some subset? or merely the ‘too much’?
As others, wouldn’t have been exactly my choices, but that’s nitpicking.
Even with the not quite double lot (missing a 17×25 chunk for the westerly neighbor’s garage) that’s pretty close to a $1.5m lot, with a house that would cost well over $1m to sort of replicate (can’t truly replicate, of course). Which sez something about something (I’d go with land prices).
Also not the exact spot in LV I’d pick if able to just pick, but would live here with no issues, were I in this market.
Yeah, I have quibbles with some of the style choices, but very cool place. I love 4-squares and some of the detailing is great, not to mention the lot. Now I wouldn’t really want to live in that exact area anymore, too congested for current preferences, but great house.
“all of it, or some subset? or merely the ‘too much’?”
Think the color and edge details dont work.
Would love to know the cabinet material. Was thinking Padauk or bloodwood but the grain seems off
Those inlaid floors! That staircase! The leaded and stained glass! The pier mirror!
Yeah, the kitchen is not my style, but it’s still a pretty great kitchen.
somehow I’m thinking that if you can afford this, renovating the kitchen isn’t a big deal to you.
Definitely worth the money if someone is willing to spend. I hope a buyer can be found who will preserve this home. It’s one of very few in the neighborhood. I had a friend who lived in a similar home a little further east on Wellington, and it was lovely. It’s a shame to think of how many must have been torn down over the years and replaced by all the awful post-war buildings in East Lakeview, many examples of which can be seen right on this particular block. The post-1950-era has been very bad for the streets east of Broadway.
I think they did a nice job with the kitchen. They blended the wood to make it match the rest of the house. I don’t know what else they could have done to update it. All white would have looked silly in this house.
“All white would have looked silly”
Not like that was the only other option.
Think it is about the “modern” slab doors and the choice of counters/floor rather than the cabinet color.
are the taxes right? <- not saying they aren't
and estimate on the taxes going forward?
I agree with anon <- I could see putting my clan here.
“are the taxes right?”
Yep. Current AV is 131,938
2018 re-ass is 207,758 (+57%); already appealed, and already denied by assessor. Maybe board of review will change.
consistent with my prior spitballing on the aggregate AV change, I’d say one should expect the tax bill to go up a bit more than 40%, plus whatever %age the aggregate levy goes up. Probably about $40k next year.