Renovations Aren’t Just Happening On The North Side: 2354 S. Oakley In Pilsen
Three units in this 1924 building at 2354 S. Oakley in Pilsen came on the market in October 2012.
This building has been completely renovated and is now being called the “Oakley 23.”
Built in 1924, it has 9 units with 6 different floorplans.
They are all 2/2 units and range in price from $225,000 to $275,000.
Here are the units currently on the market:
- Unit #E: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1300 square feet, $225,000- first floor
- Unit #C2: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1000 square feet, $250,000
- Unit #A3: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1350 square feet, $275,000
Outdoor parking is available for $7500.
Each of the units has central air and washer/dryer in the unit.
It has 10- 11 foot ceilings and 7 feet tall windows.
The kitchen cabinets are 42 inch Euro flat cabinets. There are granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.
It doesn’t appear that any vintage interior features have survived the renovation.
With its proximity to downtown and a burgeoning restaurant scene, is Pilsen set to be one of the neighborhoods that comes roaring out of the bust?
Sophia Klopas and Jason Straton at Koenig & Strey Real Living are handling the sales.
You can check out more pictures, floorplans and pricing at the website for Oakley 23 here.
It seems like people have been talking about Pilsen taking off for the last 15 years – I have no idea why it hasn’t yet. I like Unit A’s floorplan a lot. Some of these would even work well with roommates. If you could negotiate parking to be thrown in, I think the pricing is fair if they look as good in person as the pix do.
I like many of the attributes offered by living in Pilsen but this is located about 1.5 miles west of my comfort zone. But having said that I’ve been overcoming apprehension about this immediate area for a very long time to eat at old school Italian family restaurants left over from the days people self segregated by ethnicity like Baccanalia (highly recommended), Bruna’s or Ignotz – they are slices of life from the ’40’s.
This Little Italy is in Heart of Chicago.
It’s nice to see a different neighborhood featured on Cribchatter. It’s also nice to see people are fixing up Pilsen. That being said, I think these units are overpriced. There’s still too much gang activity in Pilsen for comfort. It’s been spilling over into where I live, just north of Pilsen and making me a little nervous.
My first thought was, is this really Pilsen? Seems too far west. Others commenting here have had the same observation. Not sure why one would buy in this area. Certainly not as an investment.
Seems like not much has changed around here from the nothing but green zone types.
Doesn’t this building look exactly like one in the Goldcoast by the auto dealers? I think a unit was features on here before. It was a conversion. Anyone know what I’m talking about?
“Not sure why one would buy in this area.”
Good public transportation, easy commute to jobs in the loop and various highways, good housing stock in the neighborhood generally, restaurants, good space for your money. If you think the neighborhood is on its way up, what’s not to like if you are a young professional looking in this price range? The infrastructure is all there, and there’s no way you could find something comparable in lakeview or lincoln park for the same price. Hop on the blue line and visit your hipster friends paying ridiculous rents in Wicker Park / Bucktown whenever you want.
Are you surprised by that Aup?
Point taken, MH. All good reasons. I’m only saying, I wouldn’t buy here as an investment, because, like you yourself said, people are always talking about this area taking off, and it never does. Probably a nice enough place to live.
There’s a grade school nearby but I can’t remember the name or what kind of “rep” it has.
And yes, the Italian restaurants are however-you-say-awesome-in-Italian.
“Euro” cabinets is a real estate marketing term from the 1980’s used to describe streamlined particular board cabinetry to” 1) make them sound unique and interesting and 2) compensate for their cheap materials & lack of architectural value.
To use the same jargon to describe these cabinets is both sad and comical.
You can get vintage renovations like this in WP/Bucktown for the same price as these units.
“Doesn’t this building look exactly like one in the Goldcoast by the auto dealers? I think a unit was features on here before. It was a conversion. Anyone know what I’m talking about?”
This one?:
http://cribchatter.com/?p=13130
[Southbound] “I like many of the attributes offered by living in Pilsen but this is located about 1.5 miles west of my comfort zone.”
I can agree with that. I prefer the prospects for Pilsen North of Cermak and East of Damen, but the entire area North of Cermak should be within most urbanites comfort zone. Im not sure whether this builder/developer will be able to get those ask prices being this far Southwest, but imagine these need at least a 10-15% cut to get sold… especially when you can find units like this one: http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/950-W-Cullerton-St-60608/unit-F/home/16882118 in preferred areas of Pilsen.
Hell, you can even score a rehabbed frame home East of Racine for $249K http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1122-W-19th-Pl-60608/home/14085458
buyer beware, a lot of the houses in Pilsen do not have alley access and thus no parking.
[brad] “buyer beware, a lot of the houses in Pilsen do not have alley access and thus no parking.”
Thats inaccurate. There is indeed a section of Pilsen that has blocks without alleys, but it amounts to maybe a dozen blocks total.
a dozen blocks sounds like a lot to me…
i would take a pass on this.look at streetview,directly across the street is one of the most dilapated,crumbly-ass,falling apart buildings i’ve seen in a while.
[brad] “a dozen blocks sounds like a lot to me…”
Thats your opinion, but I certainly dont consider 12 out of 110+ being “a lot”
[jw] “i would take a pass on this.look at streetview,directly across the street is one of the most dilapated,crumbly-ass,falling apart buildings i’ve seen in a while.”
oh geez.
That “dilapidated, crumbly-ass, falling apart building” IS THE SUBJECT PROPERTY!
This is in the Heart of Chicago, NOT Pilsen. And the first Little Italy, not Taylor St. like most believe. They did a great job on this building. Villa Marconni Restaurant used to be on the ground floor. There is street parking and alleys all around here.
Pilsen will be one of the areas of the city that comes back strongest from the downturn. If you spent any time in the neighborhood you would see the unmistakable signs. I don’t own anything there but I’m looking. This is not wishful thinking. Do your homework.