The Most Beautiful Vintage Condo Ever on Crib Chatter? 457 W. Fullerton in Lincoln Park
This 3-bedroom in the Fullerton Colonnade at 457 W. Fullerton in East Lincoln Park just came on the market.
The Fullerton Colonnade was built in 1908 and has 14 units. I don’t remember if there’s any parking with the building but this unit doesn’t have parking in the building.
The building does have a shared common rooftop deck.
This unit hasn’t been on the market in 21 years.
While the building fronts Fullerton, this unit stretches along the west side of the building that overlooks Cleveland.
While all the units in this building have great vintage features, the listing says this particular unit was designed and owned by famous historical architect Paul Gerhardt, who was known for his Beaux Arts design.
It has it all.
The unit has 10 foot ceilings, some of which have wood beams.
It has 10 inch (!) upper and base wood moldings.
3 pockets doors.
A butler swing door.
Arched doorways (check out the doorway from the foyer into the dining room).
Stained glass.
An original wall safe (not pictured?).
Several built-ins including in the living room, dining room and one of the bedrooms.
It has a full-size dining room and a library, which can be used as a fourth bedroom, which also has access, via French doors, to a balcony.
The listing says the kitchen and baths have been updated.
The kitchen has white cabinets, what look like stone counter tops, stainless steel appliances, white subway tile backsplash and a small eat-in breakfast nook.
The listing says the building has 12″ thick walls which insulate the units from outside sound.
The unit also has a storage unit and a locker.
It has the features buyers look for including space pak cooling, washer/dryer in the unit and there are 2 deeded parking spaces available 500 feet away on Clark for $50,000 extra.
Currently listed for $749,900 for 2029 square feet, will there be a bidding war for this property among vintage lovers?
Lisa Kalous at Compass has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
Unit #2: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2029 square feet
- Sold in May 1981 for $160,000 (per Redfin)
- Sold in May 1986 for $220,000 (per Redfin)
- Sold in October 1994 for $330,000
- Sold in June 1999 for $403,000
- Currently listed for $749,900
- 2-car parking available on Clark for $50,000 extra
- Assessments of $1018 a month (includes heat, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
- Assessment for the 2 parking spaces $197.55 a month
- Taxes of $13,516
- Taxes for the 2 parking spaces is $1200
- Space pak cooling
- Washer/dryer in the unit
- Bedroom #1: 17×12
- Bedroom #2: 12×11
- Bedroom #3: 9×8
- Library: 13×13
- Kitchen: 15×8
- Breakfast nook: 5×5
- Living room: 29×14
- Dining room: 16×14
- Deck: 14×9
It is super refreshing to see a beautiful vintage unit like this that hasn’t been completely whitewashed.
Having said that, the all white kitchen in this unit is tasteful but a little jarring — it doesn’t seem congruent with the rest of the apartment.
Pretty spectacular. Nice to see someone no go on trend and wreck this place
The assessments seem steep for the property
heck of a premium vs other units – yes it is vintage fancy (no in window AC etc)
–
hey Is this whole unit below grade?
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/457-W-Fullerton-Pkwy-60614/unit-G/home/13350046
Rule of thumb for GZ is basically double in value over last 20 years, so this is priced right and should sell easily. This will be snapped up. It’s a beautiful unit. I was surprised at the amount of light, that stretch of Fullerton is pretty dark (not in the racist sense, I’m talking trees and shade) and it faces north.
I looked at a 2-bedroom in this building 20ish years ago; it was very nice, but this is a whole other level. This is gorgeous. Just absolutely gorgeous.
I like the kitchen, but agree that it doesn’t match the rest of the unit. Dark wood cabinets might have been a better choice (but we might be in the minority with this opinion).
Assessment is high for a non-elevator/non-doorman building. I don’t think this has central A/C, does it?
very very nice unit! The spacepack is hidden well, I wouldn’t want to live with radiator heat but I guess exceptions could be made
“I don’t remember if there’s any parking with the building”
The vacant lot south of this building on Cleveland is indeed separately owned, and sold in Aug-18 for $1.35m. Prior sale (which may not have been a full value sale–land trust to land trust) was in Jun-96 for $195k. *If* that was a market transaction, the association really screwed up in not buying it.
“hey Is this whole unit below grade?”
sure looks like it.
“I wouldn’t want to live with radiator heat”
Truly the only negatives are (1) floor space for radiators, and (2) relatively slow re-heating after having temp set low.
“Assessment is high for a non-elevator/non-doorman building. I don’t think this has central A/C, does it?”
Space pak.
Old buildings need a lot of maintenance. Tuck pointing etc. I’m assuming it costs to have what looks like a lovely rooftop deck, which has some landscaping.
“I was surprised at the amount of light, that stretch of Fullerton is pretty dark (not in the racist sense, I’m talking trees and shade) and it faces north.”
If you actually read the listing you would understand that the unit mostly doesn’t face north. The chatter also says it doesn’t face north. The entire length of the unit faces West, on Cleveland except for the library.
This unit is stunning. I don’t think I’ve ever seen wood work like this before. Even the foyer rocks. The French doors with the arches and stained glass into the dining room just wouldn’t be done today.
Why can’t we build beauty like this today? Why is it all this square box crap that is thrown up?
“Why can’t we build beauty like this today? Why is it all this square box crap that is thrown up?”
Agree! I can’t think of any “non-square box crap” — i.e. homes with significant classic architectural details — that have gone up in the LP/Lakeview area since before the 50s, other than some SFHs and the very pricey 2550 N. Lakeview.
“Why can’t we build beauty like this today? Why is it all this square box crap that is thrown up?”
LOFL, you really cant make this up
You’re the biggest shill for “On Trend” out there. This is pretty much the anthesis of “on trend” out there
“Why can’t we build beauty like this today? Why is it all this square box crap that is thrown up?”
Are you serious? If I told you who was responsible for pushing modernism and making it dominant in all the arts, HD’s head would explode.
“Bauhaus to Our House is a 1981 narrative of Modern architecture, written by Tom Wolfe.” Start there.
“I wouldn’t want to live with radiator heat”
Truly the only negatives are (1) floor space for radiators, and (2) relatively slow re-heating after having temp set low.”
I like radiant heat Vs FA but IMO
Lake of humidity Vs FA w/ a humidifier
No air filtration
Water pans attached to the radiators do a decent job in the winter
And yes you can by room Humidifiers and fair filters
Fair enough.
I don’t like FA humidifiers (maintenance, mold risk, etc), and radiant does not dry the air as much anyway.
No air filtration also = no pushing the dust and allergens around (yeah, have to put up with it in the summer).
I look at both of those as fair points, but preference based, rather than the unassailable negatives I mentioned.
Old buildings need a lot of maintenance. Tuck pointing etc.
This building is 7 years older than my condo building and the assessment is about 3 times as much. I’ve also owned condos in buildings built in 1906 and 1898 and my assessments were never this high.
Why can’t we build beauty like this today? Why is it all this square box crap that is thrown up?
Too labor-intensive.
“assessments were never this high”
This unit has the largest share, with a bit over 14%. 457 #1 and #3 are both just under 12.5%. All the others are under 7.5%.
#3 sold just over a year ago: https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/457-W-Fullerton-Pkwy-60614/unit-3W/home/160670789
and #1 sold in 2015, and was direly in need of bathroom updates at that time:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/457-W-Fullerton-Pkwy-60614/unit-1W/home/13350498
What a lovely, unique place. Worth the price they’re asking, I believe, because I’ve never seen anything like it. Definitely a conversation stopper.
Yes, parking is extra and not on site. Yes, some windows front on Fullerton. Still, looks good from a space perspective, and yes, I’d pay more for a unit that’s this memorable. The location is obviously wonderful.
What a great place. Nicely done on the pics, too.
I’m the previous owner of this condo (1994-99). The building’s architect, Paul Gerhardt, lived in this unit with his family so it has more vintage detail than either the first or third floors. I thing the woodwork in those other units was oak, rather than mahogany.
When I lived here we redid the kitchen (also white), matching it to the original butler’s pantry cabinets, which the current owners removed in their update. I’m so happy they kept the medicine cabinet when they updated the master bathroom.
The third bedroom is a maid’s room, which we used it for storage and the cats’ liter boxes. I can’t see anyone living in that library off the living room. There’s a built-in bookcase but no closet.
I hope whoever buys this will cherish and maintain this lovely vintage home.
Thanks for the update Callebaut. It’s lovely. It must be so interesting to see the interiors again all these years later.