The “Other” CMK River North Building: 630 N. Franklin
If you can’t afford CMK’s modern architectural masterpiece Contemporaine, maybe you should look at 630 N. Franklin, another CMK building only a few blocks away in River North.
Built at a much lower price point, the units still sport 10 foot concrete ceilings and walls.
This 2-bedroom has bamboo floors and a private 600 square foot terrace. The listing also states the unit does not face the train.
Elizabeth August at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #419: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed
- Sold in October 2005 for $348,000
- Originally listed in January 2009 for $399,000
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $394,900 plus $30,000 for parking
- Assessments of $298 a month
- Taxes of $4797
- Bedroom #1: 11×13
- Bedroom #2: 11×10
- Living room: 14×15
- Kitchen: 7×11
cute. Right on Ontario Kennedy on ramp but nice unit
That unit seems very small but other than that, I think maybe 350 wouldn’t be bad for a condo that comes with such a large terrace. I am surprised that someone paid $350 in 05 for a place that was right near the expressway.
It is also right next to the Brown/Purple line CTA, so if the windows aren’t great, it could be a little noisy…
I think $395K is a little high not including parking, I love the huge outdoor terrace, they are a real luxury in this city when we only have a couple of months to use them. I think this place will sell for $370K, including parking.
I looked at a unit in this building late last year. A bit smaller than this one, and with an average size balcony, but I believe it finally went for around $315,000 incl parking (after about a year on the market). It’s a nice building, but $395,000 w/o parking is wayyyy high. I predict it will sell several months from now btw $325-350k (incl. parking) or will languish on the market.
I don’t see the expressway any where near this unit.. I-94 is well to the west. The Ontario feeder ramp is to the south, but not really an x-way.
Great neighborhood, outdoor space is really a plus, interior looks well done and thought out with good windows and good ceiling height. The exposed concrete is not overdone like at 600 N. Fairbanks.
I think they have priced it to move, and it will.
I would like to retract the my last post..
This unit is on the 4th floor and has views of brick walls to the north and west. The terrace will get sun for about 30-45 minutes a day in the summer.
It would be like living in a dark hole all year.
SKIP IT!
Well, the view of walls from all the rooms is pretty depressing. Deal killer for me.
Paulj- I was a big fan too until I saw what floor this unit’s on 🙂
The bedroom has the look of a prison cell.
Hi everyone. New to the site. I live (rent) on the 4th floor of this building. (West side, but south facing). This seller is my neighbor, and a very nice lady. I hope she gets full ask. (Its already been reduced from 480 including parking i believe.)
Now my 2 cents.
Paulj, I was going to dispute your statement, but you beat me to it yourself! The new comps for this building are with the sale on the 9th floor, for 320ish. 419 has a bigger balcony, with an awful view, on a lower floor. Otherwise they’re simlar.
Plus the alley immediately below the balcony is the line for Spy Bar. I speak with the doormen there occasionally (they like my dog) and they tell me people in the building sometimes throw things, and often yell from their balconies due to the noise. Before anyone buys on the north side of the building, make sure you spend time in that area late on a thurs, fr, sat, night. I’m mean 4am late. Place is a zoo.
My non-expert guess, 310 including parking, this fall. 275 if it gets into 2010, when the Silver starts dumping ins units.
Cheers!
I’m not putting out that kind of dough for raw concrete ceilings. I think that fad is gonna last about ten more minutes.
It was only a fad in the sense that developers didn’t have to spend any extra money on things like paint and drywall.
Hey this is the building I purchased in 🙂 I paid about 33% less than his ask though for a higher floor with a view, however no terrace, just a small balcony.
Its a great location, although with this unit i’d be concerned with El noise, the Kennedy ramp noise isn’t a big deal with the windows shut you can’t hear anything, and actually gives you a nice western view. I’m pretty sure this unit is on the el side. The windows are pretty soundproof though so it might not be a problem. The unit I bought was on the far side of the building so you can’t hear anything unless you open the windows or door to the balcony.
Those assessments include your gas & water bill too which is nice.
I looked at a 1br here b4 i ended up renting at grand/wells. seriously, the concrete walls make it feel like a prison. and enjoy the sounds of the screeching el every 6-9 minutes. I was out on the balcony while touring and one came by and i stopped the viewing right then. THis building isn’t even that nice. hardly any amentities. boring white cabinets. standard bathroom. no drywall on ceilings and some walls…. what makes this place worth 400k+? THe less materials you use, the more you get in return?
Looks like a rental with absolutely no entertaining space. (unless you consider the terrace for entertaining) and you don’t look at the tracks, but even worse you look at a brick wall. I can appreciate the effort, but the overall aesthetic is cold and gloomy.
Oh this is low on the west brick wall side. That terrace wouldn’t get much sun! He’s gonna have a hard time sellin at that price.
How can this person expect to get a 20% return (incl parking) from 2005-present?
“It was only a fad in the sense that developers didn’t have to spend any extra money on things like paint and drywall.”
Exactly. And this is also the reason they have been pushing those stupid tiny open kitchens, saving themselves the cost of upper cabinets in addition to money saved by not building the wall.
It’s one thing to have an open kitchen/family room combo if the place also had a separate living room, but how many Chicago condos are built like that? For me, a small kitchen in the middle of the only living space is a definite deal breaker.
They can’t!
“marco on March 5th, 2009 at 10:02 am
How can this person expect to get a 20% return (incl parking) from 2005-present?”
“It was only a fad in the sense that developers didn’t have to spend any extra money on things like paint and drywall.”
“Exactly. And this is also the reason they have been pushing those stupid tiny open kitchens, saving themselves the cost of upper cabinets in addition to money saved by not building the wall. ”
I understand the argument, but these are some of the things that make these units more affordable than others on the market. The same is true about lack of amenities as it keeps the assessments down and makes it a more viable option for more people. If it is not your preference, that’s fine, but it is a positive for some others.
Yeah I’d rather NOT pay craptons of extra assessments for a swimming pool, a worthless door guy, rooftop decks, spas, gyms, terrible bulk cable/internet packages, etc. I’d much rather pay $150 a month and join the East Bank club a few blocks away for my fix for all that crap.
The low amenities & low assessments on this building were a positive for us.
Ryan: “I understand the argument, but these are some of the things that make these units more affordable than others on the market.”
In theory, yes. in practice, obviously no.
$400K for a 2/2 isn’t “more affordable than others on the market” since i can get a 2/2 for 300K that has drywalled ceilings and a gym and door man. unless I stayed in the house the full 30 years and it was a $277/month discount off assessments…
Sonies:
I’d much rather pay $150 a month and join the East Bank club a few blocks away for my fix for all that crap.
you can’t use Cable/Internet from EBC at your residence. that’s another 100/month
Sooo. assessments here at 300 + 150 for EBC + 100 for cable/internet. = $550. That sounds about right for a 2/2 in a full ammentities building. Doesn’t sound so bad to me. it’s like getting a doorman, rooftop deck, and a gym in your building for free…
At least I’d have the option to cancel my cable or EBC membership if I chose to not use them. In a full amenities building you wouldn’t have that choice.
Gyms in high rises typically suck (compared to the EBC at least), and the pools are usually only open during a short time, insanely crowded patios, and small too (also in comparison to EBC).
Also, doormen would cost a fortune in a 11 story 165 unit building. They make more sense for much larger highrises.
I remember with horror this thing going up, like a pre-fab box, early Communist period. The completed building hasn’t changed my first impression. Sadder still this is a CMK project–a real let-down from what I would expect after Contemporaine.
This building has a terrible location. Right against the L tracks and the front is literally surrounded by drunk, mostly suburban douche-bags leaving Sound Bar, Spybar, etc. from 2am-5am
Sonies–I agree. There is absolutely no comparison between EBC and a condo’s own gym. (If nothing else, EBC literally has scores of classes each week, including high quality yoga classes included that would cost you at around $15 a pop at a studio). And if you don’t watch cable, why pay for it? I get my internet by tethering my cell phone to my computer: total cost for phone service and unlimited data = $55 a month.
Kenworthey how fast is your internet doing that?
I saw this unit at a showing and another 2 bed 1 bath in the building at $265K (Price later reduced)
This property is not near the express way, I couldn’t see or hear it from the unit. The L is close by however. Depending on where your unit is located you may or may not hear it. The windows did a pretty decent job of diminishing the noise.
– the balconies are huge but only worth it on a high floor level. Otherwise you have a view of train tracks, parking lot or another building
– Listing price and low assessments are great, the taxes aren’t.
– The building itself seems very cold and unassuming IMHO. Plain hallway, simple lobby, and an entrance you wouldn’t even notice if you were walking past. No frills. That also translates into low assessments which have stayed low for the past few years. Don’t know about you but a gym will not influence my decision to purchase.
– I skipped this place as there are too many renters in this building. A trend I don’t see going away here.
It’s about as fast as DSL. It’s Sprint’s wireless broadband; EV-DO. It’s not as convenient as having true wireless in my apartment–I do have to go to the trouble of actually tethering the phone, but I’m willing to go to the trouble to save about fifty bucks a month (and never, ever, ever have to speak to a Comcast customer “service” representative again.)
“This building has a terrible location. Right against the L tracks and the front is literally surrounded by drunk, mostly suburban douche-bags leaving Sound Bar, Spybar, etc. from 2am-5am”
You hang around the front door of buildings from 2-5AM? Doing what? Sleeping?
“I think $395K is a little high not including parking”
A little high ? Are you on drugs? This wayyyyy overpriced.
Fair Value = $239,999
I lived in this building in the same unit on a higher floor. I feel lucky I got out. Lots of problems with theft in this building (breakins, people stealing packages from the package room); there was a major problem with the water system about two months ago. The building is populated by young renters–weekends involved vomit in the lobby or elevators on more than one occasion; people allowing their dogs to defecate in the hallways; leaving trash around and/or throwing bottles from the balconies. The neighborhood is a zoo on weekends due to the adjacent clubs.
Went under contract today!
Maybe it was a Crib Chatter reader?
Now here’s an exciting listing in this building, #617 (tier appears to be 1BR/1BA) just listed with Sudler for $130K! Of course: “REO. NOT SHORT-SALE. DO NOT DISTURB OCCUPANTS… PROPERTY MAY BE CURRENTLY OCCUPIED & CASH ONLY… SELLER MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONVEY POSSESSION AT CLOSING. EVICTION PROCEEDINGS MAY HAVE BEGUN.”
Wow. Any existing residents know if someone’s barricaded him/herself into #617?
This closed today for $385,000
Anyone know what #1111 sold for? It was on the market for only 3 weeks and I can’t find anything on it. Closed in may…
Chiguy, I read your comment about moving to grand and wells. I’m looking to move to a walkup near that intersection, right above proper cannister for example. Do you know of a way to get into contact with one of the landlords there?
Thanks for your help, and I’m sorry to post in the incorrect board.