“Urban Sophistication” with Lake Views at 2000 N. Lincoln Park West in Lincoln Park
This 1-bedroom at 2000 N. Lincoln Park West in East Lincoln Park came on the market in September 2021.
Built in 1931 by William Wrigley Jr, this building has 195 units.
It was originally apartments until it was converted to condos during the housing boom in 2004-2005.
The building has full time door and maintenance staff, a roof top deck, exercise room, bike storage and a laundry room.
There’s no parking.
The listing for this east facing unit, says it has been “completely custom rehabbed to perfection in 2019.”
Yet it still has some of its vintage features including crown molding and wood parquet floors throughout.
The kitchen has white cabinets with a Subzero refrigerator, Bosch dishwasher, Jenn-Air stove/oven with quartzite counter tops and backsplash.
The quartzite waterfall island seats three and a Marvel beverage cooler and storage.
There’s a sliding door to a full utility room and pantry with a side-by-side Bosch washer/dryer and California Closets storage.
There are electronic window shades in the dining room along with a quartzite topped custom dry bar.
The bedroom has a walk-in-closet built out with California Closets.
The bathroom has a walk-in porcelain shower with marble tile flooring and Kohler fixtures.
There’s no central air but it has an installed split A/C system in the bedroom.
This building is directly across from Lincoln Park and this unit has lake views.
The listing says you can get room service from RJGrunts and Starbucks.
You are also steps away from several bus lines.
Is this a dream apartment for vintage lovers?
Brenda Mauldin at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #1108: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 950 square feet
- Sold in December 2004 for $401,000
- Lis pendens foreclosure filed in September 2009
- Sold in July 2010 for $190,000
- Sold in June 2018 for $280,000
- Currently listed at $400,000
- Assessments of $798 a month (includes heat, gas, doorman, cable, Internet, exercise room, exterior maintenance, scavenger and snow removal)
- Taxes of $5594
- No central air- but split a/c system
- Side-by-side washer/dryer in the unit
- No parking
- Bedroom: 17×11
- Foyer: 11×5
- Living room: 24×14
- Dining room: 10×8
- Kitchen: 13×10
- Laundry room: 7×7
Unit is decorated very nicely though I would have tried for a powder room in lieu of a full size laundry room as I believe the main bath is placed with access through the bedroom in this building.
Buying into a big building like this with high assessments and no amenities seems like a hard sell, particularly with no apparent parking options.
Finally a home where the owner paid some attention to the lighting. I like this place and think the assessments are in line with such an old building.
I don’t like the pet weight limit or lack of parking though.
Nice place, and good sized for a 1-bed, but the lack of outdoor space would bother me.
“Unit is decorated very nicely though I would have tried for a powder room in lieu of a full size laundry room as I believe the main bath is placed with access through the bedroom in this building.”
Not every unit has washer/dryer in this building. I noticed the bigger 2/2 that is currently on the market does not.
Which would you choose if you wanted to maximize price?
A half bath?
Or washer/dryer in the unit?
I’m assuming that this washer/dryer IS in a location that had a bath and that’s why it’s allowed to be installed here.
I think there is no doubt which feature buyers desire. If you have a choice, you are installing the washer/dryer every day of the week.
Here are the floorplans
https://www.dreamtown.com/buildings/2000-n-lincoln-park-west
“Nice place, and good sized for a 1-bed, but the lack of outdoor space would bother me.”
Lincoln Park right across the street.
But with the pandemic ending, I wonder how many will care about outdoor space going forward again?
Most vintage buildings don’t have outdoor space. Vintage buyers seem to brush this off.
If you have a choice, you are installing the washer/dryer every day of the week.
I agree, but there appears to be room for a half bath with a stackable unit. It’s not like a family of 4 is going to be living in this unit, so a side by side isn’t really necessary.
“If you have a choice, you are installing the washer/dryer every day of the week.”
As Madeline mentioned, there’s room for both a powder room and a stackable.
But if there wasn’t space for both — in this instance, I’d choose the powder room simply because the main bathroom is only accessible by walking through the bedroom. With that set up it’s pretty much impossible to host an overnight guest unless you don’t mind someone walking through a bedroom someone else is sleeping in in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom.
“because the main bathroom is only accessible by walking through the bedroom.”
???
First pic from the front door, you can see the black toilet under the window and the towels in front of it. Seems it opens on the hall.
“washer/dryer IS in a location that had a bath”
Slightly unclear, but (with reference to the floorplans) looks to be where the kitchen was, and the kitchen got moved into the dining room area.
Needs parking, otherwise a really nice unit. I tried no car for a year. I’ll never do that again. Maybe it works if you have zero friends/family outside of the city.
Lincoln Park right across the street.
Sure, but I’m not gonna stroll over to the park in my robe and slippers to drink my coffee in the morning, nor am I going to venture into Lincoln Park at 11:30 PM to enjoy a glass of wine before bed. Both are things I do pretty frequently in the private outdoor space in my condo.
“I’m not gonna stroll over to the park in my robe and slippers to drink my coffee in the morning”
If you decide to join the right side of life, say hi when you see me.
“ But with the pandemic ending, I wonder how many will care about outdoor space going forward again?”
First off, the pandemic ending is news to me?
Also pretty sure private outdoor space was a desired attribute prior to COVID and won’t change once the situation is more under control.
its an endemic
all you germaphobes better get used to it
and you freedom lovers better start speaking up
As a vintage-lover, I’ve never seen anything in this building I’d call my “dream.”
As far as older buildings go, it’s a class B or C. Nothing offensive in most of the units, but no real sign of vintage distinction, either.
No central air, no parking, but great location. The price looks too high.
Could really use a second mini split. I dont think there’s much chance that that unit is going to cool 950SF in the dead of summer + the bedroom is going to be considerably cooler to make the living room 72F. Would have been easy to add a second unit. Also curious as to where the condensers located
I would be f’n pissed if the cooling couldnt keep up. Good to sell it in the fall if thats the case
“Maybe it works if you have zero friends/family outside of the city.”
There’s Metra, Zipcars, Ubers/Lyfts.
No need for a car unless there’s a reason you have to go far outside the city every weekend and if that’s the case, why live in the city? Just move to the burbs.
If you’re desperate to have a car, you can always just rent a parking space down the street.
“Could really use a second mini split.”
There is another large unit in the living room. It’s hidden inside the custom shelving on the wall on the other side of the bathroom. The condenser is mounted outside the bathroom window, and camouflaged by decorative grill work. It blocks the view of the park and lake from the bathroom window. Otherwise, you could see flamingos in the zoo while taking a shower. But it is the best location for the condenser as every window in the unit is spectacular and blocking the bathroom view is better than blocking any other. I’ve seen this unit and living in it would be like having a permanent suite in the Peninsula hotel.
“ There is another large unit in the living room. It’s hidden inside the custom shelving on the wall on the other side of the bathroom. ”
Good eye
Agree with Dan #2. Even in pricey Lincoln Park, there are better vintage condos for the money.
Yes, the building is really lovely,and the location is great- close enough to downtown to walk there, but removed from the crowding and bustle. I looked at a few units here when I was younger, though, and while I loved the wonderful entrance and the lobby, I remembered that I wouldn’t be able to live in it, and I found the units disappointing. Even 950 sq ft here feels smaller, with tiny, cramped kitchens and baths, and little storage space, as well as little architectural distinction as vintage buildings go.
The price is too high, and the taxes are murderous. The NOA is about what you would expect for a 90-plus year old high rise with minimal amenities.
“the taxes are murderous”
The taxes are bang on for a $280k property. That’s just how much property taxes in Chicago are.
Because it is a condo, the AV almost certainly will not rise fully to the new sale price, which will actually allow the buyer to get some amount of a discount on their taxes. There’s actually an incentive to buy a “nicer” unit than average in a condo building–the AV is going to be more dictated by average PPSF than by the nicest unit, and a nice unit is more likely to be underassessed compared to purchase price.
“There’s Metra, Zipcars, Ubers/Lyfts.”
I did Metra, time consuming and felt like cattle that had to be dropped off. I tried Zipcar, cars weren’t always available and sometimes they were dirty / wreaked of weed/smoke. Great concept but other people ruin it. Ubers/Lyfts worked for $150 round trips.
I did relocate to the burbs. Chicago Condo has declined 17% in value since then while my burb home has appreciated 19% – apparently others have been doing the same. I still keep an eye out for investment properties in the city, which is why I visit this site.
“I did relocate to the burbs. Chicago Condo has declined 17% in value since then while my burb home has appreciated 19% – apparently others have been doing the same.”
Good for you.
Different strokes for different folks. Not everyone wants to be in a dense, urban environment. Nothing wrong with that.
Unfortunately, you missed the great window to buy an investment property in the city as that was a great buying opportunity last year. We’ll never seen those prices again.
AKA “Buy now or be priced out for ever”
“AKA “Buy now or be priced out for ever””
No. Not in Chicago anyway. Plenty of housing at all price points.
But if you wanted a “deal” and you wanted to buy downtown, that is over now. You missed your window.
By the way, for those who have been arguing that the spike in crime is a Chicago-only problem, it’s happening in Atlanta and in Los Angeles.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-09-18/melrose-strip-gun-crime-wave-microcosm-of-firearms-holdups-citywide
The first to get robbed Tuesday on the busy Melrose strip was Zero’s, a trendy sneaker store. A man pulled a handgun on an employee in the middle of the day and ordered him to fill garbage bags with shoes, clothes and cash.
Next, a few hours later, it was some gardeners a few blocks away robbed at gunpoint of all their tools.
Then, half a mile down the street, a security camera captured a man hurling a rock through a restaurant window and making off with $3,700 from the cash register in the middle of the night.
“$3,700 from the cash register in the middle of the night”
What moron leaves $3,700 in the register overnight? Seems like someone pulled the old “we lost all the cash” in the break-in, when it was really $200.
“No. Not in Chicago anyway. Plenty of housing at all price points.”
Havent you posted the the Chicago market is extremely tight and HAWT ™?
“Havent you posted the the Chicago market is extremely tight and HAWT ™?”
Yes, indeed.
A hot market has nothing to do with housing available at all price points.
But it’s really tight in some neighborhoods in both the city and the suburbs. It’s September, so normally we’d see falling inventory now. But put that on top of already record low inventory and it’s terrible in many neighborhoods.
Heck, some 500 unit buildings only have 1 or 2 properties, or sometimes, none for sale.
It will be an interesting spring market, for sure.
“A hot market has nothing to do with housing available at all price points”
Hmm. Might it have at least *a tiny bit* to do with it? I live in what I would describe as a hot market. Nearly everything, from starter condos with the original 80s carpet and 1400 sq ft never-been-updated late 1960s SFHs, to 4500 sq ft tear down/new build spec homes that aren’t even finished, and everything in between, goes under contract in days if not hours, typically for above the already inflated listing price, and closes fast, often all cash. I know one couple in their mid-70s (parents of a neighborhood friend) who live elsewhere but wanted to have a house here to be near their grandkids. A place nearby was listed about a month ago for around $1 million (that would have sold for around $800k a few years ago and $500k about six years ago; it hasn’t been updated in decades if ever). They had it under contract the first day (didn’t even see it in person), and paid all cash within about a week. They don’t even plan to live in it for a couple of years – for now they’re having some new carpet and other rental grade updates made, and will rent it until they’re ready to renovate and move (when they’re closer to 80). That sort of buyer activity, in an already tight market, obviously has a dramatic impact. What does that do in terms of availability, for the pool of people in their 30s and 40s with young kids trying to buy into the neighborhood? It would seem that a “hot” market is one with limited supply at all price points. Otherwise, it’s not a hot “market”; rather, it’s a market with some hot price points/sectors/categories.
“A hot market has nothing to do with housing available at all price points.”
WTF?!?
“WTF?!?”
Believe it or not JohnnyU, there are condos available for $90,000 or $900,000 in this red hot market.
You can buy a house for $225,000 or $2.5 million.
Yes. These things exist in Chicago. We have quite a diverse collection of real estate in the city. At all price points.
Has nothing to do with the market conditions, actually.
“I live in what I would describe as a hot market. Nearly everything, from starter condos with the original 80s carpet and 1400 sq ft never-been-updated late 1960s SFHs, to 4500 sq ft tear down/new build spec homes that aren’t even finished, and everything in between, goes under contract in days if not hours, typically for above the already inflated listing price, and closes fast, often all cash.”
This is true in Chicago too anonny. The average market time is now less than 14 days for over half of properties.
So, a “hot” market has little to do with the price point. A buyer who is trying to buy a $500,000 2/2 in Lakeview doesn’t care about the buyer trying to buy the 2/2 for $250,000 in Galewood, and vice versa. If they both have 10 offers, it’s a hot market. Price is irrelevant.
“They don’t even plan to live in it for a couple of years – for now they’re having some new carpet and other rental grade updates made, and will rent it until they’re ready to renovate and move (when they’re closer to 80).”
What you are describing, anonny, is an overheated market. It’s not healthy, except for the sellers who are cashing in.
As you describe, speculation has taken hold. This is bubblicious behavior because the belief is that it can “only go up” by that buyer. They felt they had to buy now or “be priced out forever.”
Buying real estate right now with all cash when you could be buying stocks, or heck, even crypto, seems foolish, does it not? They could rent a house/apartment when they are 80 in whatever city that is. Why buy with all the extra costs?
Only if you believe that it can appreciate literally another 10% a year, for the next few years, would you even want to buy this. You have taxes. Maintenance costs. I don’t know where you are now anonny, but hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tornados, fires, are all a risk.
The Chicago market is hot. There are multiple offers. Inventory is at record lows. At all price points. Not many are selling for all cash like you describe. Thank god.
Who wants to live in your city/town where families are completely priced out? Where Millennials are mostly priced out? Where the buyers have NOTHING invested in the city or neighborhood?
Ugh.
Yuck.
I lived in that in San Francisco and that was a long time ago. It has only gotten worse since I was there. Never again.
“It would seem that a “hot” market is one with limited supply at all price points. Otherwise, it’s not a hot “market”; rather, it’s a market with some hot price points/sectors/categories.”
Yep. Exactly. This is Chicago.
In fact, this is every city right now. St Louis. Milwaukee. Cincinnati. Grand Rapids. Indianapolis.
Every city has limited inventory. They are ALL hot.
Chicago is in a rare position, however, because we’re one of the few larger cities that has NOT been hot for the last 5 years. But finally, we have joined in.
All the bears on this board are getting it wrong. You can’t have a housing crash if you have no inventory. Even when demand slows, which it is not doing (so far.)
2021 is completely the opposite from 2008. In 2008, there were literally 5,000 condos on the market in Lakeview alone at any given time. And right now? 706 total homes (including SFH).
706.
Lol.
I’ve noticed how sparse the listings are for high-rise condos in 60657. 60614, and 60610 lately. It’s a desert.
“I’ve noticed how sparse the listings are for high-rise condos in 60657. 60614, and 60610 lately. It’s a desert.”
Yes. Very limited inventory. Everywhere.
If you are interested in a certain high rise in Lakeview or LP or Hyde Park/Kenwood, you might have to wait until next year to see if more comes on the market.
This is great for those sellers, however. They will get a premium.
The high-rise units that are available are almost exclusively low-floor units, the most undesirable ones. I’m curious what accounts for that.
“The high-rise units that are available are almost exclusively low-floor units, the most undesirable ones. I’m curious what accounts for that.”
The most desirable units, when they are listed, likely sell right away. So if you want one on a high floor, you have to get in there with an offer within the first few days of it being listed.