Vintage Exterior Hides Contemporary Penthouse: 3913 N. Ashland in Lakeview
The vintage exterior of 3913 N. Ashland in Lakeview gives no hint as to the contemporary loft penthouse that awaits behind closed doors.
The listing says the 2-bedroom unit was designed by award-winning architect Attila Demeter.
The unit is a live/work space with an open concept living and lofted second bedroom. French doors lead to the deck. The property also has 5 skylights.
This is no cookie cutter unit. No cherry kitchen cabinets here!
Kim Kerbis at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #3: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1340 square feet
- Sold in April 2003 for $375,000
- Originally listed in October 2009 for $374,900 (plus $25,000 for parking)
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $364,900 (plus $25,000 for parking)
- Assessments of $160 a month
- Taxes of $3808
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Bedroom #1: 12×13
- Bedroom #2: 12×13
Finally, a contemmporary with panache. This will move.
Agreed, this place will move. Very nice and well priced.
Fantastic. I would hate to be a sucker that bought any other 2/2 for 350k down the street this year.
Me three! At the top of the list for me after viewing 500+ places over 2 years. Love the very cosmopolitan, urban feel…edgy without being over done.
While many of the units I have been able to view have come close to being able to get the buyer to truly appreciate the implementation of their ‘vision’, none have reached that mark. A well executed result of much thought being placed into the small details that are required to reach this point…highly modern and sophisticated design without being cliche’ or overly trendy.
And for that price….
A coworker of mine just sent a mass officewide email about selling his South Loop 2/2, 1260 sqft, ‘loft’ style for $330K with parking. If I weren’t his friend, I’d send him this link to say “good luck!” as this seems a much better deal for + $60K
Love this place. Very nicely done (minus the glassblock)
Too bad it’s right on Ashland.
has anyone taken a look at those stairs? not sure how I feel about those.
I think I would die on those stairs. Cool though. Is there outdoor space? Finally, contemporary on the north side.
Love the stairs. I’m sure it’s something you’d get used to pretty quickly.
Could be a problem for one night stands though…
Does it come with a sweater, COLD!
Some really good elements here though. Figure about $40K to remove glass block, construct a real staircase, update a few elements.
Too bad it is on Ashland, agreed.
Wtf is up with those stairs… like why would anyone install those? As for the rest… meh I’m not a fan of white paint and maple colored wood everywhere, it needs some contrast! Obviously you can change that if you buy the place, but the location SUCKS. Very close to grungy Irving Park rd and Ashland is the barrio here… pass!
the 80’s called and they want their glass blocks back!
no seriously only two beers in me i would bust my shyt on those stairs.
cool place!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
now few questions,
1. has anybody lived on an alley outlet? is it bad or noisy with the extra stopping and going traffic?
2. is there a concern with being this close to a HS? for me it is with all those punk kids and flaming hot bags floating in the wind
3. how much of a preimum does “designed by award-winning architect Attila Demete” command?
This has the feel of that place on schiller in old town. at first it’s YES! then we start finding the horse stables, el noise, and broken auto glass. here it’s probably the location, HS, and some other stuff we haven’t found out yet.
I like the inside aside from the glass block though.
Pass the mimosas guys! Seriously, I can’t believe the postive comments on this place. Very out of character for some of you – especially when talking about a place on Ashland! So it’s about $280/SF with overpriced parking…
The design may command a premium from some folks that appreciate this far more than me. To me, it looks like the maple section at IKEA. The loft looks like it could fall into the kitchen at any moment. Not to mention the glass block and that staircase. Seriously, that staircase? And the railing… Awful. This guy has an overpriced place on Damen as well (Aspen 6) which is designed with a lovely eye-shaped courtyard so that for over a million dollars you can stare directly into your neighbors place. Laughable.
I think it is kind of cool, but the glass block is “played out like Kwame and those f*cking polka dots” as Biggie would say. I am sure those steps can be replaced with regular ones without much expense.
Being on Ashland kills it for me though. Absolute no no in most cases imho. You rent on Ashland, but don’t buy.
Given the price point, I think it will sell. But I agree with Jon… Laughable. The design will definitely limit the pool of interested buyers. And as stated before, it is on Ashland, which is a huge negative.
russ,
“as Biggie would say”
because you decided to quote biggie i am not going to read any of your post for the rest of the day. sorry it just has to be like that.
“3. how much of a preimum does “designed by award-winning architect Attila Demete” command?”
None, the guy is a nobody as far as I can tell… only got one award from AIA Chicago a couple years ago.
Also putting in glass blocks and those gimmick stairs should invalidate everything else you’ve done as an architect.
It looks dated and cheap.
Groove… I put “as Biggie would say” since I figured most folks on here probably wouldn’t know where that line came from… the more I think about it, I am sure most don’t know Kwame either. But I could be wrong… don’t know why, that line just popped in my head as soon as I saw those glass blocks.
I can admit it, I am a 30 something hip hop fan…
In case anyone is interested, here is a link to the video tour of Mr. Demeter’s mil+ place in Bucktown. I have to say that I like the Bucktown place better, but notice how the courtyard views are right into your neighbor’s place. That’s not a selling point.
The article states, October 28, 2009 52.0FLog In | My Account | Subscribe | Sitemap | Advertise | About Us | Contact Us All Chicago-Mag Chicago-Home Radar
Radar / Deal Estate / October 2009 / Eyeing a Bucktown Penthouse
Oct 22, 2009On the Market
Eyeing a Bucktown Penthouse
By Dennis Rodkin
List Price: $1,175,000
The Property: This two-level penthouse unit is at Aspen 6, a Bucktown building. Its distinguishing feature (not visible from the street) is an enclosed second-story courtyard, shaped approximately like an eye, that all the condos look into.
Attila Demeter, the building’s architect and developer, used eclectic materials and unique design elements—corrugated metal siding in the courtyard; crisp birch paneling inside the condos; the arched wooden ceilings above this unit’s living room and kitchen—to create a mellow but contemporary look. When I first visited the unfinished building in autumn 2006, I was captivated by Demeter’s sail-like ceilings. I have since transferred my affection to this Demeter-designed house in Wilmette, where the curves are even more pronounced.
With its curving south walls, on both levels, composed of windows, this condo gets the maximum benefit of both the courtyard view and the ample natural light. The first floor of the condo—which is on the fourth floor of the building—has three bedrooms. The master bedroom, separated from the other two by the spacious family room, has lots of storage—a wall of closets and a pair of walk-ins next to the sleek, deluxe bathroom.
The more formal living floor is up a curvaceous flight of steps; the living room (on the west) opens onto a large sheltered terrace with views of the neighborhood. On the east end of the floor is the kitchen, where three pairs of French doors lead out to another large terrace, this one capturing magnificent views of the Chicago skyline.
“Price Points: According to information from the Cook County Recorder of Deeds, Christopher Zachary paid $1.125 million for the condo in January 2008. He then invested “at least $50,000” more in window treatments and other finishes that will remain with the property, says his agent, Maria Casciaro. With a relocation pending, Zachary put the condo on the market in September with an asking price of $1.25 million. Earlier this month he reduced the price to $1.175 million, which Casciaro says is Zachary’s break-even point.”
Poor Zachary.
oops. the link:
http://www.chicagomag.com/Radar/Deal-Estate/October-2009/Eyeing-a-Bucktown-Penthouse/
biggie said
“…Rolex watch colorful swatches,…”
Tupac is dead… let it go
“Also putting in glass blocks and those gimmick stairs should invalidate everything else you’ve done as an architect”
correct those stairs are a gimmick and should stay in a show room or architects portfolio not in the “real” world. Good architecture should not only be about form its also the function that should be 80% of it.
Russ,
“I can admit it, I am a 30 something hip hop fan” never dugg biggie. and hip hop means different things to different people. so all is forgiven and we are home slices again. (unless you drop a Mc Brains reference)
Tupac = most over rated rapper ever. Yeah, I said it.
biggie is a pussy
I agree Russ… like 95% of tupac’s music is garbage, just like the properties on this website (see I kept it on topic)
yeah sonies shames me into talking about the property, it not bad, but the traffic noise has to take like 30K off the price.
2Pac is awesome, but if you like east coast rap check out Immortal Technique.
The stairs are alternating tread. It’s a smart way to put a “normal,” as opposed to spiral, staircase in a small spot. It looks weird, but it functions better than spiral. I think it was a good choice. I have a spiral staircase and I’ve often thought of swapping it for alternating tread.
I think this “A” grade space for the price. The location is “B” at best. It’s a not a bad neighborhood . . . But there are only two streets that I think would be worse to live on than Ashland: Western and the expressway. If you (1) want something unique; (2) don’t want to spend a fortune; and (3) don’t want to live in a “marginal” neighborhood . . . then I think this is a good buy. I also think there a enough people that fall into all three of these categories that this place will sell near ask.
My biggest concern would be no outdoor space? Where is the closest park?
never mind . . . just saw the listing says there is a deck.
“My biggest concern would be no outdoor space? Where is the closest park?”
outdoor space on this place would be a negative with all the noise, smog and dirt from ashland. I lived on a major street for a year (close to an intersection) and the dust and gunk i cleaned off my windows and screens each month had me wondering what my lungs were like 🙁
“2Pac is awesome, but if you like east coast rap”
like i said hip hop is different to different people (well atleast revassal said “rap”)
I have a friend who lives on Ashland. You can’t hear anything unles the windows are open.
LOL @ you ‘staid RE nerds’ (said in total admiration and respect) discussing Hip Hop!! Aren’t they all so….10 years ago? If I read anything resembling anything about an east coast/west coast smackdown I will no longer read CC…
Anyway, the stairs have been making more appearances of late esp in stararchitects projects. I think they do add to the overall mod look and design of this place. It does take a few trips up and down to become accustomed to them but that is about it. drunk or not.
The glass block is a newer design and does not fall into the 70’s era product or look. When done correctly in a suitable space and in a unique design such as this, it adds to the overall design.
I would do a three shade paint job in the entire space to unify the whole house. I am thinking silvers/greys/ with a touch of black or brownish/green as those combos in mod places seem to work the best. Just so the seller doesn’t go rainbow crazy in color choices I think it would still reflect the architect’s vision.
Better yet, contact the person themselves and ask their advice as to which color family to utilize. I have done that in a previous semi important architect designed/owned property I had for my own residence. It was a huge selling point as well a few years later to be able to say it was 100% the architects viewpoint…which to answer an earlier inquiry, it does add to the chances of suceessful sale to have this information and history available for the buyers. The market segment attracted to units such as this one would expect as much.
I don’t like the steps but am glad someone said something nice about the blocks.
Is this place in the front or the back? They added on to the original structure, taking it back to the (not-quite) mid-block alley.
Sonies: “Ashland is the barrio here”
Oh, be serious. There’s more than enough bad to say about the location w/o mad overgeneralizing.
Anyone care for Popeye’s Famous Fried Chicken?? It’s right there on the corner!
“Oh, be serious. There’s more than enough bad to say about the location w/o mad overgeneralizing.”
No really… it is… almost every shop is a mexican shop. I didn’t say that was a bad thing, its the truth. I used to wait on the corner for the ashland bus there all the time when coming home from my friend’s house.
Also, #2 in the building sold for $340k in July.
And the architect apparently had/has it’s offices in the building, too.
“almost every shop is a mexican shop.”
It’s been a while since you’ve been there. In the two blocks b/t IP and Grace, there’s a Peruvian restaurant and a mexican(?)-owned trucking company office as identifiably spanish-speaker related places. Unless empty storefronts, Subway and Play-it-Again Sports is how you define “the barrio”.
“Play-it-Again Sports”
they moved again, that used to be by irving and lincoln.
and isnt the bar “El Gato” there spanish?
“almost every shop is a mexican shop.”
i think thats more towards montrose sonies
“and isnt the bar “El Gato” there spanish?”
That’s on IP, almost at Jannsen. And I think it’s open to men of all nationalities, so long as they like men.
“they moved again, that used to be by irving and lincoln.”
Yeah, like 6 years ago. They’ve been in the former Brown Elephant Shop spot for a long time.
Ashland is almost all residential north of IP until you get to A’ville. It’s just too close to Clark, which is the commercial strip in the area.
“Ashland is almost all residential north of IP until you get to A’ville”
i meant montrose and ashland area, montrose has a few mexican shops, a mexican restaurant, a liqour store the a buddy in HS parents owned.
so thats what i was thinking sonies was talking about.
“i meant montrose and ashland area, montrose has a few mexican shops, a mexican restaurant, a liqour store the a buddy in HS parents owned.”
Yeah, there’s the panaderia, and the taqueria(s) snd a medical office, at least. And the Mixteco Grill on the corner (but that was a non-Mex diner two years ago). But that’s really all on Montrose.
LOL at those ridonkulous stairs. Seriously WTF?
Max 350k with parking.
This space was on the market last summer and I walked it in July. I liked it, but not enough to put an offer on it. (I ended up further north in a brick/timber loft).
Everyone is spot-on about the stairs. Both me and my agent almost killed ourselves on them.
Behind the glass block wall is the second bath. It’s more of a powder room than anything else, but has a drain in the floor and a wand hose. I can’t imagine anyone ever being able to “shower” in there. The full bath is behind the kitchen putting it at the opposite end from the master bedroom which does face Ashland. There is a nice tree right outside the master windows, and it was surprisingly quiet even with the windows open.
The thing I didn’t like about the space was the lack of storage, and how bright it is with all the skylights. (took me a few minutes to realize that I still had my sunglasses on — I’m a night owl)
The space used to be the office of the architect that designed the place, and I believe he lives in another unit in the building. The deck has stairs that lead down to a small yard with a sidewalk gate. In the opposite direction are the decks of other units.
All in all, it’s a nice one of a kind unit, but wasn’t what I was looking for.
groove, yeah i agree, there is a difference btwn rap and hip hop.
“like i said hip hop is different to different people (well atleast revassal said “rap”)”
i agree with bob as well. 360ish
”
Max 350k with parking.”
Revassal,
“groove, yeah i agree, there is a difference btwn rap and hip hop.”
glad your on boat didnt want to go into the diff between 2Pac and D.O.C to Souls of mischief and Krs-One (or for you younger folks Little Jon and 50 cent to a Talib Kweli and Common.)
“i agree with bob as well. 360ish”
If one offered them $364,900 including parking and they said “no”, I think one would be entitled to laugh out loud at them.
Everyone is $hitting on the stairs.
It’s a smart decision for a small footprint. See the Wiki link(note the Lego picture): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stairway#Alternating_tread_stairs
Well if Wikipedia has a blurb on it it must be a quality addition.
lol.
bradford the example used in Wikipedia for alternating stairs is of a mountain. LOL! If there is insufficient space for regular stairs this is one epic fail of a floorplan.
LOL well if the lego people have it, I surely want it in my house!
“LOL well if the lego people have it”
How ’bout this Lego house?
http://www.andrewlipson.com/escher/relativity.html
I drink too much to live in a place like that 🙂
A lot of people have spiral staircases. It’s not ideal, but it happens. Why? Because in the city land is expensive so we build up not out. It’s not an “epic fail” as LOLBob puts it. It’s basic geometry. If they had a full staircase everyone would be saying the unit is all stairs. I’ve you all say this before. I’ve also heard you complain about the spiral. The alternating tread staircase is an alternative to the spiral. I think it’s better. I have a spiral staircase. I wish I had alternating tread.
“Bob on October 28th, 2009 at 3:09 pm
If there is insufficient space for regular stairs this is one epic fail of a floorplan.”
I’m OK with my home being non-ADA compliant, but I can see why a daily helmet-wearer such as yourself might be a bit scared away.
“J on October 28th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
The alternating tread staircase is an alternative to the spiral. I think it’s better. I have a spiral staircase. I wish I had alternating tread.”
Well said.
Very nice unit, with great detail…
“but I can see why a daily helmet-wearer such as yourself might be a bit scared away.”
bradford its my guess that after a few weeks of waking up and attempting to take the “stairs” down to get some coffee you’re going to be wearing a helmet as well.
Meet Attila Demeter, the architect / developer, and hear a bit of his philosophy of building, in these videos shot at Aspen 6 while it was still under construction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jO6JqdL4r4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSLEckoPv3Y
“To me, it looks like the maple section at IKEA.”
What about a “home depot finishes” quip? They do have a “european kitchen” (snaidero knock-off) line at Home Depot.
PS Tupac was the only rapper I’ve ever respected. Oh, I liked Tone Loc when I was a kid.
The ship stairs are the right look for the look fot this space. Clearly he prefers form over function. It will sell to a Southport Ave hipster that wants a deal. There are plenty of $400K places that will look bland compared to this space.
I used to live in an apartment on the 1600 block of Grace. It was a long time ago but at that time it was a quiet family street with great parking. I still occasionally park there when Im going to a day cubs game.
Perhaps one of you MLS connected info junkies can look up a penthouse that sold in 2003 or 2004 on that same block. It was located on the west side of Ashland street and was a really modern grey and white stone structure on a 50 foot lot. If I recall correctly it was priced well above this price point and was builder basic. The main selling point for me was a huge terrace on the front of the unit and a smaller one on the back. With the front terrace setback it was pretty quiet.
this link doesn’t work for me anymore, i get a 404 page not found error. usually if the property is sold or no longer listed you will get a message saying so and it will send you to the company’s home page, right? did something change with @’s site that messed up this link?
“this link doesn’t work for me anymore”
Seems gone for me, too, but the vht link still works, as of right now. And it has 360 scenes!
http://tours5.vht.com/Viewer/PhotoGallery.aspx?ListingID=50023135&Style=API
There was a picture of the agent on the alternating tread staircase fronting the Sunday Trib Real Estate section….
This is a very nice interior that probably cost $300/sq ft.
“This is a very nice interior that probably cost $300/sq ft.”
So, the original sale, in April 2003, was at a significant loss for the developer? 1340*300= $402k; sold for $375k.
That doesn’t make any sense.
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
Neither does a strangely decorated 2/2 sushi bar on Ashland (one of the busiest and dirtiest streets in the city) costing 390k