Want Modern? Check out 860 N. Lake Shore Drive
Many people like the modern style of Helmut Jahn’s 600 N. Fairbanks. But before that building came the Mies Van Der Rohe buildings on North Lake Shore Drive.
860 N. Lake Shore Drive is one of the co-op buildings. Built in 1951, there are no washer/dryers and no central air. But who needs those things?
It’s Mies!
Unit #17L is a renovated two bedroom. If I didn’t know better I might have thought I was in 600 N. Fairbanks by looking at that kitchen, with Boesch and Subzero, and marble baths.
And I’m a sucker for this great evening shot.
Unit #17L: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1400 square feet
- I couldn’t find a prior sales price
- Originally listed for $469,000
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $399,900
- Assessments of $1729 a month– includes taxes
- Parking is rental (available for around $150 a month)
- Cathy Epstein & Associates has the listing
Excuse me? No washer & dryer and no parking?
Hi Sabrina,
The units do have Central Air. The building controls when the heat to air switch over takes place (like many buildings of that era).
AIR: Central Air
It does not look too bad from the pictures, except the black granite in the kitchen … What’s the sale history of this unit?
Parking is rental
Most building of that age don’t allow in unit laundry….
Can you put a washer & dryer in yourself and be quiet about it? Or there’s no pipe for them in the unit?
Streeterville Realtor,
The building control the heat and air conditioner, correct? Meaning, you could get really hot or freezing in your apartment and have no control over it? If this is correct, then that’s so funny, especially you pay that kind of assessment, the building should be upgraded!
You could always put a space heater in your apartment to keep it from being too cold. However a space a/c hasn’t been invented yet so you couldn’t cool it down if need be.
For this location 400k would seem reasonable, afterall it is a 2/2, however not with those assessments. I would expect to pay 800/month tops for assessments that include taxes.
Nice design for that era though. I would’ve never guessed this thing was built in the early 50s..not in a million years.
So can someone tell me the composition or the breakout of an assessment this enormous? I know it includes tax, but what’s that roughly in terms of percentage? Is tax the biggest ‘chunk’ of what is covered in the monthly assessment?
These are landmark buildings and the people that live there are more than willing to put up with a few inconveniences. So, limited control on heat and air as well as no washer/dryers is not a big issue.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/860-880_Lake_Shore_Drive_Apartments
Hi,
You can control the heat/AC blower and temperature in your own unit. The building just decides when to switch the system over from heat to A/C. Usually, heat goes on in Oct and A/C in April or May. Individual unit owners can control the force or blower and temperature.
Unfortunately, most buildings from this era do not have the plumbing needed for washer/dryers. You can incur serious fines and penalties (as well as liability for damaging the piping system) if you “secretly” install your own Washer/Dryer.
you could prob. put in a euro washer/dryer combo that goes through the sink (or however it works – i’m no plumber!)
the bigger problem – they have a no pet policy…and when i used to live near there, the building management was SUPER ocd about keeping dogs off of their grass or sidewalk when the could help it. Not a very friendly place…
Also, the counters appear to be marble, not granite, but the listing doesn’t specify. I love them!
It appears my previous comment was censored due to a link to Wilkipedia. Look up 860-880_Lake_Shore_Drive_Apartments on Wikipedia and you will find that these are landmarked buildings of architectural significance, and that most of the residents are more than willing to put up with a few inconveniences to live in a Mie van Der Rohe building.
Excuse my typo… Mies van der Rohe
My friend lives in this building and I have seen this unit.
Air conditioning systems are either window units or water cooled units located in a small utility closet in the unit (the city is trying to make people get rid of this type of air conditioner because it consumes high amounts of water).
Heating is radiant through the floor.
The bedrooms in this particular unit are very tiny. It used to be a three bedroom, but the previous owner sold part of his condo to the unit next door (removing the large master bedroom).
The unit is beautiful for people who love marble.
One note, the buildnig is having major work done and there was a special assessment of $40,000 on the the units with three bedrooms (I have no idea how much this unit was assessed or whether the owner has paid it).
The parking is very nice in the building since it’s valet. I would say that $150 to rent a space is a very good deal.
The assessments include: heat, electric, cable, and taxes. Basically, every utility is covered in the assessment.
Thanks for the insight Jenny! Great info!
I have not been in this building specifically, but having been in several other older buildings in the area, I am continually amazed by how well kept the units and buildings are after so long. To that end, if you are looking for a long-term home, the assessments don’t seem unjustifiable, as you at least now its being re-invested in your property. Not that any of that matters as I do NOT have that kinda dough laying around for monthly payments.
This old and outdated building does not look like the brand new and modern Helmut Jahn building. Keep dreaming though.
Note the window unit in the living room.
Parking is both monthly rental and “deeded.” There is no waiting list for monthly rental parking and it is valet. As is typical for a building of this vintage, there are far more units than parking spaces so not every unit has a space affiliated with it. However, from time to time people sell the spaces so it is possible to pick one up. Prices for purchased or “deeded” spaces range from $55,000 to $60,000. I use “deeded” in quotes because this building is a coop. When you purchase a parking space, just as with an apartment, you really purchase shares of ownership in the building and are given a proprietary lease for the parking space. The lease expires when you sell your shares.
The radiant heat is wonderful. Imagine having floors gently warm to the touch in the dead of winter.
The work being done to the buildings is substantial. The travertine plaza is being redesigned for better drainage and replaced. The concrete below the plaza is being repaired. The walls surrounding the lobby are being restored. The buildings are being repainted, the roofs replaced, and new mechanical equipment installed. This is a major restoration of the buildings.
Construction began in Jan. 1949 and was completed in Jan. 1951.
The assessment includes payment of debt on new mortgage. No special assessment. Upon conclusion of capital work at end of year, building owners will get an 8 year property tax freeze and then a 3 yr ramp-up to standard tax rates. Therefore much if not all of the work will be covered by the property tax payments over time. Assessment is expected to go down in 2009 as property tax is reduced. Assessment includes everything including all utilities and property taxes
Now living in Arizona, I am proud to say that as a secretary for Pace Associates, I worked many hours typing and proof-reading the specifications for the 860 building. Also, I was among the first to visit the Pent House as our chief architect Skip Guenther of took that space for his own and had a special party for all the employees involved in this project. I wish a good life for all the residents. Hmmm, I wonder, if my daughter and I were to travel to Chicago and brought our sleeping bags, is there an empty apartment where we could spend a couple of nights while shopping downtown?