We Love 3-Bedroom Duplex Up Units With Private Roofdecks: 1043 W. School in Lakeview
This 3-bedroom loft-like duplex up at 1043 W. School in Lakeview was listed in October 2010.
Located in the School Street Lofts, the living area has vaulted ceilings.
There is also a large second floor 24×14 master suite while the other two bedrooms are on the main floor.
The unit has its own private roofdeck.
The kitchen has white cabinets, stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.
It is listed for $17,500 under the 2002 purchase price.
Is this a deal for the location and square footage?
Amanda McMillan at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #306: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed, 1 car parking
- Sold in June 1997 for $320,000
- Sold in December 2002 for $492,500
- Originally listed in October 2010 for $475,000
- Currently still listed for $475,000
- Assessments of $372 a month
- Taxes of $7955
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Bedroom #1: 24×14 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 12×10 (main floor)
- Bedroom #3: 12×10 (main floor)
Ignoring the location and the open living/kitchen/dining issue, this place is very cool.
I don’t see this as being a very open kitchen as compared to some of the places we’ve seen over the years with kitchen walls in a living room. Here you might even be able to simply seal up the wall open to the living room and you’d be set – even have two exits from the kitchen on either end.
Wicker: agreed; it’s not as bad as most open plans, and I could see living with this set up (or changing it as you’ve described).
For folks who like central Lakeview (and the listing does specifiy Nettlehorse), this place would be a good deal at $450k.
Why do people on this kitchen hate open kitchens? Don’t you people have friends?
“Don’t you people have friends?”
The answer to that isn’t obvious?
“Why do people on this kitchen hate open kitchens? Don’t you people have friends?”
It’s not the open kitchen that I hate, it’s that many (if not most) open kitchens are open to the living room. I have no problem with a kitchen being open to the dining room (in fact, I just moved into a place that has such a layout, and quite like it).
I think that the open kitchen haters are in the VAST minority of current homebuyers. I just opened up the kitchen in my 800 sq ft one bedroom condo. Kitchen, living room, dining area and foyer are now one open area. It makes the unit seem far bigger than it actually is, not to mention the fact that I can look at the lake while prepping food at the island.
If you live in an 800 ft one bedroom it should be open. That will help make the space feel bigger. Most people in SFH’s in the burbs would love a bigger space with the kitchen. Whenever Im at their homes we spend almost all the time in that kitchen plus whatever space. The Living room goes untouched all night. Like it or not the party always ends up in the kitchen! Make it as biggggg as possible. I would opt for a butlers pantry to wheel the dirty dishes and expired food. This makes things look more attractive during the party.
“Why do people on this kitchen hate open kitchens? Don’t you people have friends?”
I like to encourage mice to stay in just one place!
I’d prefer the kitchen be open the living room than the dining room.
I want to be able to watch TV while my wife and I are making dinner. I want to be able to interact with everyone when I’m entertaining, not just the people in the kitchen.
I see no benefit whatsoever for the dining room to be open to the kitchen.
This is a really bizarre redfin listing. Comes up as 3254 N. Kenmore. And says the last sale was in 2003 for $738k.
Confusing.
Because when we have our fancy dinner parties we don’t want to see a dirty kitchen. Nor do we want to see a dirty kitchen while we are relaxing in front of the TV.
Also, I like having actual rooms, makes me feel like I’m not just living in one big box.
“Why do people on this kitchen hate open kitchens? Don’t you people have friends?”
I can’t imagine moving back into a house that separated the living room, dining room, and kitchen. I know some people prefer rooms, but for me, the light, space, and ability to spill activities from one space into the other is a huge win.
“This is a really bizarre redfin listing. Comes up as 3254 N. Kenmore.”
Same building.
Ummm, put the dishes in the dishwasher? Or just set the kitchen up with a bar height counter to conceal what’s on your prep surface?
Chopping up big beautiful bright spaces into little dens is what people used to do before they realized it was stupid.
Not following what’s wrong with “one big box”.
I’ve got one great room that’s 50’x30’x12′ and it’s by far the best feature of the home. It’s got a living room area, a home theater area, a billiards area, a kitchen, and a dining room area. It’s basically the entire living area of the home (other than a few bedrooms and an office) in one large room, and we’ve never wanted for a different layout in the five years we’ve lived there.
Every area has a role and/or function, but you don’t need walls to define that.
…unless you have kids that need to be caged I guess.
I agree with Bradford – the people who lived in my house before me were from california and hated the chopped up feeling – so they knocked down several walls to create a huge open living area – it is 60 x 40 and occupies much of the entire first floor. It is great when entertaining because it can accommodate several people and has several conversation areas – you don’t have to participate in every conversation but still feel like you are part of the party.
Other than my previously stated criteria for where to live (block from the park, garage, etc., blah blah, etc.), I’m really not that picky. As noted above, my new place has the kitchen open to the dining area, separated by a counter/bar, and I’m liking it a great deal. That said, the next place I live should be configured as follows:
A separate living room (i.e., the room with couches and the biggest t.v.), of course, but the kitchen will be more of an “open kitchen family room,” comprised of the kitchen, a medium sized table (e.g., 4 or six chairs), some other seating that is conducive to socializing with those who are cooking and sitting at the bar and table, a decent t.v. (e.g., 42 inches), entry onto a deck and, last but not least, a two-sided fireplace, with one side open to the “open kitchen family room” and the other side open to the deck. I’d also have a formal dining room, perhaps segregatable from the kitchen by some French doors. How’s that for a unicorn?
“How’s that for a unicorn?”
Only if you expect to get it, a block from the park, south of Fullerton, for under $[whatever]. Never felt that what you were looking to get was unobtainable, just unobtainable in your stated price range. You can certainly build that, and I’ve seen places that (substantially) have that, tho a block or less from the park makes it a multi-million dollar thing.
anonny, that sounds like almost every suburban house out there.
“Only if you expect to get it, a block from the park, south of Fullerton, for under $[whatever].”
While I want to remain in the Lincoln elem area for at least the next 8 years or so (and thus south of Fullerton, or at least the southside of Arlington), for the next place, which should contain the above-described open kitchen family room, I’d be willing to go as far north as Deming, provided that it’s east of Clark.
“. . .that sounds like almost every suburban house out there.”
I doubt I’ll ever live in a house here, let alone one in the burbs. However, I do hope to have a house in a ski town, and it should also have such a configuration, only with a larger family room area and deck adjacent to the kitchen.
Actually a kitchen which is open to dining room is very nice. We entertain often and I like to be able to talk to our guests while they are at the table and I am working on the next item to serve.
Very open kitchens can be challenging if you have a lot of stuff — one needs a sufficient amount of wall space or a walk-in pantry to accommodate it. Getting back to this property, the inability to vent w/o major work is a dealbreaker for me as it limits one’s range options, although I know many people like microhoods and don’t want a high BTU range (or want one because they like how it looks and don’t intend to use it so don’t care about having good venting). But I really enjoy cooking and find it relaxing after a long stressful day. So I’d happily trade open plan for an entirely separate room with nearby family/dining rooms if it met all of my other needs. In fact, I did and I love my kitchen. It’s why everyone’s unicorn is different… It is a more specific buyer, though, if we ever want to move.
H: Interesting point on venting. I’ve seen a few where they tied the kitchen vent into the bathroom venting, perhaps an option here.
“H: Interesting point on venting. I’ve seen a few where they tied the kitchen vent into the bathroom venting, perhaps an option here.”
That is potentially fraught. May also not be code compliant.
“H: Interesting point on venting. I’ve seen a few where they tied the kitchen vent into the bathroom venting, perhaps an option here.”
I don’t know about code, but I don’t think that would work for a high BTU residential range. There’s a formula, and one part of it is duct length. Not the best link, but here’s the basic concept — http://www.ehow.com/how_4841639_calculate-cfm-range-hoods.html
This assumes you at least occasionally use everything on full blast, which isn’t always the case even for people who really do use their ranges, so to that extent the formula may be more flexible than it looks. However, generally your ductwork is a base you work off of, so you choose a hood with the specs that will get you the CFM (cubic feet per minute) that you want given your ducting situation and the other parameters. BUT, it doesn’t mean people don’t do all sorts of things that don’t work fine for them. As noted in prior discussions, a large percentage of residential high BTU range owners are purchasing for looks and do not have to be dragged from the range display at Abt. Someday, 6 burners!
Getting back this kitchen, it’s functional for a lot of people. A friend thinks my kitchen (small microwave built into cabinetry) is totally impractical and can’t imagine giving up her microhood.
Might not be major work for a vent in existing position. It looks like there is an outside wall next to the fridge. One 90 degree elbow and a straight shot to the wall. If the ceiling joists run that direction it’s a done deal!
Amazing place in a great area. If you can get this place for 425K, then you are getting a heck of a deal. Anything less than that then you are stealing and good for you.
Back in the day this place would be hot, hot, hot! For a board that complains about the cookie cutter 2 + 2 condos, this place obviously breaks outside the mold.
I cook for realz, and when I have people over I love having a little privacy to take a taste off of the serving spoon, etc. We opened up the dining room to the kitchen on our new place after a lot of debate, because it just fit the way we designed the kitchen and the original molding/features that we wanted to retain, and it added a lot of light to the dining room. I had some friends over for dinner last week, and they watched me stick a ton of butter in something at the end to finish it – totally legit, but the sort of thing I think a lot of people would rather not know about! If I were to do it over again I would have one of those 2-tier islands to hide the prep mess behind when we’re at the table.
Very nice and very unique space in a great location with all the required items (CA, Parking, In unit W/D and close proximity to the El…what more could one ask for? Pricing reflects all items mentioned above, so to me at least, it is not that far off base.
Good luck to the sellers and I hope they do get asking or very close to it. If I were in the market for a unique loft for use as my own residence, I would not hesitate whatsoever in placing an offer for the full asking.
I too am a fan of open living/dining/kitchen and work space as I reside in a large, authentic warehouse conversion loft in NYC and also my Florida residence has a large flowing open floor plan…a true South Florida style home.
To me, the UES style version of condo/townhouse living where each space is clearly defined by having seperate walled off areas works well IF you design/furnish/entertain in a more formal manner. I grew up in this type of home and feel comfortable in it as it in a way ‘influnces’ me to be….how can I say this without sounding too pretentious…refined and (LOL) ‘brought up proper’. I know when I visit my Grands in their UES place I definately change the manner in which I speak and act.
When I am in my own loft, with company, I am very relaxed and am in the ‘anything goes’, less formal mode. Cooking/serving/eating and drinking is very enjoyable as we can all let our guard down and really focus on each others personalities, quirky as they might be, and have fun.
Strange how the layout and feel of your home causes you to carry yourself in a different manner front of company and even your own family.
“what more could one ask for…”
I, along with many many others, would never live in this area – nothing wrong with it – but it isn’t near any of the places I usually visit. I think many people (maybe not on this site) would agree.
“I cook for realz, and when I have people over I love having a little privacy to take a taste off of the serving spoon, etc.”
Wow. Just wow.
Just as long as Peg Bundy doesn’t drop her cigarette into the salad bowl, its probably ok, Jon…
grind a little pepper on top of it and nobody will be the wiser
““I cook for realz, and when I have people over I love having a little privacy to take a taste off of the serving spoon, etc.”
Wow. Just wow.”
I bet she doesn’t wear a hairnet, either!! OH NOES!!!!!
If you’re worried she’s infectious, you shouldn’t be eating dinner at her house, even if it was catered.
I guess you all are a little more forgiving than I am! If you need the privacy to lick the spoon, then you know it’s sick and wrong. Then again, I don’t eat anything homemade unless I’ve seen the cook’s kitchen. And if I’ve seen it and don’t approve, I still won’t eat it. That’s just me.
“Then again, I don’t eat anything homemade unless I’ve seen the cook’s kitchen. And if I’ve seen it and don’t approve, I still won’t eat it. That’s just me.”
Why draw the line at homemade? If I allowed myself to worry about these things, I’d be a lot more concerned about practices at many restaurants I go to than at friends/family.
“Why draw the line at homemade? If I allowed myself to worry about these things, I’d be a lot more concerned about practices at many restaurants I go to than at friends/family.”
Exactly!
Jon, go read Kitchen Confidential and then come back and let me know if you still have a problem with a cook tasting his sauce. Unless you’re eating freeze dried NASA packs in an hermetically sealed tent, guess what – there’s gonna be some kind of dirt or bacteria in what you’re eating. That’s why we have immune systems.
“That’s why we have immune systems”
The more you are exposed to bacteria (to a reasonable extent and environment), the stronger your immune system becomes. I am so frickin sick and tired of seeing new mothers and fathers over-sanitizing and going WAY overboard with their spoiled brat kids. Give me a break!! They are asking for trouble down the road. Seriously, why is it that many americans get sick while visiting “unsanitary countries” (mexico, se asia, africa) while the natives do just fine? It’s all about exposure and building up your immune system. Let’s stop the nonsense.
“The more you are exposed to bacteria (to a reasonable extent and environment)”
Depends on the bacteria. I’d like to see you voluntarily expose yourself to MRSA TB then get back to us on how that whole immune system thing is working out.
Or the c-diff bacteria. I know a 20 something year old healthy guy and the c-diff nearly killed him. it was scary at one point we all thought he was going to die. He’s better now but he will have colon probs the rest of his life
of course I am not talking about playing in sewers and inhaling dangerously infected material – i am just talking about the overprotection that most parents exhibit. Remember in the 60s and 70s? Children back then (and before) never had to deal with the ridiculous “safety measures” which parents take WAY too seriously!!
PS – Bob – TB is not caused by staph – wrong bacteria. MRSA is a problem but you would be surprised at how many people are colonized with MRSA – it is only when you have an overwhelming infection or are immunocompromised that it becomes a problem.
about the kitchen I guess I should clarify. I love the huge open areas provided there are some more formal areas as well. I have about 5-6 parties a year with caterers and have found that a dining area and a gathering area seperate from a greatroom is really nice to have. What would be a formal living room is a library type of room that gets tons of use for reading, parties and relaxing without the din of a TV. I highly reccomend people have something like this if it fits with your lifestyle. For everything else we gather in the kitchen.
It is also nice when wife and I are doing different things to have a wall to seperate us. Sure, it’s stepfordish but its what I like and I recognize the unicorn nature of that so oftentimes I am just looking for the space to make it happen. this is where the budget and the wishlist become diametrically opposed. C’est la vie.
Bradford – RE: putting dishes in the dishwasher. I’m lazy or have caterers milling about. Not fun.
Hah – friends of mine with a
doh, struck by the less than sign. Should have read:
Hah – friends of mine with a less than 1 year old were pondering if they were over sterilizing their son’s bottles after finding out that he was letting their dog french kiss him.
How are people supposed to check the seasoning if they don’t taste it? And society is practically built on the shared myth that certain things don’t happen behind closed doors… But I am one of those people who would rather get food poisoning once or twice from undercooked poultry than suffer a lifetime of dried the crap out chicken (it hasn’t happened yet, but I know my risks), so maybe I’ll be bringing the chips and salsa to the CC potluck.
Peg – use a sanitized ear dropper?
lol
A REAL chef’s kitchen would have a CSI style lab that could detect sodium levels and herb percentages for you.
Check out this George Carlin bit about germs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnmMNdiCz_s
He talks about swimming in the Hudson River as a kid, and how that built up his immune system.
Peg,
I cook for real too and the way I achieve taste is by using fresh, organic, high quality material. It does not require much skill to make food tasty by sticking in tones of butter or cream. Some of the most superior food in the world is made without either though. I agree that it is the anglo-saxon way of cooking but Mediterranean, Middle eastern, and asian cuisine certainly are not butter dependent.
Wow, I appreciate your concern, but you jumped to a lot of conclusions there. I have lived in three different countries (including America) and I do so much international travel that I had to get exta pages added to my passport, and even those are starting to fill up, so I’m pretty aware of international cuisine. And I have a body mass index of 21.2, so I’m obviously not sitting around eating sticks of butter. In any case, finishing a sauce with butter is a French cooking technique, not an Anglo Saxon one.
i have to agree; you have to taste the food while it cooking and over cooked meat in general is a waste.
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Peg Bundy on December 17th, 2010 at 1:15 pm
How are people supposed to check the seasoning if they don’t taste it? And society is practically built on the shared myth that certain things don’t happen behind closed doors… But I am one of those people who would rather get food poisoning once or twice from undercooked poultry than suffer a lifetime of dried the crap out chicken (it hasn’t happened yet, but I know my risks), so maybe I’ll be bringing the chips and salsa to the CC potluck.
:”
If you use a CLEAN spoon whenever you taste the food you don’t have to hide if from your guests. This isn’t rocket science here, people. WTF.
This place needs A LOT of work! I went to the open house and the cabinets are falling off, windows are broken and the furnace is from the early 90s and is loud as heck. The taxes and assessments on that place are ridiculous. Good luck!