We Love Authentic Lofts: 215 W. Illinois in River North
The Anchor Lofts, at 215 W. Illinois, was one of the first buildings to be converted in River North nearly 2 decades ago.
This 2-bedroom unit has a lot of the features of authentic lofts including high ceilings and open spaces.
Here’s the listing:
RARE OFFERING IN THE UNIQUE ANCHOR LOFTS. DRAMATIC BRIGHT SPACE W/2 EXPOSURES, 11 FT CEILINGS, TIMBER BEAMS, 10 LIGHT-FILLED WINDOWS & HARDWOOD FLOORS. NEWLY UPDATED KITCHEN W/MAPLE MDF CABINET FRONTS, GRANITE COUNTERS & STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES.
FIREPLACE, EXTENSIVE BOOKCASES & LOTS OF CLOSETS. PRIVATE BEDROOMS W/WINDOWS. DEEDED INDOOR PARKING INCLUDED. STEPS TO RESTAURANTS, ENTERTAINMENT, SHOPS & TRANSPORTATION.
Steven Heilig at Baird and Warner has the listing. See more pictures here (or on B&W’s website as well.)
Unit #4A: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, office
- Sold in May 1993 for $225,000
- Sold in October 2001 for $300,000
- Originally listed in September 2008 for $674,000
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $649,000 (parking included)
- Assessments of $537 a month
- Taxes of $4,615
- Central Air
I think its a nice loft. IF the sq footage is close to 2000, it might be a fair asking price.
“MAPLE MDF CABINET FRONTS”
That’s a selling point? I don’t think of MDF as a positive for anything–not that it’s necessarily a negative, but who does that impress?
Say this place is 2000 sqft (possible) and that they spent $100/ft on remodeling (probably high). With post-01 appreciation (small tho it may be) and the discount off of cost for remodeling $$, doesn’t that make this worth, at most, $500k?
man o man, if money weren’t an object (or the brown line), I’d def. jump in on this. I think you can see my apartment from photo 8 on the website. great area, sans El. nice architectural detail. all in all a pretty solid conversion.
$674k, what a joke.
The way this is staged just confirms my suspicion that these kinds of lofts are for weird, arty people. Nothing seems to go together here. Also what is up with that kitchen island? Plus this place was staged so as to look like a children’s museum. Terrible..
Of course some bozo will buy it for north of 500k so they can brag to their social circle that they live in an arty loft and convince themselves that this place is really nice and not a disaster. Expensive social circle indeed. Keep up with the Joneses Mr Arty, they just got a new Lexus.
Bob,
the number of people in that social circle is getting smaller and smaller everyday.
Overlooking the fact that its overpriced (what isn’t these days?) I disagree about the decorating. To me it looks like somebody’s home, not staged at all. I think I could be very comfortable living there and I’ve never been accused of being a weird, arty person. Not to my face, anyways. I think the kitchen island is white because it blends more easily with the white walled open floor plan.
Bob:
“The way this is staged just confirms my suspicion that these kinds of lofts are for weird, arty people. Nothing seems to go together here. Also what is up with that kitchen island? Plus this place was staged so as to look like a children’s museum. Terrible..”
So do you think there are no window treatments in photos 2 and 6? That would creep me out at night. Easily fixed of course.
I owned a loft before with no defining bedroom walls. A Roman Shade (similar to one in picture, except mine was black and gauze like) costed me $600. So I am not surprised that they only did it in the bedroom.
Another thing about owning a loft is that its hard to place the rods so they are completely above the windows (because of beams, etc). Lofts are great but not for everybody!
Where does that kitchen vent, vent to?