Crib Chatter

This 3-bedroom Alta Vista Terrace row house at 3838 N. Alta Vista in Lakeview came on the market in August 2025.

The pictures above are of two others on the street, as I didn’t have a picture of this specific row house. These give you a flavor of what the street looks like.

You may recall that Alta Vista Terrace is a Chicago Landmark District. These 40 row homes were built from 1900 to 1904 and were built to look like London row homes.

From the Chicago Landmark website:

This street represents one of the last real estate developments of Samuel Eberly Gross, a highly colorful realtor responsible for the construction of thousands of houses in the Chicago area. Sometimes called “A Street of Forty Doors,” Alta Vista Terrace displays a lively variety of architectural styles and detail, yet every townhouse on one side is duplicated with only minor variations at the diagonally opposite end of the block. The distinctly human scale creates a unity and harmony rarely found elsewhere in the city.

This row house is on the west side on a 24×40 lot. The west side is often called the “preferred” side because there is enough space to have garages or 1-car parking.

This row house has 1-car parking behind a fence on the brick patio, which leaves space for a table and chairs.

3838 N. Alta Vista was built in 1901 and has some of its vintage features, like crown molding on the main floor and a wood burning fireplace with vintage mantle in the dining room as well as a built-in wood hutch.

It has hardwood floors on the main level.

The listing says it has seen renovations in the last 7 years.

All bathrooms and the mechanicals, including HVAC, were replaced in the last 5 years. It had tuckpointing 7 years ago.

The listing also says the front and back of the exterior were sealed 5 years ago.

It has an entry foyer which leads to the living/dining rooms and the kitchen.

The “cook’s kitchen” has been bumped out with an extension in 2021 and now features all custom gray and blue cabinetry (not sure on the colors though. Are the cabinets blue or black?), a stone counter top and backsplash, high end stainless steel appliances including a Viking stove with hood, a Monogram oven and beverage fridge.

It has two sinks and a door which leads to the patio and parking.

The second floor has all three bedrooms including the primary suite which has a custom walk-in-closet and an en suite bathroom with a double vanity and aroma steam shower.

A second full bathroom is also on the second level with green tile walls and surround.

The lower level is fully finished and recently got new flooring and paint.

It has a recreation room, a custom built bar with a full-size refrigerator and a beverage refrigerator, a half bath, office space, wine cellar, storage and laundry room.

Alta Vista Terrace is near the shops and restaurants of Wrigleyville and Southport, several bus lines and the Red Line, as well as Wrigley Field and the Kelly Park walking path.

Listed at $1.179 million on Friday, August 8, it has already gotten offers.

From the listing: “MULTIPLE OFFERS RECEIVED – HIGHEST & BEST OFFERS BY MONDAY 08/11 – 12NOON PLEASE.”

Any guesses on what this row house, with parking, will sell for?

I don’t recall an Alta Vista row home selling for more than $1 million in the past. Will this sale set a record for the street?

Marie Hirschle at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

3838 N. Alta Vista: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2017 square feet, row home

• Sold in April 1983 for $130,000 (per Redfin)
• Sold in November 1987 for $220,000 (per Redfin)
• Sold in January 1989 for $267,500
• Sold in October 1998 for $545,000
• Sold in November 2000 for $588,000
• Sold in May 2016 for $667,000
• Currently listed at $1.179 million
• Multiple offers- best and final
• No assessments
• Taxes of $11,038
• Central Air
• 1-car parking space
• Historic landmark street
• Wood burning fireplace
• Skylights
• Bedroom #1: 15×13 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 11×11 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 10×7 (second floor)
• Foyer: 9×4 (main floor)
• Dining room: 16×11 (main floor)
• Living room: 16×14 (main floor)
• Kitchen: 17×11 (main floor)
• Walk-in-closet: 10×6 (second floor)
• Recreation Room: 24×23 (lower level)
• Bar: 11×7 (lower level)
• Office: 10×6 (lower level)
• Laundry: 11×7 (lower level)
• Storage: 10×4 (lower level)
• Utility: 11×10
• Patio