Robert Darrow, @properties

Archive for the ‘West Lakeview’ Category

Entertainment, wine, and cooking enthusiasts will covet this modern Lakeview home with superb amenities for luxury living: hardwood floors, granite countertops, spa baths, Viking and Sub-Zero appliances, skylights. Wait, it gets better: five fireplaces, media room in basement, brick wine cellar, custom woodwork and built-ins, and audio everywhere. This exceptional home is within walking distance to Southport Corridor and Roscoe Village – so ditch the car to enjoy the city’s best dining and shopping.

1735 West Newport

List price: $1,050,000

Each month Zillow emails me to tell me how much my house is worth.  I write about it each time so we can all live the dream.  (All the articles here.)

I’m delighted to receive this Holiday Bonus in my email this morning:

Slowly but surely, we’re clawing back to first-half 2009 levels.  Ahh, the good old days!

If all the months that I’ve been receiving updates on the townhouse, I think this month might be the most accurate.  One of my neighbors is on the market for $570,000 but has not sold.  One offer with a contingency, but that offer fell apart.  So it’s still on the market.

I’d love to know if you think there is value in upgrades and electronics.  The one for sale is pretty bare-bones.  Mine has a whole bunch of toys.  If giving advice to customers, my advice is normally that the bonus features don’t add value.  $25,000 in electronics, though?

1739 W. Wellington

New Listing in Wellington Park is open this Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00. 1739 W. Wellington is a true three bed plus den/4th bed – rarely on the market in Wellington Park. This home features 2,815 square feet on four floors of living, and a two car garage plus two car driveway.

List Price: $650,000

Open Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00

Check out the full listing at www.townhomeshop.com including a Video Tour.

2669 N. Greenview, unit A

Beautiful end-unit at Tamerlane. New custom chef’s kitchen with high end appliances, over-sized island & built-in desk. First floor family room opens to yard with new fence. Large living room with wood burning fireplace, high ceilings, over-sized bay windows, combined with dining room. Three bedrooms all on the same level upstairs. Master suite has a large walk-in-closet and marble bath with steam shower.

List Price: $660,000

Open Sunday from 11:00 to 1:00

Check out the full listing at www.townhomeshop.com including a Video Tour.

New Listing in Wellington Park is open this Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00.  1739 W. Wellington is a true three bed plus den/4th bed – rarely on the market in Wellington Park.  This home features 2,815 square feet on four floors of living, and a two car garage plus two car driveway.

1739 W. Wellington

List Price: $650,000

Open Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00

Check out the full listing at www.townhomeshop.com including a Video Tour.

New Listing in Wellington Park is open this Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00.  1739 W. Wellington is a true three bed plus den/4th bed – rarely on the market in Wellington Park.  This home features 2,815 square feet on four floors of living, and a two car garage plus two car driveway.

1739 W. Wellington

List Price: $650,000

Open Sunday from 1:00 to 3:00

Come out to West Lakeview for a giant community-wide garage sale at Wellington Park.

The Wellington Park Townhomes are located in West Lakeview on Wellington at Paulina – just west of the Jewel on Ashland. This GIANT event is community wide throughout our sprawling complex of over 100 homes! Follow the signs from Wellington & Paulina directing you to participating homes.  Early Bird opening at 7:00 am Saturday. General opening at 8:00 am on Saturday and Sunday.

Items include:

• Furniture
• Electronics
• Computers
• Computer parts
• Flat Screen Monitors
• TV’s
• Stereo equipment
• VCR’s
• Automotive parts & supplies
• Sporting goods
• Baby goods
• Children clothing
• Adult clothing
• Video tapes
• Records

From my neighbor, and moderator for the Friends of Chi Che Wang Park advisory committee to the Chicago Park District – Adam:

Phase II improvement work on Chi Che Wang Park commenced yesterday. There was no advance notice from the Park District on this. Their start is well beyond the Spring 2009 commencement date we’d been given prior, but still a welcome site.

A few highlights:

The park will be closed during construction; work is expected to be completed by end of Fall 2009.

A rendering of the improvements that will be included in the project is attached. The playground has been expanded slightly from it’s original design in response to comments made at community meeting #3 and will now include a playscape with walkways and two slides, two concrete climbing animals, one spinning “spica” pole and one 4-bay swing set. There will also be many benches, a small garden area, additional trees and a drinking fountain. Not shown on the plan but included in the work will be a gate at the south end of east perimeter and a small berm along the south boundary to manage drainage and run-off.

The entrance at the SW corner of the park and the planned walkway from that corner to Diversey Pkwy are on indefinite hold and will be coordinated with future repairs to the rail line and overpass, for which there is no current project scope or schedule. Work on the rail line is handled by Union Pacific and Metra and is unrelated to the Park District. However, the Park District won’t go forward without UP/Metra coordination. This process of coordination, including budgets, may take a very long while (i.e. don’t hold your breath).

I hope to originate a blog this month with more details now that the plans are official, final, funded and contracted. In the interim, please feel free to distribute this email and the attached rendering to your circle of park friends and any other persons you may feel would be interested.

Thanks much for your continued support of the park. I look forward to seeing you on the new Chi Che Wang playground before snowfall.

Kind regards,

- Adam Cole

The Sun Times reports this morning on the problems over at Hartland Park and the playground that has been a popular destination with neighborhood residents.

As part of its agreement with the City of Chicago when the project was approved for development, the builder was supposed to build a one-acre park, and then turn the park over to the Chicago Park District.

But the developer, Belgravia Group, seems to have not built the community streets and sidewalks to city standards.  Namely, the curbs are not Americans with Disabilities Act compliant.  So the City of Chicago has refused to take control of the streets.

This leaves the park at Hartland Park accessible only by way of private roadways.  The Chicago Park District says it can’t have a Chicago Park that is accessible only by way of private property. 

Belgravia Group, the developer, points the finger at the City of Chicago, which changed the standards for streets, curbs and sidewalks mid-way through the construction of the community.  The developer maintains that they built the community to the standards in place at the time the plans were filed at City Hall, and the plans that were approved by the City of Chicago.

Meanwhile, the Home Owner’s Association says that they will have to put locks on the gate to the park, and signs posted telling outsiders that they’re no longer welcome at the park. 

Sounds like quite a morass over at Hartland Park.  Your guide hopes that they get this straightened out as the new park is a draw to families as far away as where we live in Wellington Park.  Out here in West Lakeview/West Lincoln Park, new facilities such as these are sorely lacking.

And don’t get me started on the lack of progress over at Chi Che Wang Park nearby…

I just signed the paperwork to list a Wellington Park Townhome this evening.  But the owner won’t be finished painting until after the weekend.

I can sneak a few lucky buyers in beforehand.

The peak price for this floor plan was $660,000.  My motivated seller has listed this home for a quick sale at $583,500. 

The location of this home is on Hermitage Street.  It’s one of the 2,561 square foot homes with three bedrooms, and 3.5 baths.

Here’s a photo of the row:

And a floor plan for the unit.  Note – there is a half bath added to the kitchen just adjacent to the stairs.

Call or write if you would like to gain access to this desirable listing before it hits the general market!