Just Sold! Buyer client upgrades to Lincoln Square condo

4755 N Washtenaw, Chicago IL 60625 is a newer construction elevator building with heated attached garage parking. Unit 406 is a a top floor corner unit with contemporary design and great views! Unit photos courtesy of Joie DeGraff, At Properties. We were the buyer agent.

Our buyer client smartly spent many years in a North Center one bedroom apartment saving his money. But after months working from home due to the pandemic and the current low interest rates he decided it was time for an upgrade! We found a real sharp Lincoln Square two bedroom, two bathroom condo with heated attached garage parking.  The Ravenswood Gardens neighborhood location is a walkers paradise with coffee, grocery, restaurants and the CTA Brown Line steps away.

East and south sunlight! In person you get a nice view of the skyline.  The golden hour light is amazing too. There were several available choices in the budget but this top floor corner unit with views was an easy choice.

Great windows and south views. Feels like a treehouse!

Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower.

Ravenswood Gardens in Lincoln Square features a central business district with plenty of café, restaurant, bar and grocery choices within walking distance. Photo Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty

The two beds, two baths condo with elevator and garage parking sold for $320,000. If you are looking to buy or sell on the north side of Chicago or the near suburbs please contact us.

City Coffee opens steps from Winnemac Park and Amundsen High School, Lincoln Square

AJ Lutz and City Coffee staff on a Tuesday morning. Located at 5139 N Damen Ave
Chicago, Illinois 60625 All photos Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty

City Coffee is open at the corner of Foster and Damen in Lincoln Square / Ravenswood. I had the chance to stop by for coffee and pastry and work for a couple hours this morning.  Owner AJ Lutz has created a comfy sophisticated neighborhood spot at the busy corner. Great music, pastry and Caffe Umbria coffee.  I mentioned he has chosen a terrific, simple name too... how has City Coffee not been taken? LOL

We use to go to the old cafe circa 2007-2009ish. The storefront shop had been vacant for years.  The new space is really nice!

Unique to the local shop is the tech! Download the City Coffee app to order ahead and benefit from a rewards program! The Wi-Fi game is strong too.

Simple modern decor and large meeting table.

Little library... "take a book, leave a book"!

Large picture windows let the light in even on this cloudy, slushy morning.

We love our new businesses near Winnemac Park in Chicago! Grab your coffee and head to the park.  City Coffee is a great place for bus and CTA Damen Brown Line commuters from Bowmanville to make a daily stop. Amundsen High School students, parents and employees finally another great spot to meet! Check out the hours and goings on at City Coffee web site, Facebook and Instagram. Support this growing strip also featuring Sweet Virginia's Kitchen, Bang Bang Pie and veteran Over Easy.

Wrigleyville demolitions for CTA "Belmont Flyover" (the $32 million tear downs)

3401-3409 N Clark (at Roscoe), a grey stone looking two story mixed use building that was soooo Wrigleyville is gone. It was last home to forgettable Fiesta Cantina Restaurant. The Internet got a little excited about the Bankes Coffee "ghost sign".

I had a little business in Wrigelyville yesterday morning and snapped a few photos of ongoing building demolition around Clark/Sheffield and Roscoe intersections required by the Red and Purple Modernization Program.  The news that many of these old Lakeview neighborhood buildings would be acquired and torn down was upsetting.  But seeing it in action is shocking. The close proximity of properties and swift removal of familiar structures at this iconic (if not infamous) location makes this unique.

Johnny O'Hagan's building demolished at 3374 N Clark.  The building next door is going too.

The reported cost estimate for acquiring the properties is $32 million and the cost of demolition is $9 million.

This familiar commercial stretch of businesses will be gone soon including Bolat African Cuisine 3346 N Clark (closest to train).

3404-3406 N Sheffield is (was) a fairly recent remodel mixed use building once home of "local gem" Toppers Pizza. Gone!

Gold Crown Liquors, home of many keg purchases in my youth, still there! However, the property is featured in the CTA renderings as a future development.

934-936 West Roscoe built circa 1906 was spared.

The CTA is for the birds!

Bob encounters a fellow CTA rider at the Belmont Red Line station.

Learn to ride the CTA like a pro... or a pigeon.

Do you like trains? TOD underway on busy West Belmont in Lakeview

As brokers we are frequent CTA users trying to avoid our cars and traffic whenever possible.  We stopped to check out progress of the TOD off the CTA Red Line stop at Belmont.

The new development  at 937 - 945 West Belmont adjacent to the CTA Red Line Belmont station is underway.  A vintage three flat has been demolished. Curbed Chicago has some great photos and back story.  It is not clear what the purchase price for the entire property was (the property at 937 W Belmont closed for $135,000 in June 2016) but there is a mortgage recorded of $9 million for the development.  This is yet another example of replacing existing buildings with larger retail and residential developments along commercial strips on the North Side.

Image posted at the property of the (future) completed development at 937 West Belmont

The Transit Orientated Development (TOD) will have 33 rental apartment units, retail space and NO on-site parking spaces. Chicago Streets Blog has a nice primer on the expanded TOD ordinance passed in 2015.  More photos and plans of the project can be seen here (posted at the 44th Ward Alderman site).  A Stone Creek Coffee sign hangs on the fence and is expected to open spring 2018. Mmmmm images of nature while sipping coffee...

Sales on Belmont

Surprisingly, only one condo is recorded sold on the MLS over the past 12 months from 800 West Belmont to 1200 West Belmont near the new development. The 3 beds, 2 baths condo at 1109 W Belmont Ave Unit 3, Chicago, Illinois 60657 sold for $492,000 in spring earlier this year. No rented units are recorded on the MLS but there are many rental units existing over older retail buildings. A shiny new apartment building will rent well here.

Photo! Loop Link bus route progress on West Washington Street downtown

Photo taken last Thursday October 22nd on the way (walking) to a closing downtown. All Photos Eric Rojas and Bob DePalma, Brokers, Kale Realty

Massive shelter and bus only lane construction on the West Washington portion of the "Loop Link"

 

Next stop... Gotham River

A friend just sent this photo at the Lawrence CTA Red Line stop at 1117 W. Lawrence Avenue, Chicago, IL 60640 in the Uptown neighborhood.

Check out more Batman v Superman photos at Curbed Chicago

CTA trains ready for Chicago deep freeze

We saw this on our train car today.  Very comforting!

"This equipment is being used to melt ice off the third rail"

Happy 30th Luigi

Our CTA train car this morning.

Dramatic art at Belmont Red Line station highlights pedestrian safety

"One of 32 pedestrians killed last year in Chicago "

Bob took this photo from the CTA Belmont Red Line station yesterday.  As heavy walkers, riders and users of public transportation, the bad behavior by both drivers and pedestrians around Chicago is upsetting.  Particularly, the use of cell phones while driving, riding and walking through intersections. As a busy full time Real Estate Broker, I can tell you we have no reason to use our phones while driving.  It can wait.


Slow down and look up people.

Chicago weddings on the CTA, Mag Mile

Got married? Call us to buy a house!

Wedding season in Chicago is in full swing. Maybe Bob was just feeling sentimental yesterday when he came across these two wedding parties. Chicagoans get around on the CTA Fullerton Red Line elevated tracks in the DePaul neighborhood.... even on wedding day.

This couple below braves North Michigan Avenue traffic to get their signature wedding party photo literally on the Magnificent Mile.

Would you do it?

My clients viewed this duplex-up condo in Lincoln Park located (cough) close to the CTA "EL" tracks. The price was very affordable relative to the neighborhood.

Good morning Lincoln Park

Recent morning view from the Fullerton CTA stop in the DePaul neighborhood. Trump Tower and the Willis Tower frame the background. We love this city.

Living on the "El" tracks: A Lincoln Park town home

This DePaul neighborhood town home in Lincoln Park is adjacent to the "El" Tracks. What would you do to get into your preferred neighborhood?
Many people live adjacent to the Chicago Transit Authority elevated train tracks to get their top location for less money. We get a lot of questions about buying on the "El" and we see a lot of Google searches on the subject. Some of our clients have opted for a home adjacent to the tracks to stay below budget.

Anecdotal to our experience and statistically speaking, a town home on the elevated tracks in Lincoln Park can sell at 20% to 30% less than a comparable unit on a quieter residential street. It's no surprise the lowest sold true three bedrooms, two and one-half baths town home with garage parking and roof top deck in Lincoln Park in the last 12 months was adjacent to the "El". 931 W Wrightwood located in a fairly busy area next to the CTA elevated tracks sold for a mere $350,000 in great condition.

Now, look at a similar looking property at 2020 N Dayton with only two true bedrooms, a rooftop deck, garage parking and two blocks off the elevated tracks in Lincoln Park sold for $400,000. There are also several examples of older build same style, two bedrooms town homes with outdoor parking spaces and one less bath selling at $369,000 and up nearby. Another is a two bedroom plus family room (like a third bedroom), garage space much further west in Lincoln Park closed at $400,000 at 2737 N Janssen.

There is a market for Lincoln Park town homes backing up or adjacent to the "El" tracks. The only question is: Will the noise be worth the discount you get for a top neighborhood location?

Live on the "El" tracks?

At home with the "L" tracks

Living by the tracks is a part of life for many in Chicago. This classic four square with the attractive front porch sits just north of the CTA Brown line on North Wolcott Avenue in Ravenswood.

Living along the CTA "L" tracks in Ravenswood

Or more like "living under the tracks". These folks at the 4600 block of North Wolcott have made the best of their multi-unit building that shares some dirt with the CTA Brown Line cutting through Ravenswood. Quite a lovely park like setting.

Take a seat at the Damen Brown Line stop

Here's a couple quick shots from the Damen Brown Line station at 4643-47 N. Damen Ave.

The CTA Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project (you'd think all the consultants the City hires could come up with a snappier name) not only brought better station facilities, but they also brought public art displays.

Again, I think this a nod towards European sensibilities in regard to public art... the Mayor went to France and came back with Millennium Park. I'm not sure who made the decision for the public art installations, but it is consistent with an overall theme to "class up" the city. And, a pretty simple idea that delivers big.

Stop and Look at CTA Paulina Brown Line Station

One of the cooler things to come out of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project
has been the design and public art features at many of the stations.

Take the Paulina Brown Line station , located on Lincoln Avenue and Roscoe Street, for example It's embedded art and hanging sculptures remind me of several of the major transit hubs I've passed through in Europe.

The station's windows allow for a bold exterior and bright interior. Europe has some old dingy stations too, but I think for the most part they are more pleasant due to it's emphasis on rail travel (helped by highly taxed fuel).

The Chicago Real Estate Local in Redeye: Would You Live on the "L" Track?

Thanks to redeye and Tracy Swartz for quoting me in today's "Going Public" column in their print edition and online. Tracy wanted to ask a Realtor about peoples' attitudes when considering buying close to the CTA elevated train tracks.

Her quote was a little confusing in regard to location. The basic point I make is selling a place that backs up to the "L" in some way or another is tough in general as the majority of buyers will not consider it. Prices can easily be 20 percent less than comparable units that are at least one block from the tracks. She also pointed out my comments that, in my experience, people who do buy on the tracks are either pretty long time Chicagoans use to the noise or people who want to stretch their dollar in the very best neighborhood they can get.

One example is two-flats that line the south side of Leland between North Damen Ave. to North Lincoln Ave. in Lincoln Square. Buildings are very expensive in this family friendly location, but backing up to the elevated tracks could be your only affordable option for a large enough home. Would you do it, all other things equal, if a dream home was in your budget solely because it backed up to the tracks?
See some more comments here

Damen Brown Line to Open Friday in Ravenswood

The old Damen Brown Line in happier days...

From the 47th Ward Alderman's desk:

Damen Brown Line Station Reopening

Saturday, December 13, 2008 at 8:46am

Dear Neighbors,

The Damen Brown Line Station will be opening for full service on Friday, December 19 at 4:00 am.

While there will be minor punch work at both the Irving Park and Damen Station, the Damen Station reopening brings a close to three years of Brown Line station closures in the 47th Ward and completes most of the impact of the Brown Line Capacity Expansion Project to local 47th Ward businesses and residents.

Best,
Alderman Gene Schulter