PHOTO: Jameis Winston throwing a football over Chicago River today

Bob was walking over the Wabash bridge by Trump Tower today and snapped this shot of former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston throwing a football across the Chicago River.

Photo Bob DePalma and Eric Rojas, Brokers, Kale Realty

The controversial  Heisman Trophy winner and projected first rounder in the upcoming NFL draft was filming a commercial or promo spot.

"Great toss Mr. Winston. Now, do it again with more feeling".

Trumped! Top 3 Condo Sales in Chicago's Near North for 2014

A near 15,000 square penthouse at Trump International Tower and Hotel, 401 N Wabash, Chicago IL 60611 was the highest sale in Near North Community Area this year at $17 million cash. It is reportedly the highest ever price paid for a condo in Chicago. Photos Eric Rojas and Bob DePalma, Brokers, Kale Realty

The List: Top 3 Condo Sales in the Near North Community Area for 2014

A Trump Tower unit led an impressive year of luxury condo sales in 2014. Price per square foot for luxury homes in the most desirable locations seemed to know no bounds this year.

1. $17,000,000, Trump Tower, 401 North Wabash, Unit 89A, Chicago IL 60611.  The "5 Bed, 7.2 Bath" 14,260 square foot River North unit Closed 10/7/14, Cash deal.  The condo is raw, unfinished space and had an asking price of $32 million. Trump Tower had 55 closed sales in the MLS for 2014 with a median price of about $1,170,000.

 2. $7,400,000, 209 East Lake Shore Drive, 11-E, Chicago IL 60611. 3 Bed, 3.2 Bath, 5,700 square feet. Closed 6/26/14. Cash deal in a Co-op building.

 3. $5,250,000, 159 East Walton, 21A Chicago IL 60611  "Pamolive Building". 3 Bed, 3.1 Bath, 4,732 square feet. Closed 7/3/14. Conventional mortgage financing. The Pamolive Building had 14 unit sales in 2014 for a total of $22,334,375 in sales volume.

All sales stats gathered and interpreted from MREDLLC.com by Eric Rojas and Bob DePalma.

Photo from Michigan Avenue Bridge, Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty

The Trump sign is not that bad

I snapped this photo of the river and Trump International Hotel and Tower last Thursday around dusk (after muscling a couple tourists out of the way). Is the sign that bad? Or is it people don't want to look like New York or Vegas?  This has always been one of my favorite views in the city and I didn't feel the Trump sign has affected that. 

Will the people of River North and downtown survive?  Read more... 
And HERE

Sunny sales in Trump Tower of River North up 75%

Shiny 401 N Wabash, aka Trump International Hotel and Tower.  Bob and I can't resist a photo of Trump on a sunny day (Photo by Bob last week).

There have been 42 residential unit sales in Trump International Hotel and Tower this year as of November 8th. The median price of a unit is about $935,000.  The highest sale this year is unit 42A sold for $2,925,000 cash.  The unit had a originally sold new in 2008 for $3,000,000.


In 2012, 24 units sold with a median of $1,100,000.

Contact us if you are interested in buying, selling or renting River North condos.

Trump: An international brand name good for Chicago

Trump Tower in the River North neighborhood is a best bet for the well-heeled making there way to Chicago.

Bob took this great shot last weekend of Trump International Hotel and Tower looking south and standing in the middle of North Wabash Avenue. Again, we risk our lives for real estate! Much writing has been done on this building. Bottom line is, we love the look from just about any angle... far and near, from the street and from the river.

Like Ritz Carlton, the international crowd can recognize and trust brand names when visiting or relocating to Chicago. It's the lifestyle people come to expect and they are willing to pay for it when these brand names deliver. It starts with the facade, and as this photo above suggests, we continue to enjoy the presence of this tower and it's ability to draw the world to Chicago.

Chicago's Trump Tower takes its place among the top ten tallest buildings in the world.

Trump Tower Photos: Views from the Construction Crane

Photos from where no man has gone before him... Really cool shots from Ken Derry, the Crane operator on Trump Tower in Chicago.

I like the impact of the building on the skyline and most of my associates do too.

I found the link from Blair Kamin's architecture blog The Skyline.