Quick look at condo sales: University Village/ Little Italy near UIC in Near West Side

Nice view of downtown from the turf fields at University of Illinois at Chicago. Way cooler than the picture shows!  All photos Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty.

I spent a few hours on the University of Illinois at Chicago campus Sunday while my kid's Welles Park 9U All-Stars baseball program practiced at the indoor baseball facility.  I took some time in the great weather to wander the grounds and look at recent sales activity in "University Village" neighborhood around the bustling school.

The large University Commons development just west of the campus athletic fields.

Town houses look over the outdoor turf fields, Curtis Granderson Stadium, tennis courts and more on one side and lead out to the mini downtown on South Halsted on the east.  Great spot!

The greater University Village/ Little Italy neighborhoods near the UIC Campus

University Village/ Little Italy sales over the past 12 months
160 attached units (condo, town house) sold over the last twelve months with a median price of about $310,000.  (11) one bedroom units sold with a median price about $190,000. (94) two bedrooms units sold with a median price of about $279,000. (47) three bedrooms units sold with a median price of about $480,000. (7) four bedrooms or more units sold with a median price about $500,000.

The shops and restaurants of South Halsted Street service the university crowd and residents looking to be near downtown.

The highest priced sale was 912 W Village Ct , Chicago, Illinois 60608 for $780,000. The beautiful 3 bedrooms town house features 3400 sq/ft and a two car garage. The lowest priced sale was $185,000 for 811 S Lytle St Unit 215, Chicago, Illinois 60607. The one bedroom condo features a parking space included.

The indoor turf at 901 West Roosevelt on the UIC campus

Curtis Granderson Stadium. Welles Park Baseball will be back soon for family night!

One of the outdoor turf fields.  The large outdoor complex is a great resource for the community.  Groups of students and some young kids were out enjoying the good early March weather.

Live near University of Illinois at Chicago and catch some great athletic events.

Popped into the attractive Pete's Coffee and Tea on the 1300 block of South Halsted during my walk.

Taylor Street, that great (restaurant) street: Condo sales in Little Italy, University Village

We had a great dinner in Little Italy Saturday with friends at the long time hip, yet warm Davanti Enoteca, 1359 West Taylor Street, Chicago IL 60607

Everyone knows that Taylor Street has a ton of great restaurants.   With all the great choices now in Chicago to eat and live we may forget about an original foodie destination... Little Italy.  The area is also a robust residential area to live serving many close by Chicago institutions, universities, transportation, highways and the Loop. What's it cost to live in a condo in Little Italy/ University Village neighborhood?  How are sales looking?

University Village neighborhood map Google Maps and YoChicago.com

Little Italy/ University Village condo sales 2014
Sales mimicked many of Chicago's desirable sub neighborhoods where we see actual units down a bit and median prices up a bit.

149 attached units (condo, town houses) sold in 2014. Many on streets with "Village" and College" in the name.  The median price for a condo in this near Loop location is about $275,000. 170 units sold in 2013 with a median price of $262,500.

The highest priced attached home sale in University Village  for 2014 is a town house style  at 727 S Racine Unit A, Chicago IL 60608 for $640,000.  The large "Tuscany Club Villa" home was built in 1994, has three bedrooms, three and one-half baths, a finished lower level, two car garage (with additional two car parking pad) and is a few blocks from the heart of Little Italy dining.


The lowest condo sale is 1550 S Blue Island Ave, Unit 1019, Chicago IL 60608 for $80,000.  The two bed, one bath condo sold as a short sale with a conventional loan (not cash).  The condo has a modern concrete loft style and looked to be in great shape.  The 1550 S Blue Island condo building had the ten lowest sales out of the 149 unit sales. 9 of 10 of those units were listed as one bedroom units.

From YoChicago.com:
The University Village neighborhood shares its name with a large residential and commercial development that began in the late 90s. The neighborhood is part of Near West Side, one of the city's 77 official community areas.
The neighborhood's boundaries are 16th St to the Eisenhower Expressway, the Dan Ryan Expressway to Ashland Ave (1600 W). Little Italy / Taylor Street is a part of University Village.
ZIP codes: 60607, 60608.

Photos! The Maxwell shopping mall in South Loop continues ridiculous dicount shopping expansion

I took a few photos of the newest shiny retail mall in the South Loop a couple weeks ago (maybe technically in University Village).  The Maxwell is home to a newly opened Nordstrom Rack, Dick's Sporting Goods, Potbelly, TJ Maxx, Verizon, Noodles and Company and Burlington Coat Factory (remember the torture of going there as a kid!).

The Maxwell is located directly across the street from the successful Southgate Market retail development that houses the evil Whole Foods, Marshall's, Pet Smart, benevolent World Market among others.

This is just a snippet of all the chain stores within a couple blocks of West Roosevelt Road bridge.