Offers are piling up for a very pretty row home in local and national historic district Alta Vista Terrace. The two-story, three-bedroom property may be the pick of the litter on the iconic, anomalous block just north of Wrigley Field.
This place, just off the center of the block, got an exhaustive $200,000 remodeling starting in summer 2007. Sellers Kevin and Jennifer Carlson are offering it at $824,850 now, after paying $700,000 at the height of the market. The home's fraternal twin, across the street at 3818 and even more meticulously reno'd, sold in March 2013 for $835,000. Three days after listing it—and one packed open house later—the Carlsons have three serious offers to ponder.
It's not surprising for the unique street, dreamed up by at the turn of the century by real estate investor Samuel Eberly Gross. The builder and subdivider of towns and neighborhoods took a visit to London, land of prim and proper row housing, and came back with an idea: A tidy street of 40 homes designed with 20 façade variations, paired in diagonally opposite formation. The site had the highest natural elevation in Lakeview, hence the name Alta Vista.
Despite a major renovation—including a chef's kitchen—the house still has its great old walnut staircase, window bays, living room fireplace, and an unaltered floor plan. There's no backyard, but that's a feature that's consistent with the block and its old world development model. In fact, the home is flush to the alley. “We have two young kids (aged 4 and 1), and the lack of yard space is becoming a challenge," says Kevin. "Even so, there’s Kelly Park and a playground one block away and the lakefront not far off.” Oh, and the quiet neighbors at Graceland Cemetery.
This is one of a few Alta Vista homes to have a full roof deck. Accessed via spiral staircase from a secondary bedroom, it abuts the neighboring decks. A master suite has street-facing bay windows, a bedroom the size of the other two combined, and a bathroom with new plumbing and marble floors and siding. The finished basement has a lounge area, full bathroom, heated floors, and an attached heated garage with drainage. Yes, a heated garage—that kind of makes up for the whole no-yard thing.
Gary Lucido of Lucid Realty has the listing and more photos.