A Charcoal Factory Turned Industrial-Chic Bachelor Pad
1684 N. Ada St.
Price: $2 million
Square feet: 3,400
Taxes: $19,403
Agent: Luke Blahnik and Anthony Flora, @properties Christie’s
How does an old factory become what feels like an antiques warehouse and event space? Someone who runs an antiques warehouse and event space buys it. Stuart Grannen, the mind behind Architectural Artifacts, collaborated with architect Trish VanderBeke on a gut renovation after he bought it in 2007. “They really worked to keep the aesthetic with the poetically decaying walls, old plaster, and old timber beams,” Blahnik says.
Located in the no-man’s-land between Bucktown and Lincoln Park, the space was first a charcoal factory in the late 19th century, then a sculptor’s studio in the early 2000s. Grannen, who has moved his business to Texas, gave it a new life as the hippest bachelor pad in the Midwest. While it’s labeled a single-family home, you probably aren’t going to move here with your kids. However, it’s a dream for anyone who loves hosting events or bragging that they live in a place that regularly appears in shoots for Crate & Barrel. The outdoor space includes a ground-level, ivy-covered courtyard and a second-floor balcony off the bedroom — also accessible via a Bruce Wayne–esque steel catwalk — while the garage has room for two cars.
What’s Around: The restaurant Ada Street and the venue the Hideout are steps away from the home, which is hidden amid warehouses. If Lincoln Yards ever gets off the ground (and that’s a big if), the area will change, but for now this is a tucked-away corner of cool.
Matara MediaA Mansion (Possibly) Frequented by Capone
3505 Haweswood Dr., Crete
Price: $1,849 million
Square feet: 10,123
Taxes: $36,678
Agent: Jennifer Williams and Edward Evangelista, Coldwell Banker
Edward Hawes, an entrepreneur who made his money in textile manufacturing, designed this 1923 estate as a retreat where even Al Capone, rumored to be a regular guest, could feel secure. The construction took five years and included hand-carved marble fireplace mantels, hand-laid artisan tile, and 18-inch concrete walls. With seven bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and five fireplaces spread out across the main house and a coach house, this is not a home — it’s a compound.
The south suburban property has been updated with modern touches like a self-cleaning pool and an outdoor bar with a cabana. Still, it has managed to maintain its sense of Roaring Twenties opulence. The original leaded glass windows remain, as do the 22-step grand staircase — Hawes considered 22 a lucky number — and floors crafted from trees that once stood on the property. The estate, which had spanned 161 acres, is down to a far more manageable 2.3. But with plenty of tree coverage and a backyard with a creek that leads into Deer Lake, it still feels like a world of its own.
What’s Around: You’ll have neighbors in Swiss Valley, a subdivision of ranch and two-story houses. For duffers, the Lincolnshire Country Club, featuring a Tom Bendelow–designed golf course, is two miles away.
A Five-Star-Resort-Worthy Condo in Lakeshore East
363 E. Wacker Dr., Unit 3703
Price: $1.9 million
Square feet: 2,200
Taxes: $37,799, plus $1,975 monthly HOA fee
Agent: Joelle Cachey Hayes, @properties Christie’s
You could book a staycation at the St. Regis, but why bother dealing with the hassle of checking out when you can just move into a 37th-floor condo? The open plan of this two-bed, two-and-a-half-bath spot is ideal for showing off your Snaidero cabinets and Gaggenau and Thermador appliances. While the bedrooms aren’t as massive as at a high-end hotel (322 square feet for the primary and 178 square feet for the second), each offers a stunning south-facing view of the Museum Campus and the lake.
The high HOA fees come with amenities as spectacular as the views. On the 47th floor, you’ll find an indoor-outdoor pool, a play space for kids, a golf simulator, and temperature-controlled wine storage just for you. Welcome to the high life.
What’s Around: If you ever get tired of eating in-house at Miru and Tre Dita and want to actually leave the building, Lakeshore East Park, a tourist-free oasis, is a stone’s throw from your lobby.
NOTE: Unless estimated, the annual tax amounts provided are for 2023.