As the market comes back to life, so are some of the neighborhoods that didn’t hold their own during the crash. One area that is prime for the picking is Humboldt Park, namely the streets edging the neighborhood’s gorgeous 219-acre namesake, which anchors the area and sports a field house, a boathouse, a music pavilion, two lagoons and verdant gardens — all designed in the early 20th century by noted landscape architect Jens Jensen.
“Humboldt Park is undergoing such a renaissance that it’s one of the city’s hottest venues for events, especially weddings,” reports real estate agent Sara Benson, who is marketing the new eight-unit condo development Wicker West a few blocks away at 1555 N. Talman. The building broke ground in 2008, came to a halt and was newly redone during the past year by Perimeter Architects and Mosaic Properties & Development. The units have been selling as soon as they finish, with four gone, one more just listed (2B) and three more set to deliver in the next few weeks (2A, 3D and 3F). All have their own unique layout and range from $329,000 for a two-bedroom two-bath with 1,537 square feet, to $399,000 for a three-bedroom 2.5-bath with 1,875 square feet. That’s a deal compared to the original pricing, which ranged from $480,000 to $770,000 in 2008. There’s also an added incentive to buy now: Each unit comes with a free parking space (normally priced at $15,000) through the end of November. Contact Sara Benson, (312) 497-7725, Bensonstanleyrealty@gmail.com.
Park Places
Wicker West is just a hop, skip and a jump (or two blocks) from Humboldt Park. Here are a few other places with the same walking quotient.
1020 N. Mozart, No. 4: An 1,800-square-foot duplex condo with two bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms and an attached garage for $299,000 is 1.5 blocks from the park. Contact Nicholas Colagiovanni, (312) 501-5151, Nicholas.colagiovanni@bairdwarner.com.
2800 W. North, Unit 504: A two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo with two balconies and a garage space for $299,000 is across the street from the park. Contact Koenig & Strey broker Ivona Kutermankiewicz, (773) 865-5661, Ivona@ivonahomes.com.
1621 N. Mozart, Unit 1N: A three-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom 2,400-square-foot duplex is $340,000 and a quarter block from the park. Contact Charles Rutenberg broker Ilona Koziel, (312) 731-4773, Ilona.koziel@gmail.com.
Weather Ready
The aptly named Splash coat rack from Blu Dot — the contemporary furniture company known for clean, modern pieces that embrace utility, comfort and economy — can add welcome storage space and color to your home, just in time for dropping temperatures and drab days. $223 at Bludot.com
—Lisa Skolnik
