Ah, Elston Avenue. The many lanes of whizzing traffic, the rambling industrial buildings, the new condos. Yep, condos are cropping up along this unlikely corridor for residential development: between Belmont and Addison alone, our intrepid intern, Lou Barreiro, counted five new building projects in various stages of completion.
Dolce Living Homes is developing Elstonview Condominiums (pictured at right), now under construction at 3501 N Elston Ave. The company’s other projects include 3420 N Milwaukee Ave, 1920 N Springfield Ave, 4000 S Western Ave and Pulaskiview Condominiums, 4119 N Pulaski Rd. The common theme: low-rise structures on (mostly) busy streets, fronted by geometric arrangements of balconies (one of our earlier posts on Pulaskiview prompted the comment, “Kinda looks like a bunch of legos.”)
The project planned for 3501 N Elston looks a bit more traditional, at least from the tiny rendering we’ve got here. It comprises 24 condos with three bedrooms and two baths. Prices start in the $240s, according to Anna Wateska of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, which is marketing the project. Deliveries are planned for March 2008.
Yo writer Eric Borys got a favorable impression overall at Riverview Station, 3434 N Elston Ave (pictured at left), when he stopped by an open house in May. He found the condos capacious and the bathrooms lush, but the views bland. “Each [condo] features a balcony and (non) view of lovely Avondale,” he wrote. “Not much to see but fresh air is always an asset.” Prices at the Felix & McKinney Group, LLC development then ranged from the mid-$300s to the high $400s.
JAB Partners‘ 18-unit Roscoe Flats, 3028 W Roscoe (at Elston, pictured at right), has gotten some ink for its model unit, designed by Oprah’s pal Nate Berkus. The slogan on the project’s Web site is, “A new view of downtown.” When I visited, I could see downtown, distantly, from the decks on the upper floors. I could also see Elston from some of the units. Prices on the condos, some of which have unusual layouts, range from the $290s to the $380s, according to the project’s online price list.
The conversion at 3236 N Elston Ave (pictured at left) has condos with the standard array of features: granite countertops, cherry floors, 42-inch cabinets and stainless steel appliances. Prices on two-bedroom, one-bath units start in the $190s, according to Renata Mackwiak of HouseLand Realty, which is marketing the project.
And last but not least, a four-story brick building is under construction at the southwest corner of Elston and Francisco (pictured above). Since there wasn’t much signage outside, we rang the office of Ald. Richard Mell (33rd) to get the specs. Gary Medina, who works in constituent services, told us that the alderman’s office has the property on file under the address 3223 N Francisco. Plans call for eight residential units above ground-floor commercial and parking. Medina didn’t know who’s developing or marketing the project (and the building permit was too high up to see clearly) which puts this building in the realm of YoChicago’s mystery developments, at least for now. We’ll let you know when we learn more.