The February issue of New Homes Magazine – a sweet number with a sharp redesign, if we do say so ourselves – lists a couple new condo projects in the Hyde Park neighborhood (new to us, at least). Both are rehabs, and both seem targeted at the first-time buyer. We haven’t spent much time on the South Side in a while, so we decided to plow through the midday snows to get a look at both buildings.
The first one we saw was The Manor on Kimbark (pictured above), a 44-unit courtyard building at 5124 – 5132 S Kimbark Ave. The condos run from the $160s for one-bed / one-bath, garden-level units, to the $250s for two-bed / one-bath units on the upper floors. (The site also lists a couple larger single-bed units in the $260s and what must be one decked-out two-bedroom condo in the $320s.)
The interiors have a mix of exposed brick and drywall walls, maple floors, granite countertops and Kohler kitchen and bath appliances. Juliette balconies open up to the courtyard, which really does have live shrubbery instead of the fake landscaping Photoshopped into Firebird Development’s promo pictures. Sara Zamora of Baird & Warner has the listing.
Closer to the lake and the Musuem of Science and Industry but a little farther away from the University of Chicago campus is Everett Place Condominiums, developer Dan Matis’ condo conversion on 5454 S Everett Ave. The building’s exterior is significantly less inviting than The Manor, but its units are cheaper, by-and-large, with the most expensive condos priced in the $170s.
All of the one-bed / one-bath homes have bamboo floors, stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops and marble baths. Garage parking is available at an additional cost, something that is not offered at all over on Kimbark. Plus, buyers at Everett Place Condominiums will get $3,000 back upon closing, according to a recent post on broker Eunece V. Franklin’s blog.
So what say you, Yo Reader? If you were looking for a starter home near the university, would either of these spots fit your needs?