Proximity to the el is a must for many Chicagoans, and the shrill banshee-cry of the trains even endears itself to us as a call of civic pride. But when you’re laying out hundreds of thousands of dollars for a new condo, do you really want all that civic pride screeching past your bedroom window at three in the morning? The newly rehabbed Wilton Place, at 3738 N Wilton Ave in Lake View (pictured above), is just one of many new condo developments with el tracks in the backyard.
In what was probably an unwittingly literal choice of words, the project’s marketing materials promise “all the bells and whistles.” The developer is offering a free washer and dryer as an incentive, but would Ambien CR be more appropriate?
Priced from the $410s, half of the two- and three-bedroom condos of Wilton Place are sold out, so obviously not everyone thinks the train is too close for comfort. In fact, some YoChicagoans say they’ve lived in apartments with el tracks in the backyard and only noticed the noise for a week or so in spring when windows were first open again after being shut all winter.
I, on the other hand, live within earshot of the Red Line, and sometimes incorporate everyone’s favorite pre-recorded announcer saying, “doors closing” into my dreams. YoChicago would love to hear your stories of living near the el, so do share.