Chicago's Coolest Townhouse?

You may think your two-flat with the bitchin' wooden kegger porch in the back and view of Wrigley Field is the ultimate in Chicago living.  But we think this home at 1908 South Louis Parkway in Chinatown is probably the city's best, or at least most interesting, townhouse.

Wedged into a development of seemingly identical townhomes just west of the Chinatown Gate, this home is festooned with faux luxe.  From gilded gates to gilded dog statues to gilded dragons on the windows.

When the home appeared in Crib Chatter earlier this year, it was noted to have the following features:

• White marble deck above a black marble pond
• Museum-like living room
• Garden dining room
• Arabian master bedroom
• French style home theater
• Chinese tea room

There's more wrought iron than an Indiana steel mill.  And while the neighbors' facades are red brick, this one looks like good old Joliet limestone.

Last we checked, this 3,500-square-foot home was actually for sale.  The real estate listing said that inside there is a formal tea room among other un-necessities.  Asking price?  Well over a million dollars.  Unfortunately, money doesn't always buy taste.

The Loop's Most Peculiar Building

To the untrained eye, this is just another random alley in the Loop.  But if you know what you're looking for, this is a rare sight, indeed.

This is the Pickwick Stable -- an actual farm stable in the heart of the Loop.

Official records have the date this stable was built at 1892, but those records are notoriously sketchy.  The Chicago Tribune says it's actually 1857, which would make this one of the oldest buildings in the Loop.

The stable was built for Henry Horner back when much of the Loop was still farmland.  Since the horses left the Loop it has been used for a number of purposes, most often as a restaurant.

This picture is a rare snap.  Every time we've walked by it in the past either the gate is closed, or there are cars parked in the alley.  Sadly, since our last visit it looks like the historic cobblestones that once lined the alley have been replaced by concrete.

Interestingly, the stable is for sale.  Ask your favorite real estate consultant to look up 22 East Jackson Street 60604 for you.

If you're looking for more farming artifacts in the Loop, there is also a cattle path which still exists amid the skyscrapers of LaSalle Street.

The Best or Worst Roscoe Village Real Estate Ad Ever

It doesn't take a rocket surgeon to know that when you want to sell something, you make it appear in its best light in the advertisement.

With that in mind, perhaps this real estate listing for a Roscoe Village apartment could use a revision.

• Not because of the snarky Roscoe Village is better than Lakeview boosterism ("...like Lakeview, but without all the drunks.")
  
• Not because the writer misspelled village "Vilagle."
  
• Not because the second sentence makes no sense at all ("Roscoe Vilagle has this, you bright, spacious, updated apartment.")
  

No, we're talking about the last photo in the listing -- the guy hosing himself down in the bathtub full of empty beer cans.

I thought Lakeview was where all the dunks are?

The question is -- is this ad really a "Fail" (to use the parlance of contemporary internet thugs)?  Probably not.

The one goofy photo, clearly lifted from another web site, does not detract from the listing.  More importantly, it is drawing attention to the listing from web sites and blogs across the internet.  Thousands of people who would otherwise not have looked at the ad are seeing it for the first time.

Sure, the majority of them aren't interested in real estate in Roscoe Village.  But it only takes one person to make a stunt that took virtually no effort all worth while.

For Sale: Ambassador East Hotel

The Old Gray Lady of Gold Coast hotels is for sale.

Crain's Chicago Business reports that the Ambassador East Hotel is available for purchase.  In 2005 it sold for $44,500,000.  We'll see how much it gets this time around.  One disadvantage for any potential buyer, Crain's notes, is a badly needed renovation which could run $50 million or more.

For Sale: 190 South LaSalle

If you're in the market for a skyscraper that epitomizes the 90's aesthetic, then look no further than 190 South LaSalle .

Crain's Chicago Business reports that the skyscraper is for sale.  In 2006 it went for $137,000,000.  We'll see what happens this time around.

For Sale: The Conrad Chicago

With the prices charged by Michigan Avenue hotels these days you might be better off just buying a hotel!

Well, here's your chance -- Crain's Chicago Business reports that The Conrad Chicago is for sale.  Not only do you get a modern hotel, you get an historic building, and what may be the world's largest jigsaw puzzle.

The Crain's article comes with a picture showing the modern back end, but I'd rather show you the historic front end.  This is the facade of the old McGraw-Hill Building.  When the billion-dollar mall was built at this location, the McGraw-Hill building was cut into pieces, labeled, and stored in a warehouse.  Then they were reassembled into the facade that we see today.

The other interesting part of this story isn't in the architecture, but in the financing.  Crain's says that in spite of the economy, the company that currently owns the hotel doesn't actually need to sell it.  The company has plenty of money.  But it's trying to do a stock buy-back, and needs some extra cash to accomplish it.

Unless there's an immediate threat to the company, it sounds like bad timing to me.