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From Philadelphia's famed "LOVE" statue—once intended to be temporary, but it's been made a fixture in JFK Plaza—to Toronto's Graffiti Alley, clad in messy scrawls from many of the city's most prominent graffiti artists, cities around the Curbed Universe are chock full of public art, all providing a momentary escape from the surrounding urban chaos. Have a look:
· Atlanta · Boston · Cape Cod · Chicago · Hamptons · Los Angeles · NOLA · NYC · Philly · Seattle · Toronto · Washington DC
Welcome to a variation on Curbed Comparisons, wherein Curbed sees how much cash it takes to get a certain amount of space in the ever-growing list of cities that comprises the Curbed universe.
Last time we set about comparing homes by size, they were all around 500 square feet. This time, we're upping the ante, to 5,000 square feet. This Victorian mansion in Chicago overflows with historic detail, but unfortunately also packs in some questionable renovations. Set on a half-acre lot in the Kenwood neighborhood, the 1873 home has six bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms, lush gardens, an expansive backyard with treehouse, and a detached garage with two au pair apartments. This Chicago estate came to market in April with an asking price of $3.4M, but after some price chops, it is now listed for $2.95M. Still, the owners purchased in 1999 for just $876K, so they still stand to make a fine profit.
? From Seattle—okay, actually from nearby Bainbridge Island, a quick ferry ride away—comes this 5,000-square-foot manse on Puget Sound. Sited on 1.3 acres, the sprawling home was built in 1992 and, well, sorta looks it, but its not every house that has views of nuclear submarines out the back door. The trouble comes with the antisocial, family unfriendly floorplan, which, according to Zillow, has just one bedroom and two bathrooms. If true, that isn't nearly enough considering the $4.37M price tag.
· Residents of Los Angeles seem to have an undying love for Spanish-style architecture, so it's a bit bewildering that this near-perfect hacienda from 1927 has lingered on the market, unwanted, since February 2009. Back then the price was $6M, but it has since been reduced to $5.6M. The 4,800-square-foot mansion boasts eight bedrooms and five bathrooms, plus a backyard pool surrounded by dense vegetation.
? It's not technically within the Detroit city limits, but this brick mansion in Grosse Pointe is one of the most expensive in the immediate area at $880K. What does that hefty ask buy? A 5,200-square-foot manse built in 1924 by celebrated local architect Robert O. Derrick, including a wood-paneled library, dramatic double-height foyer, four fireplaces, and a carriage house rental that brings in a reported $800 per month.
? Gut renovated in the past five years by an owner who is now, unfortunately, forced to sell in a short sale, this Philadelphia townhouse combines a classic brick facade with contemporary interiors. The 5,100-square-foot house, with five bedrooms, four bathrooms, several fireplaces, and glistening hardwood floors, looks like it should cost over $1M, but it's currently listed for just $699K.
· 4812 S Woodlawn Ave [Zillow]
· 1710 Beans Bight Rd NE [Zillow]
· 314 S Rockingham Ave [Zillow]
· 294 Lincoln Road [Zillow]
· 708 N 5th Street [Zillow]
Welcome to Curbed Comparisons, a column that explores what set dollar amounts buy in the ever-growing list of cities that comprises the Curbed universe. Is one man's studio another man's townhouse? Let's find out!
Palm Springs isn't in Los Angeles, not even close, but while it lies more than 100 miles from downtown, the desert town sees so many Angelenos in the winter months—and has so much stunning midcentury architecture—that it might as well be. This 1959 build might not have the architectural distinction of a Neutra or the pedigree of Frank Sinatra's former home, but at just $409K, it's much cheaper. The low-slung home includes four bedrooms and three baths, along with a coveted swimming pool. As a benefit to owners who can only be around part time and would like to make some extra income to offset costs, the house is equipped with a lockable master suite, to make short-term renting easier.
? Similar to Palm Springs, slender Plum Island, a one-hour drive north of Boston, is primarily a seasonal escape for Bean Town locals looking to get out of the city. The low-lying sandy island is largely comprised of a state park and wildlife refuge, so overdevelopment is hardly an issue. This modest cottage on the island's inhabited north end houses three bedrooms and one bath in just 760 square feet, but it has a casual, beach-appropriate feel and is literally just steps from the sand. The asking price of $420K puts us just over budget.
? Belvedere, Calif., located across the bay from San Francisco, is known as one of that city's most expensive suburbs, but this $430K condo sneaks in among the multi-million dollar mansions and even manages to bring a view of the bay. The compromise here is on the size. The unit has just two bedrooms and a single bathroom, but at least shares a giant swimming pool with the other condos.
? For something that feels remote without straying far from the city center, this Philadelphia townhouse, or at least the rendering, looks pretty tempting. Listed for $400K, the as-yet-unbuilt brick house faces a private driveway, while the rear garden provides a buffer against avenue noise. The three-bed, three-bath house is a strikingly modern take on the townhouse, while retaining the familiar brick.
? Described in the brokerbabble as the "In-City Resort Lifestyle," this condo in the high-rise Olive 8 building in downtown Seattle costs $395K, cheaper than the others on this list, but boasts sky-high views of the city and the surrounding waters, along with ten-foot ceilings, a fireplace, and a modern kitchen. The buildings amenities are where the resort comes into play, with a "fitness center, day spa and 65-foot lap pool." Despite the nice amenities and new construction, there are some downsides, like the space, which is just 690 square feet and has just the one bedroom.
· 312 E Glen Cir N [Zillow]
· 10 6th Street [Zillow]
· 395 Cecilia Way [Zillow]
· 259 Leverington Avenue [Zillow]
· Olive 8 [Sotheby's International Realty]
Photo: The Bathing Club At Capri Southampton
With temps currently at 91 degrees at Curbed HQ, the only thing better than camping out in an air-conditioned space today might be taking a dip in a pool. Some pool, any pool, whether it be a pool in a Manhattan townhouse, the pool at Chateau Marmont in L.A., or a Seattle pool with a corkscrew slide. Here now, a city-by-city guide to chilling out this summer:
NYC · Hamptons · Boston · Cape Cod · Philly · Washington DC · Atlanta · Miami · Chicago · Detroit · Los Angeles · San Francisco · Seattle
· All Curbed Maps [Curbed National]
Photo: James Steidl/Shutterstock
Friends and readers of Curbed often marvel at the verbiage of listings: what "charming," "quaint," and "architectural" truly imply. Here now, a Brokerbabble Glossary decoding what the expression "starter," or "starter home," actually means within the following Curbed markets. Take NYC, for instance, where brokers "love to apply the 'starter home' tag to studio apartments in South Queens, because nothing says you're on your way like 300 square feet and a two-hour subway ride to anywhere." Here, look:
New York · Boston · Hamptons · Philly · DC · Atlanta · Chicago · Seattle · San Francisco · Los Angeles
Welcome to Curbed Comparisons, a new column that explores what set dollar amounts buy in the ever-growing list of cities that comprises the Curbed universe. Is one man's studio another man's townhouse? Let's find out!
At just $500 below the mortgage loan limits set by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, $625K is the most one can borrow these days without venturing into the more-money-down, higher-interest territory of jumbo mortgages. Keeping below that magic number, while still scoring a luxurious home, is a goal of many a homebuyer. In Chicago, $625K buys this light-filled, loft-like apartment with dazzling views of the city skyline in a modernist tower downtown. With three beds and two baths, this place looks like a deal at that price—especially considering the rooftop pool—but it's the current owner who got the real bargain: he or she paid just $270K for the space a little over a year ago.
? In our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., the tidy sum of $625K will secure this one-bed, two-bath unit in the infamous Watergate complex. As politically-motivated break-ins are on the decline, the new owners can rest easy leaving the floor-to-ceiling doors open, allowing Potomac breezes to sweep through the open living area. The decor could certainly use an update, but that terrace, with its views north into Georgetown and across the river into Virginia, makes up for any momentary headaches.
? Off to the Big Apple, where we'd expect to find some smaller spaces for this price. Surprise, this one-bedroom flat is a bit on the cramped side, with a kitchen tucked away in a closet. On the plus side, it's located in one of NYC's storied buildings, The Alden, right on Central Park West, carries a manageable (by Manhattan standards) maintenance of $1,100 per month, and comes in six grand under budget.
? It is only fitting that off-beat San Francisco would serve up today's oddest offering, with circular windows, a floating fireplace, and a strange corner skylight. With two beds and one bath, this 1981 condo offers more space than its NYC counterpart, plus an outdoor space and lovely views of the surrounding hills.
? Take $625K to Detroit and you could probably afford to buy three stunning antique mansions within the city limits. In one of the city's more prominent suburbs, Grosse Pointe Farms, it'll fetch just one, this 3,450-square-foot, five-bedroom brick mansion built in 1935. There is plenty of space to stretch out and entertain. This cute Colonial also just so happens to be located not far from the links at the Country Club of Detroit and a few blocks from the lake.
· 260 East Chestnut St [Zillow]
· 700 New Hampshire Ave NW [Zillow]
· The Alden [Elliman]
· 236 States Street [Zillow]
· 217 Merriweather Road [Zillow]
