Address: 8548 N. Skokie Blvd., Skokie.
Size: One bedroom; 650 to 700 square feet.
Rent: $585 a month.
Age of buildings: About 30 years old.
Security deposit: One month`s rent.
Floors in buildings: Two.
Utilities: Heat included in rent.
Parking: On-street.
Special features: Laundry and storage facilities.
From the outside, the square-shaped red or tan brick apartment buildings that line Skokie Boulevard are nothing to ”ooh and ah” about. But once you get inside this building, at 8548, you may change your tune.
Upon entering the one-bedroom apartment we checked out, your eyes will be drawn immediately to a three-tier prism light fixture on the ceiling in the entry hall, where you`ll also find a small coat closet with a mirrored door.
Next you`ll notice the living/dining room, where the natural light from the windows (which are equipped with vertical blinds) bounces onto the silver- gray carpet.
The combined area, which measures more than 16 by 18 feet, can accommodate a sofa, a cocktail table, a small entertainment center and a dining table for four people.
The kitchen, which is on the other side of the entry hall, measures almost 14 by 8 feet and has room for a table for two. Among its highlights are a black and white geometric tile floor and track lights that extend the length of the room.
Chef space
The refrigerator, stove and sink are white; the dishwasher has a smoky black exterior but is encased in the white cabinet space between the sink and the stove. There`s also an eight-bottle white wine rack above the refrigerator and a black halogen light on the wall above the sink. There are cabinets above and below most of the appliances and enough counter space to please the at-home chef.
The kitchen also has a rear door that leads to the laundry and storage facilities in the basement.
From there, a short hall (equipped with a closet for storage or linens)
leads to the bedroom and bathroom.
The bathroom is small, providing just enough room to turn around in. The sink vanity has a gray, faux granite top and a black and silver cabinet; above it is a three-way mirror with Hollywood makeup lights. The room has the same silver-gray carpet as the living area.
The bedroom, which measures almost 14 by 11 feet, can accommodate a queen-size bed, a dresser and a nightstand. It has a wall-length closet with sliding mirrored doors and a small window equipped with vertical blinds.
Convenient location
”We can`t compare with some of the newer apartment buildings in terms of all the amenities they offer, like health club benefits, but we have a central location that is near downtown and near other northern suburbs,” said Nicolai M. Kushner, president of Kushner Management Co. Inc. in Skokie, which owns the building.
Kushner said he enjoys rehabbing properties like this building, which has been in his family since it was built 30 years ago.
”Part of the fun is giving the apartments something on the inside that you don`t expect to see on the outside,” he said.
This area was considered an ”in neighborhood” when the building was constructed in 1960, Kushner said. ”This was a place where people wanted to live. We have tenants who have lived here from the day the building was finished. About one-third of the tenants here are senior citizens. But we also have a young population of professionals who stay here an average of three to five years and save their money to buy a house.”
The apartment shopper who is looking for a location that makes it easy for them to commute to downtown Chicago or reach other communities, will find it here.
The building is just a short walk or drive from the Skokie Swift train station and less than a mile from the Edens Expressway. There`s also a bus that runs along Skokie Boulevard.
Apartment shoppers who want more natural light and ample closet space may walk away unhappy, however. There is one window in the living room and one in the bedroom, but otherwise, there`s no way for natural light to reach you. The closets may be large enough for one person, but a couple would have a hard time squeezing in all their belongings.
For rental information, call 708-966-0350.
