Address: 2860 E. 76th St.
Size: Two bedroom, 875 square feet.
Rent: $645 to $670, depending on views from apartment.
Age of building: 54 years old.
Security deposit: One month`s rent.
Floors in building: Eight.
Utilities: Heat, hot water included. Resident pays electric.
Parking: Outdoor lot $40 a month.
Special features: Laundry and storage room; park and beach at the doorstep.
When the landlord describes his apartment building at 76th Street and South Shore Drive as being near the lake and park he may be understating it a bit. It`s actually at the edge of the park and lake, a mere 100 feet to the water.
In fact, the living and dining rooms of the east-facing apartments in this eight-story, brown-brick building have unobstructed views of Rainbow Beach, and a playground where you may hear children giggling and asking their parents or babysitters ”let me go down the slide one more time.”
You`ll find yourself walking around this property ”one more time,” too. Vintage ornamental designs at various corners of the building catch your eye and remind you it has been standing for 50-plus years. The vintage style is carried out throughout the building.
When you open the door to the vestibule you`ll be standing on a soft green and beige terrazzo floor. You`ll also be in the warm surroundings of natural wood-paneled walls that are polished to a high shine.
The terrazzo floor theme continues on the first floor and a cage elevator takes you up to view the apartments. Though there are two- and three-bedroom apartments, we visited a two-bedroom A plan on the third floor.
Mix of old and new
Once in the apartment, the building`s vintage theme mixes with some modern styles.
At the entrance and from an open hallway, the living room is to your left, and separated from the hall by a solid half-wall room divider. The kitchen is to your right. You`ll see a small closet in the hall.
The living room measures about 11 by 12 feet, and it has track lights and two large windows.
The windows face south and usher in the natural light that brings out the golden shades of the parquet floors. A large wall-sized closet is hidden in the living room behind two doors.
There is a black and white color theme in the kitchen, which measures about 9 by 9 feet. You`ll find white cabinets with black handles above or below the major kitchen appliances-refrigerator, stove and dishwasher, which are white.
The entrance hall fans out into a small interior hall where you`ll find the two bedrooms and one bathroom. You`ll also find two closets, one of which can be used for bed and bath linen.
The bathroom separates the two bedrooms. Like the kitchen, it has a black and white color theme: The bathtub, sink and toilet are white. There is a large frosted window over the bathtub and the floor is white ceramic. Black and white tiles cover the walls.
North vs. South
Both bedrooms are nearly the same size, though the one with the southern view is a little larger and has a ceiling fan and a wall-sized closet that is almost 3 feet deep. The second bedroom faces north and has a mirrored-door closet.
Both bedrooms, which measure more than 10 by 12 feet, can accommodate queen-size beds, dressers, cabinets and a comfortable chair.
The walls throughout the apartment are painted white and the windows have white mini-blinds.
Michael Lacy, who owns the building, says it was prepared for condominium conversion in the late 1970s and has since been a rental property.
But condo conversion again is in the plans for this South Shore community mid-rise building.
While its upcoming change in status to condo could take this property off the list of some apartment shoppers, it`s worth a stop if you`re undecided about buying or renting.
New and previous renters who decide to buy a unit in the building will have a portion of their rent go toward the purchase of a unit, says Brenda Vance of B.L. Vance Realty.
For rental information call 312-324-6100.
