Next to a beautiful kitchen and a glamorous bathroom, the third item on a home buyer’s list (women’s especially) might very well be an abundance of closets.
The Towne Square complex in downtown Skokie scores high in all three areas, and most others as well. Two new models are available in Building Two, the second (and final) stage of the complex that includes a total of 95 units.
As in the first phase, the closets are generous in size and number. In addition to the master bedroom’s spacious walk-in closet, and the good sized ones in the second and third bedrooms, there are coat closets, linen closets, pantries, space in the furnace room and, of course, storage space adjacent to the parking spots in the heated garage.
The units in the second phase are also slightly larger than the first, according to Diane Watry, director of sales/marketing for Norwood Builders.
The Fairfield model, approximately 1,975 square feet, has three bedrooms and two baths. The 16 1/2-by-17-foot living room continues right into the 13 1/2-by-10-foot dining room, creating a long uninterrupted space. Sliding doors lead to a balcony.
The kitchen (11 1/2 by 14 1/3) includes a dinette, which, because of a curved half wall that surrounds the eating area, looks out onto the dining room and living room.
The kitchen comes with no-frost refrigerator, dishwasher, continuous-cleaning gas oven, microwave, ceramic tile backsplash and oak cabinets.
The two bedrooms, measuring 10 by 11 feet 2 inches and 10 feet 7 inches by 11 feet 2 inches, respectively, are across from the bath. This bath leads to the laundry room, which, incidentally, provides even more storage space.
A few feet down the hall, but separated by a door that guarantees privacy, is the master suite, large enough to merit that designation. The bedroom/sitting area is a spacious 25 feet by 11 3/4, which easily allows ample space for a sitting area. It faces out on a 15-by-6 balcony, the exact twin to the balcony leading off the living room. Each balcony’s floor is covered in indoor-outdoor carpeting
A large whirlpool dominates the generous master bath. It is placed in the corner of the room and is two-sided with mirrored walls. There is large, separate shower with a seat provided for leisurely showering or shampooing.
Prices for this model range from $249,200 to $251,300. The floor on which the unit is located determines the price, the top price assigned to the top floor.
The building has four floors of apartments and several commercial operations on the ground level.
The Essex II, the two-bedroom, two-bath model, has 1,728 square feet. The living room here is more square, measuring 24 1/3 by 23 3/4 with the dining room in the corner, right off the entryway and the kitchen. This model has only one balcony, off the living room.
White cabinets are shown in this kitchen, which measures 11 3/4 by 12 1/3, but in both models the buyer has some leeway in cabinet choice, depending on the stage of construction. (The units also have ugrades in some areas.)
This kitchen, like the Fairfield, has dining space and a half wall that allows light to penetrate from the living room windows.
Across from the smaller bedroom of the two bedrooms, which is about 13 by 10 3/4, is an attractive full bath.
The master bedroom is about 12 by 17 1/2 and has windows on two sides of the room.
The master bath, like the Fairfield’s, has a large corner whirlpool and a separate shower. No shower seat here, however.
Prices range from $212,900 to $218,900.
Radiant perimeter heat, levered handles on entry doors, intercom security system with TV viewing of the main lobby, carpeting, mini-blinds, concrete block bearing walls that allow almost no sound penetration, are some of the nice features.
The complex does not have a party room, a pool or an exercise room. Eliminating these amenities, said Watry, helps hold down the monthly maintenance fees, which range from about $118 to $234.
Nevertheless, Watry said empty-nesters, singles and couples are attracted to Towne Square, which has already sold about half of the 45 apartments in Building 2.
Towne Square is located at 5000 Oakton in downtown Skokie.
