Address: 1122 W. Pratt Ave., Chicago
Size: One bedroom, 1 bath.
Rent: $850 a month.
Security deposit: One month’s rent.
Utilities: Resident pays electricity and cooking gas. Steam heat provided
A vast patch of blue at one end of Pratt Avenue signals one of the best aspects of this one-bedroom apartment–its location. This brick courtyard building at 1122 W. Pratt Ave. is just a couple minutes’ walk from Lake Michigan. The street ends at the beach, where a small park overlooks the sand and water.
Kicking the sand out of your shoes could be done on the lawn outside this fenced building, which was constructed in 1919. Decorative cement diamonds are set in the exterior brick and a sign proclaims the structure’s name, “Pratt-at-the-Lake.”
Although you cannot see the lake from the first-floor unit we visited, there are other sights to enjoy. The courtyard can be seen from this unit, which includes a sun room overlooking the building’s front. The courtyard is likely to be blooming with brightly colored flowers this spring because every tenant is offered a plot to grow a garden.
To reach the unit’s sun room, however, you must first walk through a spacious foyer and hallway. The foyer, like the rest of the apartment, has a hardwood floor.
A resident with lots of bulky furniture need not worry about maneuvering them into this apartment because the foyer and long hallway that leads to the living and sun rooms are extra wide.
The living room, which measures 18 by 15 feet, is at the end of the hall. A whitewashed brick fireplace is at the center of one wall. Two built-in bookcases flank the fireplace. A flame blazing here would warm a resident who has jogged on the beach on a chilly day. Warm days might prompt you to turn on the ceiling fan or open a large window in the room.
French doors lead from the living room into the sun room. This quaint space is 9 by 12 feet and features five large windows. Lots of green plants and flowers would thrive in this room, which is awash with sunlight.
If you have been gardening either inside or outdoors, you might want to change into clean clothes in the unit’s bedroom. This room is across the hallway and opposite the living room.
The bedroom has two large windows, a medium-size closet and a ceiling fan. While large, the windows only occupy a portion of this room’s wall space. The ceilings in this apartment are 9 feet high.
The bedroom is next to the bathroom. It features a tile floor, bathtub/shower and pedestal sink, all in white. There also is a bar of Hollywood lighting.
A light supper or snack after a walk or jog on the beach would be eaten in the apartment’s dining room. It is at the other end of the hall, across from the foyer.
The 18-by-12-foot dining room has a row of three large windows that offer a view of a parking lot next door. It should be noted that this unit does not come with parking, which can sometimes be a challenge to find on the street.
The kitchen is next to the dining room. At 15 by 12 feet, it is nearly as spacious as the dining area and is certainly big enough to accommodate a small breakfast table. The floor is white linoleum with black diamonds. The cabinets are white and the counters are a pale gray. A pantry provides extra storage space, and a door here leads to a staircase outside. The shared laundry room is in the basement.
This building offers one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The smaller one-bedrooms are 650 square feet and rent for $650. Two-bedroom units are 1,110 square feet and are $850 a month. Three bedrooms are 1,400 square feet and rent for $1,250.
For rental information, call 773-274-3178.
