Palmolive PenthouseA pricey Michigan Avenue penthouse could soon be split into two units. Owned by actor Vince Vaughn, the three-level, Palmolive Penthouse was reportedly recently split into two listings and both are said to be under separate contracts.

Originally a native of Lake Forest, Vaughn paid $12 million for the high-rise residence in 2006 when he came to Chicago to film a movie with Jennifer Aniston. After privately listing the home for $25 million, he made the listing public in 2012, cutting the price to $18.4 million, then eventually dropping the price several more times.

Recently, though, the actor agreed to sell the penthouse in two listings, $4.2 million for a 35th floor condo and $8.5 million for the two floors above it. Within days of this the two properties…

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Chicago Real Estate Market UpdateYear-to-date, the median price for properties in the 9 county Chicagoland region jumped 4% from $202,000 to $210,00 in the month of March. As expected, consumer confidence has also been on the rise, with recent statistics showing and Index of 96.2.

Homes for sale in the Chicago area are also selling at a more rapid pace as well, taking around 77 days to selling March of 2016, down from 85 days in March of 2015. New construction prices specifically are also rising steadily, up nearly 15% from a year ago to $539,000.

As for the luxury market in Chicago specifically, which is classified as properties $1 million and over, sales numbers of up significantly, jumping 8.8% from what we say just last year. The average days on market for luxury real estate in…

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More than two-dozen new condos are coming to River West. Chicago-area developer The Domain Group just secured a construction permit to put in a seven-story building at 640-650 N Morgan. Including 25 units, the building will be going up in the 12,300-square-foot triangular space located between the Kennedy Expressway and Morgan.

While little information is listed about the design of the building, Chicago’s Vari Architects is signed on as the architectural firm. A published rendering of the building does show a garage and bike parking on the ground level along with five different floor plans of three-bedroom, two-bath units on floors two through six. The rendering also leaves room for a large rooftop deck, taking up at least half of building’s upper level.

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The City of Chicago is aggressively moving towards a more energy efficient future.  The city plans to change out 85% of all of its current public outdoor lights and replace them with LED lights.  While the Emanuel administration previously detailed the more than 348,000 lights included in the plan, a mayoral trust is now officially requesting proposals.

Called the Smart Lighting Project, the plan is aimed at making the city’s street lights more reliable and making the city’s energy usage more efficient.  While many city lights were installed during the 1970s, some of the electrical wiring and poles have been in place since the 1950s.

LEDs use less electricity, plus the bulbs are said to last longer than the current high-pressure sodium lights.  The city…

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No matter whether you’re a huge sports fan or a kid at heart, you’ll find plenty to do and see at any of Chicago’s top springtime events. For a closer look at what's going on over the next several weeks, here's a look at some of the best events to hit during the spring warm-up!

NFL Draft (April 28-30)

It may not feel much like football season but fans will be out in force for the 2016 NFL Draft Chicago.  This three-day festival, aimed at football fans, takes over Grant Park, Congress Plaza and Auditorium Theatre. The festival is free, complete with youth clinics, autograph sessions, games and activities.

Chicago Kids and Kites Festival (May 7)

Expect some high-flying fun at the Chicago Kids and Kites Festival May 7. Free to attend, this is the…

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Luxurious features and amenities are available at every turn within some of Chicago’s most expensive condos on the market.

401 N Wabash Avenue #32A | View Trump Tower Condos For Sale

Trump Tower provides a two-bedroom unit for $3.35 million, located at 401 N Wabash Avenue on the city’s Near North Side.  On the market starting in early March 2016, the unit features spectacular river and lake views.

118 E Erie Street #26C | View Ritz Carlton Residences For Sale

Also on the Near North Side, the Ritz Carlton Chicago admirably includes a unit of two bedrooms and 2.5 baths for $1.85 million.  This particular unit has been on the market since February 2016.

505 N Lake Shore Drive #1615 | View 505 N. Lake Shore Condos For Sale

Located at 505…

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Spring is here and the City of Chicago is ripe with an excess of events and activities all throughout the month of April.

Shamrock Shuffle 8K- April 3

St. Patrick’s Day may be long past, but you’ll have plenty of reason to break out the green cheering on racers of the Shamrock Shuffle 8K.  The traditional kickoff for the running season starts and ends in Grant Park, taking participants throughout the downtown area beginning bright and early on April 3.

Opening Day for Chicago White Sox- April 8

Baseball fans get ready to cheer!  The Chicago White Sox are back for opening day on April 8.

Opening Day for Chicago Cubs- April 11

Meanwhile, the Chicago Cubs return to Wrigley Field on April 11.

Chicago International Movies & Music Festival-…

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Some neighbors of a proposed luxury condo development are passing around information in opposition of the plan.  Known as 403 N. Wabash, the plan is to construct a building on top of a parking garage to the north of Trump tower.  Although the plan first made news in 2014, only recently have neighbors at nearby 405 N. Wabash begun to take renewed interest in the design.

A flyer circulating among neighbors sites “safety concerns”, arguing the development would be too close to Trump Tower and to River Plaza.  The River Plaza Homeowners Association Board has since placed a petition for residents to sign in the lobby of River Plaza.

The flyer includes a rendering of the project’s new design.  Previously more curved on the side facing the river, the new design…

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Winter in Chicago can be cold, dark, dreary, and any other negative word you can find to describe what most would say is their least favorite season. But for those of us who truly love living in Chicago, it’s still possible to find beauty in our amazing city even during the dark days of winter. And there’s no better proof of that than what’s on display in this mesmerizing video that captures some of Chicago’s most well known places during the height of the winter season.

Familiar spots in the video include the United Center, Adams and Sangamon Park in the West Loop, Roosevelt University, Grant Park, the Adler Planetarium, Maggie Daley Park, the new 606 Trail, the Congress Hotel, the University of Chicago, and so many other recognizable places.

The…

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More Fulton Market offices could soon be on the way thanks to a new construction permit at 1330 W. Fulton.  Known as Fulton West, the plan is to finish off a partially completed development that has stood in limbo for more than a decade.

Sterling Bay plans to tackle the nine-story commercial development.  Including 290,000 square feet of office space, the development will offer such extras as private balconies, a rooftop terrace and a large amount of landscaped green space for tenants.  In addition, the project will include 610 parking spaces, located on-site.

The development firm behind the plan is the same one responsible for reimagining the Fulton Cold Storage Building, otherwise known as 1K Fulton.  The site of a former warehouse now serves as home…

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