Celebrity Home Death Match: 'Empire' Condo Vs. 'Kitchen Crashers' Brownstone

CHICAGO, IL — Thanks to films such as "Home Alone," "Risky Business" and, of course, "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," many homes in and around Chicago have compiled quite impressive onscreen résumés. And now that TV series such as "Shameless" and "Law & Order" creator Dick Wolf's latest crime-and-tragedy franchise — "Chicago Fire," "Chicago PD," "Chicago Animal Control," etc. — have made the city their filming home, Chicago residences are getting a lot of exposure.

Two homes that are no strangers to the celebrity spotlight have recently gone on sale. A three-bedroom, 9,000-square-foot duplex penthouse in the Streeterville neighborhood that has made appearances on NBC's "Chicago PD" and Fox's wonderfully over-the-top music industry melodrama "Empire" went on the market Thursday, June 8. Heading northwest to the Wicker Park neighborhood, a three-bedroom, 3,751-square-foot owned — and refurbished — by Alison Victoria, host of DIY Network's home makeover series "Kitchen Crashers," also was listed Thursday. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Arlington Heights news. And iPhone users: Check out Patch's new app.)

With the help of realtor.com, Patch has put these homes to the test to see which of these stars of the small screen has enough juice to make them stars of the real estate market. And to do that, we've put the "Empire"condo in the ring (figuratively speaking) with the "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone for Patch's Celebrity Home Death Match.

RELATED: Celebrity Homeowner Death Match: Michael Jordan Vs. Scottie Pippen

Go to realtor.com for more information about and photos from Streeterville's "Empire" condo and "Kitchen Crashers" host Alison Victoria's Wicker Park brownstone. And check out Patch's previous Celebrity Home Death Match, featuring homes owned by Chicago Bulls legends Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.

Where It's At

• "Empire" condo: 415 E. North Water St.
• "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone: 1515 N. Wicker Park Ave.
• WINNER: Push. Both areas are nice; it all depends if you prefer neighborhood life to downtown living.

Price

• "Empire" condo: $8.99 million, making it the eighth-highest listed price for a Chicago condo in an existing building, according to Crain's Chicago Business. That's a nearly $4 million drop in price when the condo was listed for $12.95 million in 2015. But it's still a good chunk more than the current owner, Hard Eight Futures trader Cal Fishkin, paid for it. He purchased the condo for $5.3 million in 2008, Crain's reports.
• "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone: $1.5 million. Victoria bought the home for $315,000 in 2012.
• WINNER: "Empire" condo. Although Victoria would have a return on her investment of more than $1 million, that still doesn't beat the $3.69 million Fishkin could make on his sale at its current listing, even with the price cut.

Design Style

• "Empire" condo: Built in 2005, this penthouse's interior design is the definition of modern and swanky. Imported Italian marble is found throughout the home, including the beautiful spiral staircase and the walls that frame the three, 500-gallon, saltwater tropical fish tanks.

• "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone: Victoria told HGTV Magazine that the kitchen of her Wicker Park home had "zero personality." Her remodeling change that without losing the original charm of this 1916-built residence. By blending looks from the past — such as old-time apothecary jars filled with candy and 1960s-era hanging pendants — with a contemporary sensibility, she created a space that's both stylish but liveable. Victoria extended that aesthetic throughout the rest of the home, too, restoring original details and adding modern touches to the open concept floor plan.

• WINNER: "Empire" condo. Oscar Wilde said nothing succeeds like excess, and the design of this penthouse certainly illustrates that idea.

Room That Cookie Would Approve Of

• "Empire" condo: What room woudn't she approve of in this over-the-top condo? But the one room that perfectly fits the Lyons family matriarch would be the extravagant master bedroom with its mammoth walk-in closet and a view of the city that feels like a queen surveying her kingdom.

• "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone: This house might be a bit too home-y for Cookie, but she could feel comfortable sitting in front of its wood-burning fireplace.

• WINNER: "Empire" condo, if you have to ask.

Room Where You Could Make Cookies Others Approve Of

• "Empire" condo: The stylish kitchen with its marble island.

• "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone: The remodeled kitchen with its Thermador Pro appliances, leathered marble countertops and designer cabinets.

• WINNER: "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone, again, if you have to ask.

Best Way To Watch "Empire" Or "Kitchen Crashers"

• "Empire" condo: A home theater with the TV on the wall and a view of the city surrounding it.

• "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone: The home theater with its 90-inch TV.

• WINNER: Push. After a certain point, a TV screen can only be so big and a couch so comfy that it really doesn't matter any more.

Best Way To Enjoy The Outdoors

• "Empire" condo: A wraparound porch high over the city.

• "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone: The green, gated yard.

• WINNER: "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone. Walking through the grass with barefeet is underrated.

Best View

• "Empire" condo: A view of the river and the skyline.

• "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone: A view of the Wicker Park neighborhood.

• WINNER: "Empire" condo. How do you beat one of the greatest city skylines in the world? Answer: You don't.

And after a quick tally of the different categories, the overall winner is the "Empire" condo. As nice as the refurbished "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone is, it can't compete with the luxurious penthouse. And that's without even mentioning the full-size basketball and racquetball court, which we just did now.

YOUR TURN: Don't think the "Empire" condo beats out the "Kitchen Crashers" brownstone? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

The Streeterville penthouse condo from "Empire" (left) and the Wicker Park brownstone owned by "Kitchen Crashers" host Alison Victoria. (Photos via realtor.com)

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