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Two Castles in the Chicago Area You Can Buy Right Now
Have you spotted a unique listing that you'd like to share with Curbed readers? Head on over to our anonymous tip line or send us an email with links and photos.
Perhaps you've never thought to yourself about living in an enormous suburban castle, but the people who built these homes certainly thought about it enough to shell out big bucks to bring their fantasy to life. And just as the homes are unique, they will certainly require an equally eccentric buyer. However, if you've wanted to just escape it all and be the master of your domain, these two castles are definitely worth considering.
Construction Underway on Clybourn Ave. Protected Bike Lane
The next Chicago protected bike lane is on it's way! Clybourn work is moving along at a good pace.Posted by Chicago Bicycle Program on Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Pretty soon, bicyclists will be able to rest easy while riding down one of the busiest roads in the city. Crews are currently working on the new protected bike lanes on Clybourn Avenue, which are set to become the first of their kind in Chicago. Unlike the protected bike lanes on Kinzie Avenue and Dearborn Street that use plastic bollards to separate cyclists from vehicle traffic, the new Clybourn bike lane will utilize concrete curb dividers. The new barrier-protected bike lane will stretch from North Avenue down to Division Street, and is being installed as a part of a pilot program to study the effects protected bike lanes have on traffic and safety. There's still a bit more work to do before it opens, but the new lanes are expected to be completed and open by the end of summer.
·Check Out Clybourn's New Concrete-Protected Bike Lanes [DNAinfo]
·Chicago Bicycle Program [Facebook]
·Check Out Clybourn's New Concrete-Protected Bike Lanes [DNAinfo]
·Chicago Bicycle Program [Facebook]
10 Cold War-Era U.S. Embassies That Did Modernism Right
The U.S. Interests Section in Havana, originally designed by Harrison & Abramovitz, will regain its embassy status thanks to a recent move to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. Photo by Terry Feuerborn/Creative Commons
Hailed as a huge diplomatic step forward, President Obama's announcement that the United States will re-open its embassy in Havana stands as one more concrete sign that relations between the two countries will be restored. A symbol of U.S. might in a closed Communist country, the building's curious history mirrors the two nations' relationship. "Closed" by Eisenhower in 1961 and demoted to a U.S. Interests Section, the modernist tower designed by Harrison & Abramovitz, the architects behind the UN Headquarters, has been the site of political gamesmanship. Embassies have always provided a potent way to project U.S. power, especially during the Cold War. Whereas in previous decades, the State Department had purchased existing buildings in foreign capitals, by the '50s, diplomats felt it was in our interest to commission a series of Modernist buildings that presented America as forward-thinking and idealistic. On the occasion of the 4th of July, here are some of our favorite examples.
Two Bed, Two Bath Prairie District Corner Unit Wants $299K
When looking for a nice two bedroom in the South Loop that's asking just under $300,000, don't wait until the last minute to get your offer in. Now that the market is rebounding, it just takes just a few weeks (or even days) for homes to find buyers. While this unit may sit lower to the ground than others, being located on the corner of the building allows it to take in nice views and plenty of natural sunlight. And it's not just a two bedroom with a single bath, it's also got two full bathrooms. Garage parking is an additional $30K, but for those who rely solely on public transit and car-sharing services, here's a good chance to get a spacious unit for cheap.
Gold Coast Jewel Shutters to Make Way for New Store and Apartment Tower
[Rendering: SCB]
The Sinclair, an upcoming apartment tower, is moving towards construction as demolition preparations have begun at the northwest corner of Clark and Division Streets. The existing Jewel-Osco store at the location, which has been the source of this project's commonly applied nickname of "Tower of Jewel" among development watchers, has officially closed as of last weekend and a small work crew has begun a tear down of the grocery store's interior. The project will become the city's second largest transit oriented development (TOD) presently under construction (after Block 37) as the new structures will sit directly on top of the CTA's newly expanded Clark/Division Red Line station which has entrances at each end of the block.
Lincoln Centre Redevelopment Heading to Plan Commission
The plan to redevelop the Lincoln Centre mixed-use development in Lincoln Park has earned the support of Alderman Michele Smith and will be heading to the Chicago Plan Commission on July 16. First unveiled early last year, the proposal has spent a considerable amount of time in the planning stage, but has also undergone an extensive redesign since it was first presented. Beyond aesthetic changes, the proposal shrank slightly in size, going from 122 feet in height down to 107 feet and lowering the total unit count from 225 apartments to 200.
A new window wrap covering a retail space in Uptown hints that a medical marijuana dispensary is coming to the corner of Clark and Argyle. Titled Dispensary 33, the new store has a website that reveals that this location is one of a handful coming to Chicago's north side. [Uptown Update]Mariano Park Debate; Priciest Mansion in Naperville; More
·Police, Park District still disagree on nighttime 606 travel [Streetsblog]
·Naperville mansion listed for city record $8.75 million [Tribune]
·Historic Lincoln Park mansion may be demolished [Crain's]
·A Pair of 1880s row houses hit the market in Lincoln Park [Chicago Mag]
·Petition opposes Intrinsic Charter School in Lincoln Square [DNAinfo]
·Pro-Whispers Cafe crowd sets tone at Mariano Park meeting [Tribune]
·Fuzzy plans for vacant North Park University lot at Kedzie and Argyle[Chi Real Estate Local]
·Naperville mansion listed for city record $8.75 million [Tribune]
·Historic Lincoln Park mansion may be demolished [Crain's]
·A Pair of 1880s row houses hit the market in Lincoln Park [Chicago Mag]
·Petition opposes Intrinsic Charter School in Lincoln Square [DNAinfo]
·Pro-Whispers Cafe crowd sets tone at Mariano Park meeting [Tribune]
·Fuzzy plans for vacant North Park University lot at Kedzie and Argyle[Chi Real Estate Local]
POPULAR
Lovely Three Bed on Historic Fullerton Parkway Asks Just $439K
For well under half a million bucks, this lovely three bedroom, two bathroom condo on Fullerton Parkway can be yours. Located in a vintage yellow brick building, this 1,550 square foot unit is not only incredibly charming, but it's surprisingly affordable for the area. The home has been updated, but has been done so tastefully. One of the bathrooms will need some updating and the front balcony space could use a good cleaning, but otherwise the unit is ready to go. Homeowner association dues are only $388 per month, so prospective homebuyers shouldn't expect any big surprises.
Mid-Century James Speyer Designed Glass Home Earns $607K
A glassy North Shore home designed by James Speyer, a student of Mies van der Rohe and master of Mid-Century Modernism, has officially ended its five month run on the market, selling for $607,300. While the name might not seem immediately recognizable, Speyer's work throughout the Chicago area most certainly is. Ferris Bueller fans familiar with the famous Ferrari house that belonged to Cameron Frye in the film might not realize it at first, but this Lake Forest home was designed by the same architect that built the modernist glass home in Ferris Bueller's Day Off. The home originally listed in January, asking $745,000. However, after three price cuts, the owners settled on an offer just over the $600K mark. For just a few thousand more, mid-century aficionados might want to consider an award-winning glass home in south suburban Olympia Fields.
New Aerial Drone Footage Reveals a Chicago in Full Bloom
[Image via Soaring Badger Productions]
Every few weeks it seems like there's a new drone, time lapse or time lapse drone video that focuses on Chicago's urban landscape. Each one tackles a different theme however, and this new video from Soaring Badger Productions seeks to highlight a Chicago in full bloom. The footage was shot during the spring and early summer months, and shows some of the first aerial footage of the new 606 trail and Maggie Daley Park. Other notable highlights include footage of Buckingham Fountain, Navy Pier, Millennium Park, North Avenue Beach and even a short flyby over the Chicago Spire hole.
Mapping 14 Imperiled Modern Buildings Being Rescued by the Getty Foundation
It hasn't been an easy year for 20th-century architecture. The world bid adieu to Tokyo's Hotel Okura, mourned the loss of Paul Rudolph's Orange County Government Center, and said a tearful farewell to Josep LluÃs Sert's Martin Luther King Jr. School. And that doesn't even begin to account for those perishing under the weight of abandonment, neglect, and water damage. So who is going to come to the defense of our many embattled midcentury structures? The Getty Foundation's Keeping It Modern program, of course. According to a recently released announcement pledging over $1.75 million to the conservation of imperiled landmarks, everything from Charles Rennie Mackintosh's Hill House to Walter Gropius' residence can breath a sigh of relief, at least for this year.
Gold Coast Mansion Built for Potter Palmer Lists for $7.2M
Potter Palmer's colossal mansion has been long erased from Chicago's streetscape, but Palmer's influence on Chicago real estate development can still be felt throughout the downtown area. Palmer built one of the country's finest hotels and a few mansions in the Gold Coast neighborhood. This mansion on Astor Street dates back to 1898 and sports a tall, limestone-clad facade. The five-level mansion features 8,000-square-feet of space, with four bedrooms and seven and a half bathrooms. According to the listing agent, the home's interior has been remodeled by Michael Graham of Liederbach & Graham Architects. Filled with ornate millwork, marble and fancy wallpaper, this home is a mansion's mansion and its $7.2 million asking price certainly reflects this.
With the big Grateful Dead farewell concerts and Fourth of July celebrations taking place this weekend, the CTA will be operating at full capacity. In order to accommodate the influx of passengers, the CTA will run more trains across the system this weekend. The trains will also include additional cars and will operate later in the evening throughout the weekend.[Chicago Transit Authority]SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER
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Curbed University delivers insider tips and non-boring advice on how to buy or rent a house or apartment.
- The Eternal Debate: Renting vs. Buying
- Inside the All Powerful Condo Association
- Here’s the Lowdown on Mortgages
- On the Topic of Appraisals
- The How-To on Home Inspections
- Making Sense of Brokers' Commissions
- There's Nothing Short About Short Sales
- The Flip: Can You? Should You?
- Curbed’s Guide to Renting in Chicago
- The Weird World of Rental Deposits and Fees
- Documents Needed to Rent an Apartment in Chicago
- Property Research Pointers for Diligent Renters & Buyers
- Using Property Records to Your Advantage
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