Your Windy City Guide

‘Uptown’

Enormous Sheridan Park Rehab

Two bedrooms plus den, two full baths, in a gorgeous 1901 Victorian 6-flat

List Price:  $279,900 includes parking

Taxes: $4,418     Assessments: $264

Fabulous Sheridan Park rehab originally completed in 1993 has been beautifully updated again! Just finished the wood floors, and fresh paint throughout.

Read the rest of this entry »

Just got the new Video Tour back for 945 W. Agatite #2 in Chicago.  And I must say, with 2,000 square feet, three beds and two baths, plus a garage spot included, this nice condo is the deal of the month.

The Uptown Theater, originally uploaded by Michael_Lehet.

Check out the article in Today’s Sun Times about a new deal to give control of the Uptown Theater (4816 N. Broadway) to someone else besides Jam Productions. The problem is that Jam Productions paid $3.2 million for it in a foreclosure auction last summer.

David Roeder notes of a longstanding feud between Alderman Mary An Smith and Jam Productions.

http://www.suntimes.com/business/roeder/1365026,CST-FIN-roeder07.article

At the corner of Clarendon and Montrose in Buena Park is the old Maryville Academy – a 3.5 acre site sitting on both sides of Clarendon on the north side of Montrose.  Maryville has been vacant for years, and developers have been leery about developing property in the challenging neighborhood. 

But the lure of townhomes, houses, or a high rise with views of the lake in one of Chicago’s few undeveloped parcels seems to be quite the temptation.

Read the Sun Times’ article here.

On quiet, tree lined, Arthur Street in West Ridge springs forth "Arthland" – I have no idea why.  The baby cow is riding a mini-motor cycle.

The Buddhist Temple on Ashland at Wilson is preparing for Buddha’s Birthday Celebration.  This should be quite a weekend.  Happy Birthday, Buddha.

Conveniently located on the shores of Lake Michigan, comfortably within one day’s carriage ride from the movie studios located in the South Loop you’ll find this tranquil paradise far removed from the hectic city. 

That’s how this popular destination was billed to the movie stars and studio moguls of Chicago during the early 1900′s.

Today this popular neighborhood lies along the lakefront and Marine Drive stretching from Lawrence to Foster Avenues.  Out of character for traditional Chicago neighborhoods, some streets such as West Castlewood Terrace feature oversized lots with luxurious mansions built during the heyday of Chicago’s Silent Film era.

Charlie Chaplin, Gloria Swanson and other early film stars are rumored to have owned homes or visited the gracious mansions in the neighborhood and relaxed along the dunes in what is now a part of Lincoln Park.

Not every street in Margate Park is as luxurious as this, but even the more traditional streets such as Ainslie and Margate Terrace are tranquil oasis’ in an otherwise bustling neighborhood.  Most streets don’t go all the way from Marine to Sheridan or Broadway, rather dead end.  The apartment buildings lining these streets featured units with gracious flowing floor plans of exceptional size. 

Still a hidden gem in Chicago, selecting a condo in Margate Park can be quite  a treasure.  Still priced affordably, it’s possible to locate  a sprawling 1,700 square foot two or three bedroom condo priced in the low $300,000 range featuring vintage details such as exposed woodwork, exposed wood trim, wood floors and lots of charming rooms.

From the Uptown Update

A reader wrote in on Friday: "This building was unveiled today and its restoration is gorgeous!"

We went by this morning to take a look, and we agree. The details on this building are stunning. Even with the downstairs still being gutted, it took our breath away.

Thank you, Thaddeus Wong, for giving this amazing building back to Uptown.