Tessa Carla Blog's: Major Glow-Up! Historic $4.2M Mansion Shines on Chicago’s South Side

Friday 19 June 2020

Major Glow-Up! Historic $4.2M Mansion Shines on Chicago’s South Side

The South Side of Chicago is a study in contrasts. Poverty and foreclosures mark neighborhoods just south of the Loop, but promise is also apparent as you travel further south.

The Barack Obama Presidential Center is slated to open in Jackson Park, and in leafy, racially diverse Hyde Park, the Obamas’ former neighborhood, lies the University of Chicago and the Frederick C. Robie House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

If you’d like to live close to the University and live in style, we’ve found just the right spot in Hyde Park. Built in 1898, at the tail end of the Gilded Age, this 8,000-square-foot mansion in Hyde Park is on the market for $4.2 million.

Five short years ago, the property sold for just $1.7 million. As has been the case with other parts of the city’s South Side, this grand manse was brought back to life with concentrated effort.

Designed by the renowned architect William Carbys Zimmerman, this palatial six-bedroom, 6.5-bathroom spread clocks in at 8,000 square feet.

In 2018, the owners embarked on a top-to-bottom renovation that introduced new mechanical systems, state-of-the-art automation, Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances, and even commercial-grade Wi-Fi hotspot transmitters.

In the kitchen, you’ll find custom white cabinetry, as well as a large charcoal-gray island with pullout drawers, cabinetry, and electrical.

A casual dining area attached to the kitchen allows for a long dining table, L-shaped sofa and an entire wall of shelving and cabinetry.

A half-flight below the kitchen is the most up-to-date part of the home.

A denlike space has a greenhouse vibe and features high ceilings, as well as three walls of black, industrial-style windowpanes designed to coax in natural light, and a kitchenette at the ready to prepare cocktails.

Along with these upgrades, vintage touches throughout the home were left intact.

They include classic wood-beam ceilings, leaded-glass windows, oak and mahogany woodwork, and built-ins with diamond-shaped glass panes.

To warm up, there are a trio of fireplaces, including one that warms the vast entryway, with its wide staircase.

The third floor has a luxurious retreat with a master suite, spalike bath, two walk-in closets, and space to both unwind and sleep.

The home is set on a quarter-acre lot, and its curb appeal is readily apparent, with a mature tree in the front yard, a bench on a concrete slab, and the garden arranged in a boxlike design.

A deck off an upper floor has good views, as well as also privacy, and a raised deck in the backyard features a pergola-style roof.

What kind of person might snap this gem up? It might be someone associated with the university—the campus is a block away.

It might also be a seasoned entertainer, because the home’s spacious rooms and high ceilings are made for galas, dinner parties, and cocktail hours. The dining room comes with a swinging butler door.

Alternatively, a family with kids might be attracted to the rec room, with its 20-foot ceilings, pool table, and home gym.

The home is listed with Robert Sullivan of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago.