Getty Images/EyeEm We’ve closed up shop for the time being Dear readers, We’re writing with some news: We’ve closed up shop at Curbed Chicago for the time being. So, we’re leaving our homepage curated with our some of our best and most resourceful stories. Meanwhile, our national site will continue to report on how changes in the housing market could affect you, feature striking homes from around the country, and distill the latest design trends. And because we’re all spending more time at home lately, we’ve also got ideas for easy home projects to tackle while you’re hunkered down and tips on ..read more

Carmen Troesser A luxury developer sets its sights on renovating the neighborhood’s historic buildings. Some years ago, Sam Walker saw a band at one of Uptown’s many concert venues, and the neighborhood made an impression on him. It was much closer to the lake than where he lived at the time, there was lots to do, and it had housing at prices that the IT professional, who’s now 31, could afford. In the summer of 2017, Walker signed a lease on a $1,050-per-month studio apartment at Lawrence House, a newly-redeveloped 12-story Art Deco building a block east of the Aragon Ballroom with 84 units a ..read more

Photos courtesy of Jennifer Cummings of Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty Plus, it has the backyard we’re all dreaming of. This adorable home in Oak Park’s historic district was on the market for just seven days before it went under contract. The home is currently listed for $354,900 which puts it about $40,000 under the area’s median home sales in the last month, according to Redfin. In 1995, this home sold for $157,000. Built in 1941 on a spacious lot, the home comes with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and 1,478 square feet of space. There’s a front yard with mature trees and ..read more

Photos by VHT Studios This light-filled house has tons of space, too. In Kenwood, a lovely Colonial-style home has come on the market just under a million. Overlooking the neighborhood’s namesake park, this home comes with five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and 3,725 square feet of space. It features an elegant foyer with a large staircase, a spacious sunny living room with a fireplace, and a cozy reading library. Despite the home’s classical exterior style, the rooms are refreshing with white walls, well-maintained light hardwood floors, and modern furniture that provides pops of color. In the ki ..read more

“Stopping the outbreak in the homeless population has been challenging,” said Dr. Allison Arwady Homeless Chicago residents “cannot close their doors to this virus,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot at a press conference Monday after announcing additional efforts to help the city’s most vulnerable population including moving them into hotel rooms. In mid-March before the stay-at-home order was announced, advocacy groups and nonprofits were already anticipating a sharp increase in the number of people who’d be seeking their services. If coronavirus shows up at shelters and encampments, “it will sprea ..read more

Getty Images/EyeEm Normally, the spring season brings a flood of new homes for sale with inventory spiking 62 percent. After the stay-at-home order, a lot changed in the housing market. For those still house hunting, it’s primarily now an all online process. Open houses switched to virtual tours via FaceTime and Zoom. Many closings are done curbside without the celebratory moment at signing. If you’re purchasing a home, usually spring is the one of the best times to start looking. Since sellers wait for this time all year, it’s when some of the best houses become available. On average the tota ..read more

Photos courtesy of Laurie Shapiro of Gagliardo Realty Associates The yellow brick home features stained glass windows and original crown molding Oak Park is home to a number of incredible Frank Lloyd Wright designs, Prairie School style homes, and, of course, bungalows. Typically, bungalows were homes built for the working class, but in the 1920s those modest homes doubled in size with rich ornamentation. Last week, we featured a massive bungalow in West Rogers Park that was first owned by an Olympic boxer. Continuing the mega bungalow theme, here’s another prime example in Oak Park. This ..read more

The 813-foot tower will have a noticeable impact on the Chicago skyline. | Rendering by Steelblue In the middle of the largest economic halt in living history, Salesforce Tower is pressing ahead As Chicago remains on lockdown, construction crews are springing into action on the third and last phase of the Wolf Point megadevelopment—the 58-story office building known as Salesforce Tower Chicago. The 813-foot-tall skyscraper scored its first building permit this week, and work is already underway to prep the riverfront parcel for foundation drilling, according to the project’s webcam. Salesf ..read more

These plants have “Midwestern sensibilities” and will help keep your garden low maintenance Signs of spring are peeking out in Chicago. There’s more daylight—thankfully. Daffodils are blooming in front yards. Magnolia trees are showing their pink and white flowers. Forsythia plants are glowing bright yellow. It might have you itching to go freshen up your own outdoor space. Whether you’re in a bungalow with a backyard or courtyard apartment that has a little deck, there’s a way to get beautiful greenery. “Don’t be afraid to just try. People always talk about a green thumb, but all that matte ..read more

Brett Bulthuis The best House Calls showcase the storied dwellings—and lives—of our neighbors House Calls, Curbed’s weekly tour series, takes you inside some of the most stylish and creative living spaces in Chicago. Over the years, the series highlighted works by big-name architects like Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and Walter Netsch as well as fresh takes on vernacular architecture: from quaint workers cottages and rustic industrial lofts to innovative twists on classic brick two-flats. The series also shines the spotlight on the diverse Chicagoans who’ve crafted these ..read more