Wednesday Journal, February 10, 2021
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Homes
Old home lives like new Historic Oak Park residence rehabbed for today By LACEY SIKORA
S
Contributing Reporter
ome homes in Oak Park wear their architectural pedigree on their sleeves. Whether through a plaque on the front designating them historic landmarks or a distinctive architectural flourish, they announce to the world that, through their connection with a famous architect or an individual who made a mark on Oak Park, they are a part of local history. Other homes from the same era might be a little more subtle. Yes, they are old and most likely designed by someone with architectural skills, but their pasts aren’t as well documented. While they might not garner a stop on famous home tours, these houses are the bread and butter of Oak Park -- the kind of charming historic homes that draw people
to live here. The house at 215 N. Elmwood Ave. is one of those. Records kept by the Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest indicate the home was built sometime between 1895 and 1908, and has names but few details on the first owners. A real estate ad from the 1970s says the house could be an E. E. Roberts design, but there is no corroboration for this claim. In short, the stately home might have an undistinguished pedigree, but it retains many original details that make it an Oak Park classic. Recently, the owners updated the home for their family’s needs and while they retained the original charm, they created a versatile space for a modern family.
Complete makeover In 2014, Beyond Properties Owner and Managing Broker Erica Cuneen sold the
Photo provided
VINTAGE MODERN: Oak Park is dotted with homes like this one at 215 N. Elmwood Ave. (top), historic structures available to be updated for contemporary living. This property also comes with a 2-bed, 1-bath coach house apartment (above). home to the current owners. It was wellmaintained, but she says of what was then a big blue house, “It had all of these nice vintage features, but it needed a ton of work.” She says that her clients took the house down to the studs, while taking care to sal-
vage original details like the dining room’s woodwork and leaded glass windows. At the rear of the house, they created an addition to allow space for a mudroom and stairs to the basement. See LIKE NEW on page 4