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Chicago Bungalow Initiative

User
12 years ago

I'm dropping a link here to some photos of a rejuvenation project going on in Chicago, reclaiming neighborhoods with this characteristic bungalow style for modern families. I won't say more, because for once the person who uploaded the photos gave a really fine description of the Initiative.

The homes were generally built between 1910 and 1940, so bringing them into the 21st century for our way of living needs a new way of thinking.

Take a look, you might enjoy it. Especially Lav, one of them is a real story book house. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Chicago Bungalow Initiative

Comments (8)

  • TxMarti
    12 years ago

    What pretty homes. I wonder if the stone work is original to the house? I don't know about other areas of the country, but stone work was really popular here in the 30's & 40's, though not like that. It was more the irregular stones and brick together. Then it became hugely unpopular and those houses were hard to sell. Now the stone and brick combo is back, with the square cut stone like on these. While I like this look, I wonder how long it will be popular.

    It looks great on these houses, and while not modern, it looks classic.

  • chocolatebunny
    12 years ago

    I grew up in one of these bungalows..not one of the ones pictured, but in a bungalow in Chicago (the one I grew up in looked a lot like the one on the left in the photo).

    The stonework is original to these types of homes. In fact, these homes are for the most part all brick.

    My home was around 1400 square feet. The rooms were quite small but we had a full basement that made up for it. The upstairs walls were angled and I was constantly hitting my head on them!

    Chicago also had a boom of bungalow-building in the late 1940-50's after WWII. The homes were so close together you could look out your window right into your neighbor's house. All these homes also had detached garages too.

  • shadygrove
    12 years ago

    Interesting post. One can't help but be impressed by the sturdiness of the materials, in contrast to much of what we see today.

  • jakabedy
    12 years ago

    I always think of the houses in my link below as being typical Chicago bungalows. The use of brick, along with the enclosed front room rather than an open porch, are hallmarks of the city's take on Bungalows.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Chicago Bungalows

  • User
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I've been impressed with the style of these homes too. I looked further on Flickr.com on this topic, and found some fantastic photos uploaded there. Many of them dating from the early 1900s family photos showing houses and fashions and architectural detail.

    Like mentioned by Shadygrove, there is a definite sturdiness to the materials. They built to last. And while I noticed in a realtor's listing for this area that the square footage was in the 1000 to 1300 sq foot range, they also listed houses as 5 bedroom and 2 bath, full basement, so it must have small rooms. They look built to stand.

  • EATREALFOOD
    12 years ago

    "bungalows were never seen as flashy markers of wealth"
    yeah and we can see where those flashy markers of wealth have landed us. Sprawl of abandoned McMansions and LUXURY APTS all over the world.
    IMHO those houses are classic. These type of homes will be in big demand in the near future. The owners of the 3000 + houses will start reconsidering their choices(Home Theatre, Spa room, Dog room(WTH ?), "Great" Room) all that was frowned upon will be considered "chic" at some point. Just like food grown in real earth, not GMO, with seeds or grafting is considered favorable(we should never have veered away from what your Grandmother ate/cooked) :)
    (is there anywhere on this forum to just rant :) I need to find it)

  • Shades_of_idaho
    12 years ago

    ML those are darling bungalows. Enjoyed viewing the pictures.

    Eatrealfood you are welcome to rant anywhere with us. There is also a conversations side of this forum where you can start what you might feel are not on small house topics. But really I think none of up are real strict on which side you post on.

    We lived in an 800 SQ FT house and we felt we had lots of room. Really loved that little house. It was not very well built for the cold country it was in and we half froze to death on 30 below zero nights. Still we loved that little place. the house we built was only 864 SQ foot and was warm and cozy. It felt larger because it had vaulted ceilings.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Conversations.

  • TxMarti
    12 years ago

    Eatrealfood, I think you are right, but around here, it's still what young people want. When the older neighbor across the street (the second owner) moved into a nursing home, he sold his house to a young couple with combined families, 5 kids when they are all there. The house had originally been 3 bedroom, but the first owner converted the garage to a mother-in-law apartment, with a big kitchen, small living area, and bedroom and bath upstairs.

    The 2nd owners had just opened up the mother-in-law apartment so they could use the larger kitchen, and they used the old kitchen as a bar area and the small living room as sitting room/landing zone, and they built a new detached 3 car garage.

    This new couple, the 3rd owners, gutted half the house downstairs, put in a huge master bathroom using part of the mother-in-law apartment, and made a kitchen/dining/breakfast area out of the rest of the rest of it. They turned the upstairs bedroom into a media room. Then they added on to the house, connecting it with the garage, adding another bedroom and bath.

    Then they enclosed one bay of the garage to make a kids' playroom. There is a huge amount of wasted space with probably 50 feet of hallways to get from the original part to the addition. But they love it, and I guess they can afford it.

    They are the ones who came over to my house and suggested we add on the back so we can enlarge the master bathroom. The tiny bathroom doesn't bother me at all. The closet, yes.

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