'Old Meets New' At BAPA's Annual Beverly-Morgan Park Home Tour

CHICAGO – From an Italianate Painted Lady to a classic center-entrance Colonial Revival, the five homes featured on the Beverly Area Planning Association’s annual Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour demonstrate how preservation can be combined with modern updates to suit today’s lifestyles.

The annual tour, which runs from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 21, features homes owned by neighborhood residents who recognize the housing values of the far South Side community and its historic housing stock, and have worked to preserve their homes’ architectural value even as they make significant updates that align with the needs of today’s families.

“This year’s BAPA Home Tour shows that Beverly/Morgan Park residents are investing not only in their homes but in our community,” said BAPA Executive Director Mary Jo Viero. “We are attracting new homeowners who are keen to honor the historic architecture of their homes while updating them for modern living with renovations and additions that allow for long-term enjoyment.”

In the American Four Square featured on this year’s Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour Sunday, May 21 is a guest bathroom created from a bedroom and featuring a walk-in shower, free standing tub, and lustrous glass tile. /BAPA

The Beverly/Morgan Park community has seen an uptick in home renovations and additions over the past few years, with dozens of building permits being issued for construction and renovation projects with project costs totaling in the millions of dollars.

“Every day we see more and more work being done on houses,” Viero said. “We hear over and over how Beverly/Morgan Park is a great community for families, and the homes on this year’s Home Tour show the commitment people are making not only to their homes but to our neighborhood. It’s good for the community and good for Chicago.”

In a Tudor Revival home where original architectural details have been meticulously restored, a kitchen expansion has created the perfect space for a family that loves to cook and entertain. Visit this house on the Beverly/Morgan Park Home Tour Sunday, May 21.

Five fabulous private homes and one local institution will open their doors for hundreds of visitors curious to get an inside look at some the community’s most beautiful places. This year’s homes highlight how neighbors have preserved the best of the community’s historic architecture by maintaining unique interior details while making updates designed for today’s lifestyles.

Tour sites include:

· A 140-year-old Italianate Victorian home that was divided into a duplex for many decades before the current owners undertook a complete restoration, turning the house into their dream home.
· An elegant 1920s era Tudor Revival style home where beautiful original woodwork was meticulously restored and an expansive new kitchen created for a young family with a dad who loves to cook.
· A beautiful frame Four Square that was the family home of the current owner who moved back from the West Coast to renovate the house.
· A stunning 1915 brick home rich in architectural details including three sunrooms, a tiled roof, and an outstanding hand carved fireplace mantel. It’s a contributing building in the Ridge Historic District.
· A gracious center-entrance Colonial Revival built in 1928 whose owners have taken painstaking care to mesh the beauty of the past with the style and amenities perfect for a busy family.

For additional information on the architectural significance of the Beverly/Morgan Park community and to see the current exhibit, the Ridge Historical Society, 10621 S. Seeley Ave., will be open for visitors during the BAPA Home Tour. RHS admission is free.

Tickets for the Home Tour are on sale now. BAPA members: $30 in advance or $35 at the door; non-members, $35 in advance or $40 at the door. All tickets can be purchased online. For more information, contact BAPA at 773-233-3100.