Evanston Landmark Built For Professor In 1892 Again Sells At Loss

EVANSTON, IL — The picturesque 127-year-old Tudor Revival-style home at the corner of Clark Street and Hinman Avenue in Evanston sold this month for nearly $600,000 below its purchase price following renovations nearly 14 years ago.

According to a 2012 historic architecture survey conducted on behalf of the city, the home was designed by Boston-based architect William Chase of the firm Bosworth & Chase for Charles Bradley, a professor at Garrett Biblical Institute.

Located on a 0.28-acre lot across the street from Northwestern University and a block from Clark Street Beach, the "magnificent" house is a "perfect mix of history and modern amenities," according to its listing, which describes it as a Chateauesque Revival.

The survey notes the "sprawling and elaborately detailed" home's multiple rooflines, irregular massing and the mythical characters carved into the horizontal wood beams connecting the stair tower and a two-and-a-half-story gable bay at its northeast corner.

The exterior of the three-story stucco design features fanciful roof turrets and a carved stone chimney indicating the year it was built — 1892.

The interior features coffered ceilings in the living room, wainscoting in the dining room and leaded glass windows around the house.

The first floor of the house includes a modern chef's kitchen and a library with hardwood flooring.

Its master suite and three other bedrooms are located up a curved staircase on the second floor, and the third floor includes a recreation room and a bathroom.

The home has a balcony on its second floor, a patio in its rear and a fountain in its landscaped backyard.

There are five fireplaces, including one with a carved mantel, and a two-car detached garage.

The home was featured in the first issue of House Beautiful magazine in 1896, according to Crain's Chicago Business, which first reported the sale.

The property later served as Westminster House, a ministry for Northwestern Students, according to a 1968 Chicago Tribune report.

The house was updated after John Watrous and Sharon Kayfetz-Watrous purchased it for $650,000 in 2000. The "extensive restoration" conducted by architects Stuart Cohen and Julie Hacker included an expanded kitchen and close attention to historic details, Chicago Magazine reported.

According to property records, the Watrouses sold it on six years later to Beth and Gabriel Rodriguez for $2.4 million.

In 2013, Kenneth W. Green purchased the house for $2.25 million.

The property's new owners have not yet been publicly identified.

The home is within the Lakeshore Historic District and was made a local landmark in 1978. According to the Cook County assessor's office, the property's estimated 2019 market value was $1.32 million. Its property tax bill was nearly $30,000 in 2019.

• Address: 1745 Hinman Ave., Evanston
• Built: 1892
• Lot Size: 0.28 acres
• Square Feet: 5,299
• Bedrooms: 5
• Bathrooms: 5 full, 3 half
• Last Sold:
• First Listed: $2.65 million in
• Closing Price: $1.85 million in December 2019

Listing information originally appeared on realtor.com. For more information and photos, click here.