Designer to Transform Eastwood Firehouse into Family Home

Within two weeks, Eric Arvin had his first child and won the house of his dreams.
 
That house is in Lincoln Square, and isn’t a house at all—yet. The property at 2100 W. Eastwood contains one of the North Side’s oldest fire houses.

Arvin, an interior designer, wanted a unique home for his wife Irene and 9-month-old son Apollo. After sitting empty for years, Arvin bought the property to transform into his family’s home. Old firehouses are rare these days, with only two left in the area.

“What makes this one even more special is that it’s in a great neighborhood,” Arvin said. “We could have the neighborhood feel without moving to the suburbs.”

Buying the house was no easy task. Arvin first emailed the city in 2011 and submitted a proposal for the house. He emailed the city once a month for the next two years inquiring what would happen to the property. After receiving the approval of the local block club and alderman, Arvin won the bid in July 2012.

Still, the battle wasn’t over.

“The final hurdle was in November when I had to present to the city,” he said. “My fear through this whole two-year process was that someone would come in and just destroy it, turn it into a suburban home.”

The family finally closed on the house in April, and hope to be in the house by the spring of 2014.

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Built in the 1800s with wooden framework, the firehouse sold for just $800 in the early 20th century. It fell into disrepair in the 1920s, only to be turned into a masonry firehouse in 1936.

When finished, the home will still look like a firehouse with four bedrooms and a multipurpose room, builders of the home said.

“We’re going retain all its old elements like the carriage doors in the front where the horses used to come in years ago,” said Robert Berg, of Foster Design Build. “The project is nothing less than amazing.”

On the inside, the former fire truck bay will turn into the living and dining rooms. Upstairs will will be modified into bedrooms, but the communal bathroom of four toilets and three showers will stay the same.

A firepole will run from the second to first floors, and old fireman’s lockers will become toy closets.

“With the kid it’ll be a blast,” Arvin said. “My wife keeps calling it a college feel.”

The designer is keeping the historic feel of the home, but some aspects will definitely be modern. Solar panels will power the house and architects are looking into geothermal heating to warm the polished concrete floors in the winter.

And for neighbors passing by or those just wanting a glance, Arvin plans to have a bench outside.

“Over time, we’ve opened the door and there’s never been once people haven’t stopped by to ask what’s going on and see a tour,” he said. “The stars just aligned and we can’t wait to move in.”