Franklin Burnham-Designed Kenilworth Home Sells For $3.8 Million

KENILWORTH, IL — The O'Grady House, a Kenilworth mansion built more than 120 years ago, sold this week for more than $3.8 million, becoming the most expensive sale of the year to date in the village.

Built in 1896, the six-bedroom neo-Classical design was is located on 0.6 acres of land a block from Kenilworth Beach. It was commissioned by residents John William de Courcy O'Grady and Katherine O'Grady. Mr. O'Grady was the purchasing agent for Quaker Oats, according to the Kenilworth Historical Society.

The three-story, 5,700-square-foot home has had an "extensive and thoughtful renovation," which included improvements to all six and a half bathrooms, its kitchen, lower level coach house and three-car garage, according to its listing.

The first floor includes a formal dining room, small office, kitchen and breakfast nook opening to a family room, living room and back deck.

Upstairs, the master bedroom opens onto a balcony and includes a pair of walk in closets. There are three other en-suite bedroom. There is also an office and a half-bath on the second level.

There are two other bedrooms on the third floor, along with one full bathroom and storage and electrical areas. The lower level includes a recreation room, laundry room, pantry and storage area.

The home was designed by architect Franklin Pierce Burnham — no relation to the Chicago architect Daniel Burnham. Franklin Burnham was born in Rockford in 1953, moved to Chicago at the age of 7 and began studying architecture at age 12, according to an obituary.

After building two other landmarks, the Georgia State Capitol and the Maxwell Street Police Station in Chicago, Burnham was named the Kenilworth Company architect, designing several homes and the train station. The home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Brad Bernstein, the property's seller, is a former managing director at Bank of America and founder of a private equity firm. The home's buyer is not yet listed in public records.

The property includes two parcels, according to its listing, which notes that an offer on the renovated mansion was accepted before it hit the market publicly for the first time in late January.

According to the Cook County Assessor's Office, the 2020 estimated market value of the combined property was $3.275 million. Its annual property tax bill was more than $80,000.

• Address: 149 Kenilworth Ave., Kenilworth
• Built: 1896
• Lot Size: 0.42 acres
• Square Feet: 5,700
• Bedrooms: 6
• Bathrooms: 6 full, 1 half
• Last Sold: $1.2 million in 1998
• First Listed: $3.995 million on Jan. 30
• Sale Closed: $3.82 million on April 13

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