A condo in one of the city’s earliest International Style designs has come to the market. The Keck-Gottschalk-Keck Building, originally built in 1937, served as the launching pad for the architectural firm of Keck & Keck following their “House of Tomorrow” at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair. According to the book Chicago’s Historic Hyde Park, the Keck brothers, along with University of Chicago professor Louis Gottschalk, purchased an old fraternity house, established a cooperative with a 99-year lease, and demolished the structure to build what can best be described as an unprecedented modernist three-flat featuring a simple geometric design. Each unit, which has a setback at the rear to create space for small outdoor terraces, served as their own personal residences. It also reflected Kecks’ commitment to passive solar design by incorporating radiant heat flooring and built-in louvered windows to control ventilation, light, and heat gain. Here’s that unit, plus a few other iconic landmark condos currently on the market.
5551 S University Ave UNIT 3, Chicago, $410,000
In 2010, Chicago named this 1930s modern red brick design by Keck & Keck, located right across from the University of Chicago campus, as one of the “Top 40 Buildings in Chicago.” This top-floor condo with $713 monthly HOAs features three bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms, and an attached garage space with a Tesla charger. I love the built-in shelf that runs along the top of the combination living/dining room, as well as the U-shaped kitchen, which is both perfectly functional and includes a window that brings in natural light. The 7-by-27-foot terrace, which overlooks the shared rear yard, has steps going up to the roof — and this unit has exclusive roof rights.
860 N Lake Shore Dr Unit 4M, Chicago, $595,000
One of Mies van der Rohe’s best-known buildings is a pair of steel-and-glass towers on Lake Shore Drive in Streeterville. Originally designed and constructed between 1949 and 1951, this three-bedroom southeast corner unit was completely renovated in 2022 and turned into an open-concept two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo. Due to its location on a lower level, there are more views of traffic and treetops rather, versus unobstructed lake views, which may explain why the property has been on the market since August. This building is a cooperative, so monthly assessments of $3,200 per month include all utilities, internet, cable, and property taxes.
229 E Lake Shore Dr UNIT 10E, Chicago, $1,875,000
Located just around the corner from the previous listing, this four-bed, four-bath condo is not only our most expensive property but also part of the East Lake Shore Drive District, which was officially designated a landmark in 1985. Architects Fugard & Knapp designed the building in 1918 (it was completed the next year) with a grand interior lobby inspired by Spain’s El Escorial Palace. Listed for sale since 2024, this 10th-floor unit offers northern views of Lake Michigan and Oak Street Beach and includes an eat-in kitchen, three ensuite bedrooms, and two separate storage units. I won’t get into the costly assessments, which are expected with a place of this caliber.
900 N Kingsbury St APT 1025, Chicago, $449,900
If you’ve ever been on a riverboat tour or crossed the Chicago Avenue bridge, it’s hard to miss the former Montgomery Ward complex, designed by architects Schmidt, Garden and Martin in 1907 and converted into residences following the company’s bankruptcy in the late 1990s. This loft-style two-bed, two-bath condo spans 1,256 square feet and features a 30-foot balcony and an in-unit laundry next to the guest bathroom. The HOAs are high at $1,019 per month, but they cover a bike room, exercise room, storage, sundeck, 24-hour door staff, and nearly every service imaginable including internet, heat, water, and air conditioning.
550 W Surf St APT 215, Chicago, $350,000
This 1,200-square-foot, two-bed, one-bath condo is located in the Commodore Building, formerly known as the Lessing, which is a contributing property to the Surf-Pine Grove Landmark District in Chicago’s Lake View. The historic courtyard building with a Roman brick facade, designed by architect Edmund R. Krause in 1897, was commissioned as a real estate investment by Ernest Lehman, owner of the Fair Department Store. In addition to the in-unit laundry room, the other feature that stands out most is the updated kitchen with sleek teak cabinets. The $736 monthly HOAs cover amenities and services such as a bike room, internet, and on-site property management.