“A stately Irving Park home built by investment banking magnate John Nuveen is on its way to becoming a protected site. On Thursday, the Chicago Commission on Landmarks voted to recommend a landmarks designation to the 19th century Queen Anne style house at 3916 N. Tripp Avenue in Irving Park.
“The structure was built in 1892 by then 28-year-old salesman Nuveen in a neighborhood that was considered a burgeoning “railroad suburb” on the outskirts of the city.
“The architect can’t officially be tracked down but is strongly suspected to be Clarence H. Tabor, who designed several other similar dwellings in the surrounding neighborhood. Tabor also advertised a rendering of a house in an 1891 Chicago Tribune that features the same design as the Nuveen House.
“The two-and-a-half story house—notable for features like its irregular roofline and corner tower with pyramidal roof and ornamentation—has fallen into a state of disrepair in recent years and was nearly demolished by a developer. In December of 2018, a permit to demolish the house was submitted to the city but Preservation Chicago and concerned neighbors in Irving Park objected to the plan.
“This was once a beautiful house, a showplace of the neighborhood. It was so revered that it was a highlight of neighborhood tours of past years,” said Maureen Taylor, who lives across the street from the Nuveen House. “To demolish this Victorian gem for yet another million-dollar mansion would surely be a tragedy.” (Smith, 11/7/19)
Read the full story at Curbed Chicago
A Queen Anne built in 1892 will become landmark in Irving Park,
It was owned by the investor John Nuveen, Ryan Smith, Curbed Chicago, 11/7/19