apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Perhaps the buildings at one time had been speakeasies?

i used to live near these, too, and i would always stop and gawk. any readers out there with valuable information about these doors, please come forward! (thanks, janel.)

There's several buildings like this scattered throughout Old Town; I can't remember the architects name, but a lot of them were remodels for artists, studio's as well as hip residences, in the 20's when it was a much more bohemian (Wells Street was the boystown of Chicago then) area than now.

Edgar Miller

I lived in one of these artist houses a few years back. It was located on Schiller just east of the resturant on Wells and Schiller- Wild place- all sorts of nooks and crannies, odd angles, bizarre openings and a general Wonka-feel. The stained glass and mosaics were amazing though and despite being just barely habitable it was a great place.

If you take a walk around Old Town you'll find alot of these fantastic little treasures- as I understand there used to be more but gentrifi...you know...

Anna is right! Good catch... I was struggling for the name.

Edgar Miller is correct. He colaborated with the owner, Sal Kogan. I live in the original building they worked on together which is on Burton Place. I am necessarily moving out soon leaving my one bedroom apartment available for rental.

The Tribune Magazine had a spread about this house two or three weeks ago. Great pictures of the interiors and built-ins designed by Miller.

Did Miller do the Art Deco apartment building (white stucco w/ round windows) on LaSalle at about Geothe?

Click my name for a very cool searchable database put together by the City of Chicago Landmarks Department. It doesn't list every building in Chicago (in fact I can't find Miller's building discussed on this thread there) but it could be a good place to start. You can search by street, if that's the only starting point you have. There are several listed on that stretch of LaSalle.

Thanks Anna, very useful link. I'll have to do some sleuthing now!

You're freaking me out. I just uploaded my photos of those doors today, and I just moved to Chicago a short time ago.

Maybe newcomers are destined to find them?

My photo:
http://www.marksism.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=4930

The white moderne apartment building just north of Division is the Frank Fisher Apartments.

http://www.ci.chi.il.us/Landmarks/F/FisherStudios.html

I was looking for a new apartment in the Old Town area and one of these units (I think the red door) was available for lease. I went on a tour and I the complex is really fantastic. There are several apartments that all open into a courtyard behind that door. The unit I looked at was a 2 story, 1 bedroom/1 bath unit - gorgeous stained glass and colorful tile, exposed rafters, stucco detail, beautiful fireplace. But the downside: tiny kitchen, zero closet space, and the price tag: $2,200/month!

That looks like the Carl Street studios but it's been a looong time since I lived in Chicago (stuck in Indianapolis for the time being).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Street_Studios

I just noticed that one of the units on Schiller is for rent; I can't remember the website listed on the front. The unit looks fantastic, if compact...