5724 South Harper AvenueChicago, IL 60637Price: $1,425,000

This charming home was a part of Hyde Park's first planned community, built way back in the 1880s and then known as Rosalie Villas. To this day, Harper Avenue remains one of Hyde Park's most special and coveted locations. When the current owners purchased 5724, the house has been in the hands of the same family for the forty-two years. They then undertook a thoughtful renovation, preserving the character of 19th century details while upgrading the house for modern living. With new electrical, zoned air conditioning, new hot water heater, water filtration system, new bathroom, new flooring and lighting, and a completion of the entire third level (formerly an unfinished attic) - the house has been beautifully updated. The large front porch opens into the foyer, where one is immediately impressed with spaciousness. This is a warm and welcoming house, with an open floor plan that defies its age. Light fills the living and family rooms; a lovely separate dining room, large kitchen with pantry, breakfast room and powder room complete this level. The breakfast room opens to a deck that overlooks the lush back yard. Moving up the beautifully detailed staircase, there are four bedrooms that can be used in a variety of ways, and two full baths. From there one sees a remarkable transformation - the entire third level has been renovated into handsomely finished flexible space. The open area is accented by two smaller rooms and under the eaves is a charming space to relax. Heading downstairs, the lower level is a work in progress but offers all new windows, storage, a laundry room with new washer/dryer and full size freezer, and the space is plumbed for a full bath. The owners are offering a home warranty plan for all appliances. And the property offers a rarity on the block, a large two-car garage. Located a short walk from the University of Chicago, the Laboratory Schools and all Hyde Park has to offer. And now just a bit of background history. Remarkably, nearly all of the Queen Anne and shingle-style homes on Harper are still standing nearly a century and a half later. Years before the founding of the University of Chicago, the development was established by Rosalie Buckingham, a wealthy heiress whose name Chicagoans will likely recognize from Buckingham Fountain in Grant Park, named for Rosalie's cousin. As she neared the age of twenty-five, Rosalie decided to become a property developer in the rapidly expanding Hyde Park Township, which was then still a separate suburb. In 1883, she acquired two city blocks from 57th Street to 59th Street near the Illinois Central tracks and hired Solon S. Beman, who had just designed Chicago's most famous planned community Pullman, to oversee a plan for her land. Beman provided the overall vision and there were rules that homeowners and other architects had to follow for each of the 42 houses. This led to the continuity of size and style of homes visible and appreciated to this day. We do not know the architect of 5724 Rosalie Court, but early records list attorney Addison Beardsley as the resident. All of this is to say .... 5724 Harper is one very special place.