We’ve chattered about Bronzeville during the pandemic as there has been a surge of new construction in the neighborhood.
Crain’s covers what is happening in that neighborhood.
The couple bought one of the 28 new-construction houses or townhouses sold in Bronzeville in 2021. That’s the largest number of new houses or townhouses sold in any Chicago neighborhood last year, according to Crain’s analysis of real estate records. It’s followed by Humboldt Park, with 25 sales, and Logan Square and Bridgeport, with 21 each.
Moving to Bronzeville from the South Loop, the Edwardses joined an influx that has been quietly transforming the neighborhood. Bronzeville’s onetime sore spot, thousands of vacant lots, has become its strong point, making it possible to lift the area’s housing and income profile without displacing people who were already there. It’s counter to the gentrification tension in Pilsen, along the 606 trail and in other areas, and if it works it could serve as a model for future revitalization of South and West Side neighborhoods.
New construction single family home, townhomes and condos are pushing up prices.
In the first decade of the 21st century, Bronzeville had more than 3,000 vacant lots, according to Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd, the legacy of tearing down several Chicago Housing Authority projects and of disinvestment and other problems that led to demolition of decrepit buildings.
Since 2017, many of those lots have been reactivated with newly built houses and townhouses. In that time, Crain’s counts more than 250 houses, townhouses and condos that sold for $500,000 or more in the area bounded by the lakefront on the east, the Stevenson and Dan Ryan Expressways on the north and west, and on the south, 47th Street east of Cottage Grove Avenue and 51st Street west of Cottage Grove.
With new housing going in, some services have started to arrive.
The Mariano’s, which opened in 2016, was a big addition to the neighborhood.
And shortly, Bronzeville Winery, which is a wine bar and restaurant, is about to open. The Eater notes that residents are “eagerly awaiting” it.
“It’s one of the last places in Chicago where you can get a new, 4,000-square-foot house for under $1 million,” says Michaela Gordon, an @properties agent whose buyer clients paid $815,000 for a new, 3,600-square-foot house on 42nd Street in December. “It has a variety of quintessential old Chicago architecture, and you’re not displacing anyone” by buying on a home that took over a long-vacant lot, “so why wouldn’t you buy in Bronzeville?”
Should savvy buyers be looking to buy in Bronzeville in 2022?
New homes are transforming this historic neighborhood [Crain’s Chicago Business, by Dennis Rodkin, January 19, 2022]
“In that time, Crain’s counts more than 250 houses, townhouses and condos that sold for $500,000 or more in the area bounded by the lakefront on the east, the Stevenson and Dan Ryan Expressways on the north and west, and on the south, 47th Street east of Cottage Grove Avenue and 51st Street west of Cottage Grove.”
Yeah thats not Bronzeville. Might as well include Bucktown as part of Bronzeville.
“Should savvy buyers be looking to buy in Bronzeville in 2022?”
If one is willing to comit to living in Bronzeville for 10+ years maybe.
If I was wanting to live in Bronzeville, I’d wait until rising rates start crushing these mini wannabe developers.
https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4516-S-Prairie-Ave-Chicago-IL-60653/2092578774_zpid/? – Cant even get a waterfall edge for $800k
“Should savvy buyers be looking to buy in Bronzeville in 2022?”
I would go with used not new given the prices on new construction in that area. It’s hard to envision much appreciation over the coming years on the new builds being priced at $800M and above in this area given there is still so many vacant lots and not much retail/commercial.
As JohnnyU points out the amount of “new builds” on the vacant lots covers over 3 square miles if we are starting at 26th St and going down to 51st….
I would be curious for a more detailed look at prices of new builds closer to the lake compared to closer to the Dan Ryan. Imagine that’s why the article touts the $815M sale in December but also looks at new builds starting at $500M. The ~$500M – $600M is likely the trend and the $800M+ are the outliers.
If your building $800M new homes with a sales pitch of there’s a grocery store and winery within driving distance I would assume the build is on a beach or has lake access in Saugatuck, Michigan not a 15 minute train ride to the heart of the 3rd largest city in the country….
“Yeah thats not Bronzeville.”
Redfin only disagrees east of Cottage Grove, where they use Pershing–Oakland is indeed it’s own neighborhood.
It’s not unreasonable to rebrand all of the Douglas and Grand Boulevard community areas as Bronzeville. If it is a catalyst for (re)development in the area, it will help the whole of the city.
“Cant even get a waterfall edge for $800k”
About more that $24.99 of closet fixture in the walk in closet?
That is some absolutely hideous architecture… talk about ruining a historic neighborhood with modern garbage
look at the street view of that 4516 prairie place… VOMIT
Good article – I read that one. I was in Bronzeville several times last summer and very impressed with it. I had previously spent time there back in 1991, and it’s like a different world now. The housing stock seems amazing to me – so many beautiful old homes and townhomes. I remember the area being a slum in the 1990s. Great to see it coming back.
If I were looking for an investing opportunity in real estate, this neighborhood would be high on my list. Unfortunately, I think the best opportunities have already passed. It’s also unfortunate that so many great old homes were thoughtlessly torn down between 1940 and 1970 to build projects like Lake Meadows or just to be left vacant.
“talk about ruining a historic neighborhood with modern garbage”
Was pretty well ruined before you were born, hence all the vacant lots to build contempo on.
4516 Prairie lot sold for $1 in ’17, house for $569k in ’18. Developer’s story on the house: https://www.greenlinehomes.com/news/right-neighborhood-right-house-green-bonus
“Redfin only disagrees east of Cottage Grove, where they use Pershing–Oakland is indeed it’s own neighborhood.
It’s not unreasonable to rebrand all of the Douglas and Grand Boulevard community areas as Bronzeville. If it is a catalyst for (re)development in the area, it will help the whole of the city.”
The Lake was never the Eastern boundary.
Depends on the goals of the redevelopment. Going south to Washington Park seems to make more sense than Douglass. SWPL is gone SWPL
“About more that $24.99 of closet fixture in the walk in closet?”
The typical Trixie/Karen thats looking at this area would live with the rubbermaid closet, but couldnt imaging opening a box of wine with her friends and not have a waterfall edge. Might as well just move out to Palos Park
“The Lake was never the Eastern boundary.”
You sound like the Bucktown Truther.
Yeah, it wasn’t when there was something there. Then they tore it all down, threw up the projects, and tore those all down.
“more sense than Douglass”
So you are open to re-naming things??
if it were up to me, I’d define the South of Ike/North of 51st/east of Ryan area into:
Douglass (as in Fred), Burnham Park, Bronzeville and Kenwood, and throw out all the old hoods/subhoods.
“You sound like the Bucktown Truther.”
Sometimes if you’re right, you’re right
“if it were up to me, I’d define the South of Ike/North of 51st/east of Ryan area into:
Douglass (as in Fred), Burnham Park, Bronzeville and Kenwood, and throw out all the old hoods/subhoods.”
Not the worst idea
Does Oakland become Bronzeville by the Sea (c)?
“It’s not unreasonable to rebrand all of the Douglas and Grand Boulevard community areas as Bronzeville. If it is a catalyst for (re)development in the area, it will help the whole of the city.”
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Since when was lying good for either re-development or the city?
Going to IIT that area was always a no-no. That being said I wish more developers would build “green” or efficient focused homes like 4516 Prairie in different areas.
“Since when was lying good for either re-development or the city?”
Beats the hell out of being stuck in the past.
“Does Oakland become Bronzeville by the Sea (c)?”
You mean Cleaverville? Oakland was a lie perpetrated upon us by real estate developers.
http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/919.html
#Cleaverville4eva #NeighborhoodTruthSquad
” ‘Since when was lying good for either re-development or the city?’
Beats the hell out of being stuck in the past.”
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You just gave a free pass to every politician and grifter who ever lived.
“You just gave a free pass to every politician and grifter who ever lived.”
So, you call it Cleaverville?
Not to get all in the weeds it was cleaverville for 20 years, Oakland for 130+
And it’s not lost on me that it was renamed by a developer
Trouble is, if you look at the post, it appears that the poster wanted to change Bronzeville’s boundaries (rebrand Douglas, etc.).
I don’t care for renaming neighborhoods or communities, but redrawing boundaries simply so some shill can make a dollar is beyond the pale.
“Trouble is, if you look at the post, it appears that the poster wanted to change Bronzeville’s boundaries (rebrand Douglas, etc.).
I don’t care for renaming neighborhoods or communities, but redrawing boundaries simply so some shill can make a dollar is beyond the pale.”
From the Crains story…
“Crain’s counts more than 250 houses, townhouses and condos that sold for $500,000 or more in the area bounded by the lakefront on the east, the Stevenson and Dan Ryan Expressways on the north and west, and on the south, 47th Street east of Cottage Grove Avenue and 51st Street west of Cottage Grove.”
Not sure how Crains is capitalizing from this. It’s just some journalist commenting on sales within a particular set of their own boundaries. Who cares.
From the Crains Headline
“New homes are transforming this historic neighborhood
How Bronzeville, the onetime mecca of Black Chicago, became the city’s hottest new-home market.”
If you’re talking about the redevelopment going on in Bronzeville, it would make sense to talk about Bronzeville Vs other neighborhoods
The Crains author is a Joez/Sabrina with a byline
“Not sure how Crains is capitalizing from this.”
Pretty sure the Bucktown Truther was referring to me, not Crain’s (or Sabrina).
I don’t think there is much to ‘historical’ neighborhood designations in an area that was so completely changed (decimated) by “urban renewal”.
“I don’t think there is much to ‘historical’ neighborhood designations in an area that was so completely changed (decimated) by “urban renewal”.”
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As I have said, a neighborhood’s character can change in a heartbeat, its boundaries, never.
” its boundaries, never.”
Cleaverville it is, then!
Is the Bucktown Truther’s true identity that of one John Cleaver??