Who would have thought a few generations ago that the very Chicago bungalow where Mom cooked Sunday dinner and Dad trimmed the hedges would become a historic landmark? As a solid symbol of family life in the city’s great neighborhoods, the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association (HCBA) has been hard at work promoting and preserving this unique architectural style. In recognition of these homes, the Chicago Department of Landmarks, in cooperation with the HCBA, is installing signs throughout Chicago on blocks were there are bungalows. Here in Beverly Hills/Morgan Park we have the highest number of certified historic bungalows in the city and the blocks selected for signs each have at least three certified bungalows. Signs are still being put up by the Department of Transportation, and can be spotted at either end of the block as well as in the middle.

Certification Makes Bungalow Rehab Affordable

The Chicago bungalow defines our city’s architecture almost as much as our skyscrapers. The “Bungalow Belt” describes a string of neighborhoods heavily dotted with those prolific brick, octagon-front, single-family dwellings. Beverly/Morgan Park has its fair share.

In September 2000, Mayor Richard M. Daley announced the beginning of the Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative to help owners preserve these very serviceable and significant homes. The initiative offered incentives to buy and rehab bungalows and for present owners to improve them. The grants didn’t depend on income, but solely on the purchase or ownership of a Chicago bungalow with a pledge to improve it.

Pat and Al Gonzalez, who had lived in their East Beverly bungalow for 22 years, had adequate room for their family of four, but often discussed “building up” into their attic. 

“We didn’t need more room,” Pat said, “be we wanted it . . . and the only way to go was up.”

Pat and Al began seriously considering the expansion. They started by going to open houses to get ideas about what other families had done to expand their space in similar homes. Pat and Al also attended a seminar at the Harold Washington library to learn more about the Bungalow initiative. The seminar detailed all the points of the program. It featured speakers, including architects and finance people, to fully acquaint the audience with the various aspects of the program and how it might work for individual circumstances.

The incentives and benefits of the program inspired the Gonzalezes  to submit an application for certification of their bungalow.  Their vision for expansion was on its way to becoming a reality.

Al and Pat chose to work with architect Rob Sierziga of Rogers Roofing, recently nominated for company of the year by the Certified Contractors Network (CCN), an international organization. They chose Sierziga because, of all the architects they interviewed, he was most able to see their vision. He was the only one who suggested putting the access to the upper level in the middle bedroom, “with two real bedrooms on the upper level, not just a couple of beds in the attic,” thus eliminating the middle bedroom and enlarging the front and back bedrooms on the first floor.

From there it only required approval of the blueprints, obtaining a building permit and approval before work could begin. In approximately six weeks, the remodeling was finished.

The program qualified the Gonzalezes for a lower re-financing rate and a $2,000 voucher toward any energy-efficiency improvements they would make, such as insulation or new windows.

For information on the expo and the Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative, call 312/642-9900 or visit www.chicagobungalow.org.