A historic midcentury modern time capsule home that sits on a prime piece of lakefront land in Illinois is desperately seeking a new steward who will usher the architectural gem into the modern era—and save it from near-certain demolition.
The property, which is perched on the edge of Lake Michigan, was designed by modernist-architect brothers George “Frederick” Keck and William Keck, who together founded the famed firm Keck & Keck, back in 1957.
Since then, the Kenilworth, IL, dwelling has remained in the hands of the same family who first commissioned the property all those years ago—slowly falling into a state of disrepair after its previous owner died.
Her family is now on the hunt for a design lover who is willing to see the potential in the crumbling abode and invest in preserving its design, rather than a buyer who views the land on which the home sits as the more valuable asset in this real estate offering.
However, they only have a certain amount of time in which to find this perfect person—with listing agent
Carol Hunt of Baird & Warner revealing that they don’t want to wait too long until settling on a buyer.
Thus far, Hunt says there has been plenty of interest in the dwelling—but the risk of the home being sold as a potential teardown still hangs over it.
“It’s really authentic. We had about 200 modernist enthusiasts come through in two hours,” she said of the 4,000-square-foot home.
“I’ve been in this business for over 40 years. I really like to see historic houses. I’ve become really passionate about this. We’ve had multiple offers.”
Although the property is deemed a national landmark thanks to its incredible architectural pedigree, Hunt notes that this is “more of an honorary thing,” meaning that there are no limitations in place that would prevent a buyer from demolishing the home.
The 0.75-acre parcel on which it sits could easily house a much more opulent—and modern—lakefront mansion, making it just as alluring to developers who could well opt to raze the home to make way for a new abode.
Another threat to this historic property is that it’s in need of a lot of TLC, meaning that a buyer would need to be prepared to make a significant investment in restoring the home to its original glory on top of the price that they pay to buy it.
“The house is not in good condition. The roof needed replacing a few years ago and for whatever reason it didn’t happen,” says Hunt. “There is some water damage. It is being sold as is.”
Thus far, interest in preserving the home has, thankfully, outweighed inquiries about what it would take to demolish it, with the listing agent adding: “We’ve had more interest in people keeping the house than tearing it down.”
However, Hunt concedes that the land is more valuable than the home—particularly given that renovations would cost so much.
“The problem is, there’s more value in the land than the house,” she said. “They are thinking about how much renovation this will need, which is significant. I’m hoping we can come to a price where the house is going to be saved.”
For anyone considering a demolition, there are some hurdles to that goal, however, with Hunt revealing that it could take more than a year before approval is received.
“In Kenilworth, they have guidelines about teardown and it’s about a yearlong process to get it approved for demolition. It’s very rigorous. The buyer has to do a lot of research,” she warned.
As for the prospect of a renovation, though the home is in shabby shape, the bones provide the perfect canvas for a design lover to work with.
Among the home’s hallmarks are an open layout, stunning Lake Michigan views, and unique midcentury modern design details that are sure to appeal to architecture buffs.
You can see the shoreline from most areas in the home, which is another reason why it’s so special. The living room boasts a wall of windows that further invite nature in, as well as a brick fireplace that reaches the ceiling. Radiant-floor heating helps take the chill out of wintry days.
One feature that’s a rare find in today’s homes are shoji screens like those found in Japan. In each of the two baths, original tilework remains—blue in one and light gray in another—which might inspire a lover of midcentury-modern design, particularly as it’s been so well preserved.
One of the rooms could be used as a home office or lounge, given the wall-length built-in with floating shelves that could either hold books or glassware. The listing also includes an attached two-car garage.
But the location in Kenilworth is what might win out. From the home, one can access a winding path leading to the beachfront, which is private. Also within walking distance are local schools and an upscale shopping center called Plaza del Lago with restaurants.
In addition to preservationists, target buyers are “individuals who want to be in the school system,” says Hunt.
“They also love The Joseph Sears school, which is a K-8 elementary school, and functions like a private school in that there’s smaller classrooms. Kenilworth is just a very unique community. It’s 1 square mile. People really know each other.”
Students also feed into New Trier High School in Winnetka, consistently ranked as one of the best high schools in the country.