Excerpts from DNAinfo.com:
For a cool $1.1 million, you could own a genuine Chicago firehouse. The home’s asking price has dropped $250,000 since it was first listed in June.
The building, at 3921 N. Ravenswood Ave., dates back to 1907 and has been completely renovated as a 4,500-square-foot, 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom home. The original firehouse doors remain in place, opening to the street for dramatic effect.
The firehouse housed the Chicago Fire Insurance Patrol, according to the Fire Museum of Greater Chicago. From 1871 to 1959, fire insurance companies operated patrols that salvaged furniture, machinery, and other items in burning buildings. Patrols also did maintenance work on sprinklers, roofs and doors to protect them.
There are a couple dozen firehouses still in Chicago built in the 1920s or earlier. Some in Rogers Park, Edgewater, and Wicker Park have sold in recent years, typically as single-family homes.
Excerpts from Chicagocurbed.com:
A rare and unique property just steps from the Irving Park Brown Line station has returned to the market with new photos and a big price reduction. The old firehouse, originally built in 1907, hit the market in June seeking $1.35 million, but can now be had for $1.1 million—a quarter million dollar reduction from its initial asking price.
It’s certainly got curb appeal. But behind the brick exterior and shiny red garage door lies a spacious 4,500-square-foot home with three bedrooms and three bathrooms. The attached garage space doubles as a place for entertaining. If you’ve been looking to get into the events business, this one could be a solid investment.
The listing agent mentions that the kitchen was rehabbed last year. It features some neat extras, like a two-keg home draft setup. There’s also a spacious outdoor deck area to take the entertaining outside during the warmer months.
thanks Dan