Aging North Shore mansions have become an endangered species.
Because of their prime locations, some of them are more valuable as teardowns than as dwelling units. An increasing number are being demolished to make way for the construction of new and larger residences with all of today’s bells and whistles.
But some obvious teardown candidates have survived. One of them is the 4,943-square-foot home at 224 Sheridan Rd., Kenilworth.
The three-story brick residence with a slate roof evaded the wrecker’s ball because of its “good bones,” according to custom builder Orren Pickell, who has revived the residence with a major renovation.
Pickell explained that the basic structure was sound, but the interior had to be modernized and brought up to the standards of the 21st Century.
Built in 1919 for $20,000, the house had been allowed to deteriorate for a number of years, according to Patricia Babb, president of the Kenilworth Historical Society.
“Most people were happy to see it restored,” she said. “Teardowns are a potential problem, though we have not lost our most important homes in Kenilworth.”
However, residents have not been happy with the large new homes built on some teardown lots.
“Their bulk concerns people, since zoning allows the residence to cover 75 percent of the lot. Land values have escalated so much that home builders want to use the maximum,” Babb said.
The vintage home at 224 Sheridan originally was slated for demolition.
“It was in terrible condition when I first saw it,” said Pickell of Orren Pickell Builders and Designers, based in Bannockburn.
But a closer inspection revealed that it was worth saving.
“It had all the original molding and oak floors, mahogany trim and even an old-style bathtub. These elements have been restored. All it needed was a new family room and a new kitchen,” said Pickell.
He described its architectural style as traditional Georgian with Arts and Crafts elements.
Pickell said remodelers first had to determine whether the shell was worth keeping. “If it costs too much to bring the bones back, then it’s not worth it,” he said.
Besides the rehab, a nearly 2,000-square-foot addition was built at the Sheridan home. The addition contains the family room on the first floor and a master suite above. Now it has four bedrooms and six baths.
However, before any work was done, a raccoon living on the third floor had to be evicted.
The project included installing a new kitchen with built-in cabinets, a butcher’s block cooking island and a butler’s pantry.
New windows were installed, as well as new electrical, heating and cooling and sewer systems. The exterior brick was tuckpointed.
Priced at a shade over $2 million, the rehab was purchased by a family that plans to add a swimming pool.
Lake Michigan is nearby and can be viewed from the second and third floors.
“The cost of remodeling is more than new construction,” said Pickell, in part because of some of the old building methods. “The concrete for foundations used to be mixed by hand, which caused some inconsistencies.”
From the circular drive, the entry porch opens into the foyer, which is flanked by the living and dining rooms. Next to the living room is a sun room on the south side.
The addition at the rear of the house includes the 23-by-25 1/4-foot great room. The kitchen and breakfast room are on the north side.
Four bedrooms are on the second floor, while the third floor has a playroom, a bath and storage.
Called “The Turn of the Century House,” it is open to the public through April 9. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Though free, a $3 charitable donation is suggested to benefit the International Center on Deafness and the Arts as well as breast cancer research at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare.
