If you’ve ever been to the Villa District in Irving Park, you’ve probably noticed a wedge of undeveloped land bounded by Hamlin and Avondale avenues, anchored by one lonely new-construction home. After looking at Chicago Agent’s events calendar last week, I learned that Red Seal Homes intends to build 19 more homes there, and is holding some sort of grand opening event for the development on Thursday.
Avondale Closeout (seriously, that’s what they’re calling this — it’s even the name of the LLC heading the project) will open with a phase of nine homes (PDF), each built to order. Each of Red Seal’s seven different home designs comes in two sizes — 2,238 or 2,564 square feet — and they all feature three bedrooms, 2.5 baths and detached two-car garages. The homes range from the $560s to $600s, with options like three-car garages, basement baths, fully-finished basements, and wood-burning fireplaces offered at additional cost. Two lots fronting Avondale Avenue have lot premiums of $5,000 and $10,000.
No one’s going to mistake these homes for the Villa District’s landmarked bungalows, but I’ll still be interested to see if any attempt is made to give Hamlin and Avondale the same kind of curb appeal that define the rest of the area. (You might question the neighborhood’s qualifications for landmark status, as Joe did in 2006, but it’s a pleasant-looking place.)