If high-rises were dogs, Granville Tower would be the three-legged SharPei you can’t help but root for. Completed in 1965, the Seymour S. Goldstein-designed building’s zigzag balconies (not to mention a yellow-and-brown color scheme that would make Charlie Brown proud) separate the plucky building at 6166 N Sheridan Rd from this corridor’s scrabble of indistinct towers.
But as the owner of any lovably ugly dog will tell you, it’s personality and inner beauty that count. According to Emporis, Granville Tower has some compelling attributes. It’s the tallest building this far north in the city, and no other high-rise in Chicago is composed exclusively of duplexes, with bedrooms situated upstairs and living areas down, complete with those signature balconies.
Granville Tower didn’t make it into the American Institute of Architects “AIA Guide to Chicago,” but then again, neither did any high-rise on Sheridan between Hollywood and Howard (astounding when you think of the number of towers on this stretch, unless you also consider the general quality of the architecture). But who cares what a bunch of snooty architects think? For around 220 grand, you can own a five-room duplex in the edifice that relentlessly shows conventional good taste who’s boss. And do it in a building with a party room and outdoor pool, across the street from the lake (mediocre photos here).
Granville’s official Web site is almost as curiously compelling as the building itself. The home page describes the site as “the dedicated online community for Granville Tower” and promises that owners can upgrade their tower Web site memberships to receive personalized e-mail addresses and the ability to create online profiles, “to support your community and show your pride.”
