A scan of new townhouse developments on the Yo reveals one of the city’s least expensive options at The Arches at Oakwood Shores, 3,000 residences planned for 90 acres near the lake and Pershing Road in Bronzeville. Its “courtyard townhomes” are priced from the $270s. The handful of remaining units are about 1,400 square feet – certainly not the palatial quarters of the million dollar townhouses Yo found in Lincoln Park and the Loop, but not broom closets, either. Features include cultured marble vanities in the bathrooms, granite countertops and 42-inch cabinets. Hardwood floors, however, are reserved for The Arches‘ pricier and larger rowhomes (only two are still on the market) and single-family homes (currently sold out).
Yo found only one other Chicago townhouse development with prices below the $300s, at 53rd and Millard in the West Elsdon neighborhood on the Southwest Side (housing prices are generally lower south and southwest of the city). The Arches, developed by Granite Development Corp and designed by Fitzgerald Associates Architects, is located on the site of the former Ida B. Wells and Madden Park housing projects. Its Web site claims the development is a key part of the revitalization of Bronzeville and touts its proximity to Hyde Park and the University of Chicago. It’s also close to the lake. The Arches‘ courtyard townhomes compare favorably with the north lakefront, where there are few townhouses available and condos rarely dip below the $200s.