We’ve noticed the historic building at the corner of Winthrop and Lawrence avenues plenty of times, but we never knew it was called the “Fleur-de-Lis” until a sign went up announcing its conversion to condos. The name, it turns out, is carved in stone (literally), though we never noticed this detail above the entrances from 4801 to 4807 N Winthrop Ave.
Last Sunday we bumped into Jennifer Bradley, an agent with Keller Williams’ Lincoln Park office, who is selling the condos with Ted Mortellaro. She was on her way out of the building, but Bradley was kind enough to open it back up and give us a quick model tour.
The project includes a dozen condos – four duplexes and eight simplexes – in a striking building that according to Bradley, has the largest Queen Anne facade on the North Side. We can’t vouch for that, but we can tell you that the building is stunning – check out the grand corner turret that first drew our attention from Lawrence.
The inlaid brickwork, arched windows, classy bays and nicely integrated balconies are also worth noting. As you might expect given the name, the detailed stonework includes a stylized fleur-de-lis design. According to Bradley, the building was constructed in 1905 for $40,000 – ah, those were the days – and was zoned for ground-floor commercial, though developer New Horizons Development & Management Group opted for an all-residential conversion.
The interiors are pleasant and well finished – 42-inch cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, recessed lighting, hardwood floors, nine-foot ceiling heights, large rear decks and Jacuzzi tubs. Prices, ranging from around $220,000 for a one-bedroom to $319,900 for the top two-bedroom two-bath duplex, seem competitive given the beauty of this building, the level of finishes, and the complete gut rehab (the builder took it down to the brick, and has plenty of photos to prove it).
But there is the location to consider. It’s close to the lake and steps from the Lawrence el stop in Uptown, but it also faces the Aragon Ballroom, where concert-goers line up by the hundreds before shows and clog the street after. Winthrop, which was once notorious, has improved dramatically, though Lawrence Avenue is still edgy. Bradley insists that location, directly across the street from the Aragon on Winthrop and from a surface parking lot on Lawrence, hasn’t hurt sales, which are at 50 percent.
We’re just happy to see a classic building that for a while became “one of the worst buildings in Uptown,” according to Bradley, returned to its original splendor.
















Incredible work to an incredible building.
This is the epitome of gut-rehab. The exterior remains mostly intact, the interior is 100% new. This looks to be a nice job.
I am not so sure about claiming historic when there is nothing old or historic about the homes other than the exterior brick.
Reading this and seeing the property in its early stage of conversion, I like the $319K for the two bed, two bath duplex. However, that probably does not include parking. I’d have to agree on the assesment of the location as still edgy. The concert goers are the least I’d worry about.
Great shot of the empty interior… very Medieval.
I was in this building about 10 years ago as a rental agent, and what impressed me about the spaces were their loft-style appointments such as open kitchens, brick walls, etc. I was hoping that if this building ever went condo, the “lofty” aspects would remain, since it’s still hard to find that type of building in this neighborhood. Would you classify the new condos as “soft lofts” or just plain apartment-style units?
Just to clarify, we are actually 75% sold, eight units sold, with four units remaining…one 1 bedroom & den for $219,900, and three duplex units with 2 bedrooms & 2 to 2 1/2 baths for $309,900-$319,900.
Thanks for the article!