There are courtyard buildings, and then there are courtyard buildings. The one I live in is nice, with a good chunk of green space in the courtyard, but I’d feel a little claustrophobic actually hanging out in there. Dover Court Condominiums, at 4601 N Dover St, is another story. The 1914 brick building has a sprawling courtyard in front, decked out with gardens, paved pathways and fountains. I could see pulling a lawn chair out there and reading a book.
Bella Development Group, Co. spent about three months fixing up the courtyard and rehabbing the 64 units, according to Tysen Kamin, of Gold Coast Realty – Chicago, one of the agents manning an open house Saturday.
Kamin showed me around two condos, a one-bedroom and a two-bedroom. Both were fairly compact, with eat-in kitchens. Doors in the living rooms opened into large closets – a convenient but unusual feature. The selling point for both of these units for me was the leafy view of the courtyard and the balconies that overlooked it.
Since marketing began about three weeks ago, 17 units have sold, Kamin said. Prices range from the $140s for a garden-level studio to the $330s for a furnished three-bedroom. All of the units come with an LCD TV. Since the living rooms I saw were on the small side, these flat screens will be real space-savers.
