It’s not often you find townhouses in Edgewater, but Byrne Development Group’s Ardmore Academy Rowhomes (.pdf file), recently sprouted at 1403 – 1411 W Ardmore Ave, is a notable exception.
As traditional designs go, the exterior shows some attention to detail: arched windows, limestone accents and a row of terraces on the third story that adds interest to the roofline.
The project comprises four townhouses and one duplex condo, just south of the palatial grounds of Nicholas Senn High School. I toured a townhouse selling for $599,900.
The first level has an open floor plan, with the kitchen sharing space with the living and dining areas. I’m usually not such a fan of this arrangement, but in this model it seemed logical, perhaps because the room was big enough that the kitchen didn’t encroach onto the other areas.
The glass doors at the back of the unit open onto a smallish back deck – really just a stairway down to the ground level. The third floor also has front and back terraces. Though not especially large, these offer almost bucolic views of the schoolyard and tree-lined street below.
The terraces sandwich a single, light-filled room that occupies the entire third level – the crown jewel of the house, for my money. Its access to the outdoor spaces – and its wet bar – make it seem a good place for summer parties, but I’d also be tempted to use it as an office or an art studio (if I had the remotest talent for painting, that is).
The second level has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The master bath drew gasps of delight from two prospective buyers touring the place. It features a Jacuzzi tub, a separate shower with a built-in seat, a toilet and double-bowl sinks by Toto, and a Canac cherry-wood vanity.
The carpeted basement has a bedroom, a bathroom, a laundry room and a media room wired for sound – an ideal lair for a teenager.
Three of the five units have sold, according to Dave Camp, an agent with Sudler Sotheby’s International Realty, who was manning the open house yesterday.
