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Located steps from the University of Chicago, this historic Hyde Park home was built in 1898 by William Carbys Zimmerman. The Chicago architect served as Illinois State Architect from 1905 to 1915 and designed many buildings for the University of Illinois, the state’s Supreme Court Building, and a number of notable Chicago area private homes.

The six-bedroom residence retains many of its old school details including a mahogany and oak millwork, leaded glass windows, a formal dining room, and a trio of fireplaces. Other aspects of the South Side residence—the modern kitchen, glass-walled rear family room, third-floor master suite, and home automation system—are much newer, courtesy of an extensive 2018 renovation that expanded the property to an impressive 8,000 square feet.

The home at 5544 S. Woodlawn Avenue is listed for neighborhood record $4.2 million, which is more than double the asking price of Hyde Park’s next most expensive single-family property. It last sold in 2015 (prior to the renovations and addition) for $1.7 million, public records show.

A wood fireplace with a stone surround and carved family crest on the hood.
The living room features an impressive fireplace with a carved mantel, moldings, and built-in shelves.
Wood stairs travel upwards next to a brick fireplace in a foyer. There are hardwood floors and carved columns leading to a dining room.
The foyer is equally old school thanks to a grand staircase, wood columns, and another fireplace.
An eat-in kitchen with white cabinets and a large island next to a stone-topped breakfast table surrounded by 8 chairs and a gray sofa.
Things get much more contemporary in the bright kitchen and attached breakfast area.
A chair sits in the corner of a bright sunroom with large windows set in a dark metal grid. An area of grass is visible outside.
The modern, window-lined family room overlooks the property’s rear patio and yard.
A four-post canopy bed in the center of a spacious bedroom with high ceiling and a large patterned area rug.
The master suite features a beamed cathedral ceiling and a dedicated sitting area.
A hammock on an outdoor patio overlooking low-rise homes and a tall dorm building with a white concrete and glass facade.
The rooftop deck offers views of the University Chicago and its Studio Gang-designed dormitory complex.
Tim Padavic
Editor-in-Chief