5639 S Harper Ave.

Take a deep breath and then come on over to see this E townhome that is finally hitting the market in the heart of the University of Chicago campus nestled between 57th and 56th St. just a short block from the Metra station. The current owner raised her family in this house and enjoyed many years in it after they grew up and moved out to their own homes. It's been lovingly maintained over the many years, and has much of the original mid-century details still untouched. However, central AC was added and all of the windows (except in the 4th bedroom) were replaced with easy to operate double pane windows which make this home completely liveable all year around. The great thing about these I.M. Pei houses is that the main and upper levels were finished in oak flooring including the stairs going up and down to the lower level. Some of the bedrooms have been carpeted over the years, so those floors should refinish to a gleam as beautiful as when they were laid in 1960. The original kitchen cabinets have been painted white but all of the cabinets and drawers are intact. The gas cooktop is newer, but the double wall oven is the original Kenmore Harvest Gold. And it works! Alas, the much more modern stove hood does not. There is also a refrigerator and dishwasher. A big sliding glass door leads out to the balcony overlooking the deep back yard (the lot is 136.1' on the north side and 132.2' on the south). Behind the garden's far wall is an outdoor parking space. Just inside the brick wall is a concrete pad perfect for a storage shed. The new owner could legally construct a brick garage in the parking area. The living room has another sliding glass door leading to a small balcony overlooking the private big oval fenced garden with mature trees that the entire block of townhomes shares and enjoys. The separate dining room is also is lit by the glass door that looks out to the back yard. Upstairs are 3 bedrooms and a full bath. The primary bedroom spans the entire width of the house and has a full wall of windows. The wall beneath the windows is brand new. The full bathroom has 4" sq tiles and the original tub and vintage sink. There is a newer shower faucet with sprayer, ceramic corner shelves for toiletries and a grab bar. Both the full bath and the half bath on the lower level have the original medicine cabinets with sliding mirrored doors. The lower level has a big family room with floor to ceiling windows looking out to the garden and a door for easy access to the back patio which has been recently paved with brick pavers as has the sidewalk leading to the parking. The flooring is ceramic in the family room, bedroom and hallway. The utility room has a full size washer and dryer, the original distinctive red boxed boiler for the hot water baseboard heat, the 100 amp circuit breaker box, a hot water heater and a laundry sink. Many owners of this model of house have swapped out the laundry sink for a shower stall to open into the powder room on the other side of the wall. In the front of the lower level is the 4th bedroom with a full length window looking out to the circular drive and the park. There is a deep walk-in storage space above the front entrance of the house which also houses the air handler for the central A/C. This is the location everyone has been waiting for. It's an easy walk or roll to the buildings of the University of Chicago, both Lab Schools, and the 57th St. sandy beach on the lake. Take your bike to the lakefront path. It's a 19 minute commute on the Metra to the Loop and it is estimated to take 17 minutes to drive. There are commuter buses nearby as well. The restaurants and bookstores of 57th St are right outside your door and the Trader Joes/Walgreens/Ace Hardware/Office Depot and restaurants of the Hyde Park Shopping Center are less than 2 blocks to the north. A lovely home in a terrific location. Walk Score says it's a walkers' and bikers' paradise with good transit.