Calendar of Events

Seminar Series

The Historic Chicago Bungalow Association offers at least two seminars each month on a broad range of home repair, financing and green topics. The Seminar Series is made possible by the City of Chicago, Chicago Public Libraries and Peoples Energy.

Smart Building: Tips for Prioritizing Home Improvements, Choosing Contractors, and Minimizing Costly Problems

Speaker: Darris Shaw, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago

From priority repairs to increasing a home's "curb appeal," summer is rehab season in Chicago.  For many homeowners, it is also a time of anxiety and questions: What improvements should I make first?  What are smart investments in a down market?  Do I need a building permit?  How do I find the right contractor?  Join Darris Shaw, Director of Construction Services at Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago, as he shares some smart tips for prioritizing projects, choosing contractors and minimizing the chance of costly surprises.  With over 20 years of construction experience, Mr. Shaw has provided construction management services for over a thousand rehab projects across the City of Chicago.  This workshop will focus on planning home improvements, developing a scope of work, finding and evaluating contractors, selecting bids, monitoring ongoing repairs and troubleshooting potential problems.

West Side Workshop
Saturday, July 11, 10:00am - 12:00pm
Garfield Park Conservatory
Jensen Room
300 North Central Park Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60624

Please RSVP to greystone@nhschicago.org or Blanche at 773-522-4637.

Stop Treading (On) Water! How to Save Money While Reducing Your Impact on the Environment

Saving water at home will not only save money on your water bill, but can also save on energy bills as well!  Using less water means heating less water and using less natural gas or electricity.  Join Andrea Putz, Director of Water Research & Development and Irene Caminer, Director of Legal Services with the Department of Water Management, to learn more about the City’s MeterSave program and how to reduce your water and sewer bills while saving precious resources.  The MeterSave program is available to single family and two-flat homeowners around the city and is expected to help save anywhere from 17 to 33 percent on your water and sewer bills.  Regardless of what kind of home you have, this workshop can help any homeowner become more aware of water use patterns and help reduce his/her impact on the environment.

Northside Workshop
Monday, July 13, 7:00-8:30pm
Logan Square Library
3030 W. Fullerton Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647

Southside Workshop
Monday, July 20th, 7:00-8:30pm
Avalon Public Library
8148 S. Stony Island Ave.
Chicago, IL 60617

Greening Your Vintage Home

Join Matt Cole of the Historic Chicago Greystone Initiative and Carla Bruni of the Historic
Chicago Bungalow Association for a workshop on practical, affordable ways to green your
vintage home.  The workshop will highlight strategies for making homes more energy efficient,
improving indoor air quality and conserving resources.  They will also discuss the mix of
financial, technical and historic preservation programming offered by each organization.  A key
goal of this workshop is to demonstrate how thoughtful improvements can enhance the
performance and comfort of a vintage home while preserving the materials and architectural
details that make it unique.

Southside Workshop
Saturday, July 25, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Avalon Public Library
8148 S. Stony Island Ave.
Chicago, IL 60617

Please RSVP to greystone@nhschicago.org or Blanche at 773-522-3637.

Other upcoming events

Villa Historic District Walking Tours

Residents of the Villa Historic District are once again conducting walking tours of their 102-year-old northwest side neighborhood, and this year four beautiful gardens will be included on the tour. The community of 126 Arts & Crafts/Craftsman and prairie style homes is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a Chicago Historic Landmark District. The 90-minute tours begin at 2 p.m. at the northeast corner of Addison Street (3600 North) and Pulaski Road (4000 West). Street parking is available but be aware of permit parking on Harding Avenue.

Cost is $10 and reservations are recommended, with a limit of 30 attendees each day. Group tours can be scheduled on other dates for groups of six or more. For more information or to confirm attendance, contact tours@thevillachicago.com or 773-539-8376, and visit www.thevillachicago.com.

Tour Dates for 2009:
Sunday, June 7
Saturday, August 22
Sunday, Sept 20
Saturday, Sept 26
Saturday, Oct 17

Do-It-Yourself Green Home and Garden Series

The Chicago Architecture Foundation, in partnership with the Chicago Center for Green Technology, hosts a Do-It-Yourself Green Home and Garden Series.  Visit the CAF website for more information. 

CAF Bungalow Belt Tour Series

The Chicago Architecture Foundation hosts north side and south side bus tours of Historic Bungalow neighborhoods.

Click here for more information on north route tours. 
Click here for more information on south route tours.