PRESS ROOM
"In some parts of Chicago, you can walk for blocks and blocks looking at rows of Chicago bungalows, which are as much an icon of Chicago architecture as the more imposing downtown buildings"
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- Rodkin, Dennis. "What’s That Building? Chicago Icons: Bungalows." WBEZ Chicago. August 17, 2023.
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“The uniformity of bungalows — often the first home a family owned — helped to moderate the sectarian identities of the immigrants pouring into the city. No matter if they were from Italy, Ireland, Poland, or Ukraine, once you’ve trimmed your hedges and lofted a spare bedroom into the attic, 'the bungalows really did help people to feel like Chicagoans,' says Mary Ellen Guest, executive director of the Chicago Bungalow Association."
- Mortice, Zach. "Chicago’s Bungalows Are Where the City Comes Together." Bloomberg CityLab. February 9, 2022.
September 17, 2024
Bungalow association seeks nominations
The Beverly Review
Nominations are now being accepted for the Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) 20th annual Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards.
The annual juried competition honors the creativity and efforts of homeowners for the work they’ve done in interior and exterior renovations, restoration and landscape design.
September 10, 2024
Bungalow association seeks award nominations
The Beverly Review
Nominations are now being accepted for the Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) 20th annual Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards. Winners in each category receive a $1,500 cash award. Runners-up in each category receive a $1,000 cash award. All awardees receive a bronze award plaque, display at the award ceremony and recognition on CBA’s website, social media and newsletter.
August 13, 2024
Englewood Arts Collective Gets $75,000 Grant To Beautify South Side Block
Block Club Chicago
The Englewood Arts Collective received a grant from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation to create community-informed art as part of unBlocked Englewood — a project founded by artist and activist Tonika Lewis Johnson to rectify decades of disinvestment and illegal housing practices in Englewood. Johnson partnered with the Chicago Bungalow Association and the Englewood Arts Collective last year.
August 13, 2024
Chicago Bungalow Association will host “Home TIES (Taxes, Insurance, Energy and Sewer) Savings for Seniors”
The Beverly Review
Join Brenda Grauer, from CARPLS legal aid, and John Groene as they discuss ways in which older homeowners can realize savings on their property taxes, homeowners insurance, water bills and utilities to make their dollars stretch further.
July 30, 2024
UnBlocked Englewood: Uplifting The Legacy of Black Homeowners
WGN News
Artist Tonika Johnson sat down with Tonya Francisco and Amy Rutledge on WGN News Daytime Chicago to share about UnBlocked Englewood, an initiative in partnership with Chicago Bungalow Association and Englewood Arts Collective to uplift the legacy of Black homeowners by repairing 25 homes at 65th and Aberdeen.
July 19, 2024
Englewood Artist Tonika Johnson Raising $500,000 To Help More Black Families Fix Their Homes
Block Club Chicago
South Side social justice artist Tonika Lewis Johnson is fundraising to boost her effort to fix family homes in Englewood and uplift the legacy of Black homeowners. Johnson is raising $500,000 for unBlocked Englewood, which she created last year. Johnson partnered with the Chicago Bungalow Association and the Englewood Arts Collective to revitalize homes and beautify vacant lots on the block.
July 19, 2024
Spend The Day Among Flowers And Butterflies On The BAPA Garden Walk
Patch Chicago
Whether you’re a dedicated gardener seeking new information, a hobby gardener looking for ideas, or a plant lover longing for a day among flowers and butterflies, you will find innovation, inspiration, and just plain fun at the Beverly Area Planning Association’s 5th Annual Beverly/Morgan Park Garden Walk, Sun., July 21, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
July 9, 2024
BAPA to host annual Beverly/Morgan Park Garden Walk
The Beverly Review
The Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) will host its fifth annual Beverly/Morgan Park Garden Walk on Sunday, July 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Garden Walk begins with check-in at the Edna White Community Garden, 1850 W. Monterey Ave., where people are welcome to walk among the beautiful plantings and observe butterflies and bees.
June 17, 2024
8th Annual Bungalow Garden Contest
Austin Weekly News
The Chicago Bungalow Association is taking submissions for the 8th Annual Bungalow Garden Contest, through July 3. This year’s contest categories have increased, and there are now five new categories for Chicago homeowners to enter their wood frame, stucco, or brick bungalow gardens in. Cash prizes have increased this year, with runners-up earning $250 and category winners getting a $500 cash prize.
June 11, 2024
CBA seeks garden contest entries
The Beverly Review
The Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) Bungalow Garden Contest, in its eighth year, celebrates the hard work of bungalow owners across Chicago who beautify their blocks with inspiring home gardens, demonstrating how gardens can enhance a home’s architecture, promote a healthier ecosystem and uplift a community. All bungalows in Chicago are eligible to enter, whether the bungalow is brick, stucco or wood frame.
May 21, 2024
Free Energy Services and Improvements
The Beverly Review
The Chicago Bungalow Association, in partnership with ComEd, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas, provides customers with free home energy services and improvements. The program offers a free “Home Energy Savings Assessment” to identify ways to help manage energy use that may include free and discounted energy-saving products. Weatherization improvements may be available to eligible...
April 30, 2024
BAPA set to present fifth annual Garden Walk
The Beverly Review
Among this year’s confirmed gardens are a 2023 Chicago Bungalow Association Garden Award-winning yard featuring a large, lively pond, eclectic garden architecture and decor, and abundant plantings in the ground and in pots...
April 30, 2024
Chicago Bungalow Association to host webinar
The Beverly Review
The Chicago Bungalow Association will host “Protecting Your Property for the Future” on Monday, May 6, from 6 to 7 p.m. Michael Stone, legal director with the Center for Disability and Elder Law, will discuss estate planning and different ways to transfer property after you pass away, what you need to know about property fraud, and more.
April 23, 2024
Only Half Of Black Seniors Approved For Home Repair Or Refinance Loans To Age In Place
Block Club Chicago
Chicago’s legacy of racial segregation and redlining by banks influences access to mortgage lending, harming older Black neighbors who want to age in place and pass on generational wealth.
April 15, 2024
Harris Poll: Great Lakes residents feel ready for flooding. They better be right.
Crain's Chicago Business
Roughly one-quarter of Great Lakes region residents have experienced flooding from extreme weather events in the past five years, according to a new Harris Poll survey. Most feel ready to handle future flooding, our poll shows — and they had better be, because more is coming.
April 10, 2024
A public art project is repairing the damage of racist housing practices in Englewood
Axios Chicago
Artist and activist Tonika Lewis Johnson's "unBlocked Englewood" project is literally repairing the damage a racist housing practice, known as land sale contracts, has done to Chicago's Black neighborhoods. Johnson teamed up with Chicago Bungalow Association to perform deferred maintenance like repairing roofs and broken pipes for homeowners affected by land sale contracts...
April 3, 2024
Chatham, Bronzeville Events Aim To Help Homeowners And Boost Home Sales On The South Side
Block Club Chicago
The Chesterfield Community Council and City Treasurer Melissa Conyears-Ervin will host events that offer free services to current and aspiring homeowners. There are a myriad of resources offered by the city, state and local groups like the Chicago Bungalow Association that help homeowners attain and maintain their homes.
March 26, 2024
Bungalow association offers free April webinars
The Beverly Review
The Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) will host free webinars in April. “Planting Your First Native Garden” will be held on Tuesday, April 9, from 6 to 7 p.m. “Building Permit Basics for Chicago Homeowners” will be held on Wednesday, April 17, from 6 to 7 p.m.
March 12, 2024
Chicago Bungalow Association to host two webinars
The Beverly Review
The Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) will host a webinar “All about Cook Country Tax Exemptions” on Monday, March 18, from 6 to 7 p.m... The CBA will host “Basement Flooding: Reducing the Risk on Your Property” on Wednesday, March 20, from 6 to 7 p.m.
February 26, 2024
Bringing Clean Energy Home: Lessons learned from electrifying 100 homes and how you can make the transition
Illinois PIRG
Elevate partnered with ComEd’s Whole Home Electrification Pilot and the Chicago Bungalow Association to electrify 166 single and multi family units in Illinois. Through these projects, Elevate learned that weatherizing your home is essential.
February 26, 2024
Social Justice Artist Fights to Keep Black Families in Chicago Homes
NBC News Now
Activists in Chicago are working to fix longstanding discriminatory housing policies in Black communities. The project has revitalized 22 vacant lots and helped nearly 75 residents. Artist Tonika Lewis Johnson, Chicago Bungalow Association's Carla Bruni, Englewood Arts Collective's Janell Nelson, block resident Melvin Walls, and researcher Amber Hendley speak with NBC Now.
February 1, 2024
ComEd Encourages Residential Customers to Apply for New EV Charger and Installation Rebate
ComEd
“Rebates are key to making EV ownership more accessible in our communities,” said Mary Ellen Guest, Executive Director of the Chicago Bungalow Association. “This program will help our members, especially those on the South and West sides of the City, to add in-home charging to further reduce reliance on fossil fuels on the road.”
January 25, 2024
How An Englewood Artist And Activist Is Helping Black Families Keep Their Homes
Block Club Chicago
Through “unBlocked Englewood,” Tonika Lewis Johnson and the Chicago Bungalow Association are paying for home repairs along one block, which the organizer hopes can help reverse decades of discriminatory housing policies.
January 15, 2024
Project Aims to Repair Englewood Homes, Combat Disinvestment Through the Arts
WTTW
To do this, Tonika Lewis Johnson partnered with the Chicago Bungalow Association to help take care of the overdue improvements. So far, they’ve been able to fix roofs, broken pipes, drywall and more, leading to more comfortable living conditions for residents.
January 5, 2024
Repairing homes as a form of public art, Tonika Lewis Johnson helps Englewood reinvest in the disinvested
Chicago Tribune
Artist Tonika Lewis Johnson is working on unBlocked Englewood, an effort to showcase the transformative power that emerges when a community unites to heal and uplift. Partnering with the Chicago Bungalow Association, Johnson is working with residents along one block to beautify and revitalize 22 vacant lots and 24 residential buildings, and aiding about 75 residents in the process.​
November 30, 2023
Austin bungalow wins Driehaus award
Austin Weekly News
It’s hard to imagine a couple better suited to owning and restoring an historic Chicago bungalow than Katrina and Mike Morrissey. Over the last decade, they have lovingly restored their Austin home, bringing back some of the original character, which had disappeared over the years. They also got married, added three children to their family and did that lion’s share of the restoration work themselves, while holding down jobs in other fields.
November 30, 2023
Austin bungalow wins Driehaus award
Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest
It’s hard to imagine a couple better suited to owning and restoring an historic Chicago bungalow than Katrina and Mike Morrissey. Over the last decade, they have lovingly restored their Austin home, bringing back some of the original character, which had disappeared over the years. They also got married, added three children to their family and did that lion’s share of the restoration work themselves, while holding down jobs in other fields.
November 21, 2023
Local homeowners win awards for bungalows
The Beverly Review
One family took home top honors for the second time, and another family did the same on its first try. The Kiper and Garcia families, both of Beverly, earned first place in the 19th annual Driehaus Bungalow Awards, hosted by the Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA). The Kipers were honored in the small-project category for remodeling their mud room, while the Garcias were tops in the exterior-rehabilitation category after updating their porch.
November 15, 2023
The Chicago Two-Flat: Building a Better City
at Home with @Properties
Whether it was rebuilding the city following the Great Chicago Fire in 1871, reversing the Chicago River and the deadly pollution of drinking water by 1900, or finding solutions to many current-day issues, Chicago has, time and again, found a way to adapt and move forward. The rise of the two-flat is a perfect example.
November 3, 2023
Will gas stoves become a thing of the past in Chicago?
WBEZ Chicago
In 2021, Bassett-Dilley decarbonized the bungalow by cutting natural gas connections completely in the poorly insulated house. In the basement, a new mechanical system pumps heat in the winter and cool air during the summer. In the kitchen, the gas stove is gone. He quickly simmers chicken bones for a broth on top of his induction stove, a special type of electric cooktop.
October 17, 2023
Chicago Bungalow Assoc. to host seminar Oct. 24
The Beverly Review
“Property Inspections: What to Know When Buying a Home” will be from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tonika Johnson, creator of the Folded Map and Inequity for Sale projects, will highlight the challenges that come with buying a home and finding reputable inspectors... Phil Gould, owner and operator of Property Guidance Inspection, will discuss what a thorough property inspection should cover, what to keep in mind when working with inspectors, and why a property inspection is important when buying a home.
September 24, 2023
Chicago architects dish on their most, least favorite buildings
The Real Deal
In a city so frequently lauded for its architecture, what makes any one building the favorite—or least favorite—of someone who practices the trade? For some of Greater Chicago’s top architects, it comes down to the way the structures mirror their surroundings... or don’t contribute to them, like a windowless parking garage.
September 12, 2023
Bungalows sought for awards
The Beverly Review
Nominations are now being accepted for the Chicago Bungalow Association 19th annual Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards. Homeowners can nominate their Chicago bungalow home improvement projects for a chance to win up to $1,000 in seven categories. The nomination deadline is Wednesday, Sept. 27.
September 3, 2023
Electric heating in vintage Chicago homes, including bungalows and two-flats, could greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, study finds
Chicago Tribune
In 2021, Raby enrolled in a study that aims to show that Chicago’s vintage homes can slash their greenhouse gas emissions — and lower their utility bills — by weatherproofing and switching to high-efficiency electric appliances.
August 29, 2023
Chicago couple transforms front lawn into award-winning garden
Fox 32 Chicago
Who says bigger is better? One city-sized garden is getting special recognition and paying off for a Jefferson Park couple.
Jessica Grzegorski and Bradon Webb won first place in the 7th Annual Chicago Bungalow Association Garden Contest.
August 26, 2023
Jefferson Park bungalow honored for its front garden
Nadig Newspapers
Two Jefferson Park residents recently won the Chicago Bungalow Association’s annual award for the best front garden for bungalows.
Jessica Grzegorski and Bradon Webb moved into their bungalow near Lawrence and Austin avenues in 2019 and spent several seasons replacing their grass lawn with more than 40 types of native perennials and compact shrubs, according to the association.
August 17, 2023
What’s That Building? Chicago Icons: Bungalows
WBEZ Chicago
In some parts of Chicago, you can walk for blocks and blocks looking at rows of Chicago bungalows, which are as much an icon of Chicago architecture as the more imposing downtown buildings we’ve covered in this series. Walk along the 8300 to 8500 blocks of South May Street in Auburn Gresham and you’ll spot many of the varieties.
August 1, 2023
Local gardens earn honors in CBA contest
The Beverly Review
Patricia Mills’ backyard is an oasis of flowers and decorations, with plants so numerous that it’s difficult to keep track. And for her efforts in creating such natural beauty in an urban neighborhood, the Morgan Park resident was recently honored by the Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA).
June 29, 2023
Advancing Equity Recap: A Three-Part Series Exploring the Homeownership Gap
The Chicago Community Trust
In May, the Trust completed a three-part series on the homeownership gap as part of Advancing Equity, an ideas exchange that brings together various stakeholders to take deeper dives into topics connected to the racial and ethnic wealth gap.
June 26, 2023
56 Homes Now Fully Electric Through ComEd Low Income Whole Home Electrification Program
ComEd
To date, 56 single family homes have been retrofitted as part of ComEd's Whole Home Electrification program, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to convert single family and multi-unit homes to energy-saving, all-electric heating and cooling systems and appliances.
December 6, 2022
Bungalow steps up to earn award for porch restoration
The Beverly Review
The front porch of John and Kathleen Daly’s brick bungalow was in major disrepair. The first two steps “were in really bad shape,” John said, and the main porch area had a large crack. However, thanks to a year of labor, part of it by John, the porch is now better than ever. John and Kathleen Daly, of Beverly, show their award from Chicago Bungalow Association for the exterior rehab of their porch.
October 11, 2022
Hermosa Makes Debut In Open House Chicago: ‘A Beautiful Neighborhood Well Worth The Exploration’
Block Club Chicago
For the first time, people can explore architectural and cultural gems in Hermosa as part of Open House Chicago, an annual festival dedicated to the city’s “architectural discoveries and delights.”
September 26, 2022
CBA on Money Monday
The Brunch Bunch on 1390 AM WGRB
The Brunch Bunch airs "It’s Money Monday with L&S Developments!" Today’s guest will be Carla Bruni from the @chicagobungalow and she will be speaking specifically about free services you can get for your home. We will be providing you with resources and hot topics, all day, right on Inspiration AM 1390!
September 16, 2022
A TikTok Historian And Englewood Artist Are Launching South Side Neighborhood Tours To 'Change The Perspectives'
Block Club Chicago
Chicago’s famed urban historian and an award-winning social justice artist are joining forces to take neighbors on tours exploring the history of Greater Englewood. Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, best known as 6figga_dilla on TikTok, and Folded Map Project founder Tonika Johnson will host the Greater Englewood History Tour this month.
August 29, 2022
CBA on Money Monday
The Brunch Bunch on 1390 AM WGRB
The Brunch Bunch airs "It’s Money Monday with L&S Developments!" Today’s guest will be Carla Bruni from the @chicagobungalow and she will be speaking specifically about free services you can get for your home. We will be providing you with resources and hot topics, all day, right on Inspiration AM 1390!
July 25, 2022
Check Out These ‘Victory Gardens’: Winners Announced in Chicago Bungalow Garden Contest
WTTW
Chicago throws a lot at its gardeners: It’s either too dry or too wet. Too hot or too cold. Too sunny or too shady. So a tip of the hat to all the green thumbs who persevere, and a special round of applause to the winners of this year’s Chicago Bungalow Association garden awards, announced Monday.
June 22, 2022
The Chicago Bungalow Association is making the city’s vintage homes more energy-efficient
Yale Climate Connections
In Chicago, many streets are lined with small, brick homes with big windows and wide low-pitched roofs. They’re known as Chicago bungalows. “They are about a third of our single-family housing stock here. There are over 80,000 of them, we think,” says Carla Bruni of the Chicago Bungalow Association.
May 31, 2022
Chicago-Style Bungalow Vs. Detroit-Style Bungalow: What's The Difference?
House Digest
Are all bungalows the same? Let's take a closer look. Although styles vary from place to place, they may not be limited to their original location. But how do these designs differ with cities like Chicago and Detroit only a few hours away from each other?
April 2022
Ravenswood Manor Neighbors Earn Driehaus Awards
Manor News
Since its inception in 2005, The Driehaus Bungalow Awards have been given by the Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) with support from the Driehaus Foundation to bungalow homeowners for excellence in seven categories of home renovation, restoration, and improvement.
February 9, 2022
Bloomberg
In Chicago, there are plenty of reasons for South Side residents to keep Northsiders at arm’s length. This includes the North Side’s nonsensical lack of numbered streets, opposed baseball fandoms, and the outsized power of the city’s wealthier half — an imbalance that has created one of the most striking geographic divides between rich and poor, white and Black, in American urban life.
October 14, 2021
Community Connection| BAPA The Villager Neighborhood News E-Update
Beverly Area Planning Association
The Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) is accepting nominations for the 17th annual Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards for home and landscape improvements in seven categories. Deadline is Oct. 26.
October 08, 2021
The days of ‘set it and forget it’ homeowners insurance are fading fast. Here’s why protecting your home is more complicated than ever.
Chicago Tribune
The days of “set it and forget it” homeowners insurance are fading fast. Climate-change-driven weather, deteriorating water infrastructure, and the burst of home improvements driven by the remote-work trend all complicate the calculations for obtaining sufficient insurance for one’s house and its contents.
September, 2021
Take a walking tour of Chicago’s West Ridge neighborhood
Choose Chicago
Welcome to our new series of self-guided Chicago Greeter tours, presented by Bank of America. Each walking tour is created by a knowledgeable local to showcase their favorite hidden gems and fascinating history behind Chicago’s unique neighborhoods.
June 23, 2021
Calling All Green Thumbs: Entries Open for Chicago Bungalow Garden Contest
WTTW
The Chicago Bungalow Association’s annual garden contest, now in its fifth year, has blossomed into a highly anticipated event. This year’s contest is sure to be more competitive than ever, with expanded eligibility and the doubling of winners’ cash prizes.
January 21, 2021
Basement-to-Tiki Bar Conversion Wins Bungalow Association’s ‘COVID Creativity’ Award
WTTW
People’s houses have been pulling double and triple duty this past year. In the face of these added demands, plenty of folks found their abodes lacking. To reward the efforts of inventive DIY-ers, the Chicago Bungalow Association added a “COVID Creativity” category to its Driehaus Awards, which are handed out annually.
January 15, 2021
12 Illinois sites added to National Register of Historic Places in 2020
WAND TV
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of properties that merit special attention and preservation and features at least one property or historic district from each county in Illinois.
December 29, 2020
Start the new year by getting help buying or repairing your home
Austin Talks
The Chicago Bungalow Association has an “Energy Savers” program that helps pay the costs of insulation and other energy-saving measures that cut monthly energy bills. Each year, the group helps the owners of about 700 homes.
December 18, 2020
Build Your Own Vintage Bungalow Furniture
Chicago Magazine
If you own a classic Chicago bungalow, there are a lot of resources for taking care of it in an aesthetically appropriate manner — from the exterior bricks and steps to the floors, walls, and trim. Every year, the Driehaus bungalow awards are a nice introduction to people who are doing it right.
September 17, 2020
Chicago Tribune
After canceling a Memorial Day parade and run, a bicycle race and a tour of homes, Beverly Area Planning Association officials decided its only communitywide event for 2020 would be an in-person affair, albeit with plenty of room for social distancing. It turned out to be a perfect time for a garden walk.
September 1, 2020
BAPA undaunted by cancellations
The Beverly Review
Making the best out of a bad situation is a way of life in the days of COVID-19, and the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) is doing just that. After the annual Ridge Run and Memorial Day Parade were postponed from Memorial Day to Labor Day weekend, the 40-plus-year tradition was officially canceled recently. The same goes for the annual BAPA Home Tour.
August 27, 2020
Chicago Tribune
The Beverly Area Planning Association will host the Beverly/Morgan Park Garden Walk from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 13, featuring private gardens and don’t miss points of interest throughout the neighborhood. Tickets are $20 in advance at bapa.org or $25 on the day of the event.
August 25, 2020
BAPA to host first garden walk
The Beverly Review
Everything has lined up perfectly for the Beverly Area Planning Association (BAPA) to host its first garden walk. After several other events had to be canceled because of COVID-19, the inaugural BAPA Beverly/Morgan Park Garden Walk, set for Sunday, Sept. 13, will allow BAPA to showcase the community, bring residents together and support the local economy.
August 4, 2020
CBA awards efforts of local homeowners
The Beverly Review
A resident of Morgan Park living in the home where her mother raised her, Maul and her husband, Al Schmitt, were named winners in the fourth annual Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) Bungalow Garden Contest on July 27, taking top honors in the front garden category.
July 23, 2020
Bad At Sports
In this virtual conversation, Tonika Lewis Johnson will discuss how she uses her creativity to explore urban segregation in Chicago with her Folded Map™ Project and how it can serve as a resource for understanding, an empathy generator, and a conduit for action. Learn more about the #FoldedMapProject at www.foldedmapproject.com
July 13, 2020
Who’s Got the Best Garden in Chicago’s Bungalow Belt? You Be the Judge
WTTW
The handiwork of Chicago’s gardeners has never been more appreciated than during this very weird year, when walks through the city’s neighborhoods have been many folks’ only source of entertainment or change of scenery. The Chicago Bungalow Association is holding its fourth annual garden contest, and you get to be the judge.
July 1, 2020
Solar Builder Magazine
From Energy News Network: The Illinois Solar for All program was slow to start in part because of its complexity and consumer safeguards. Having always been “the go-green types,” Debra Earl and her husband last summer decided they wanted to get solar panels on the bungalow where they’ve lived for 22 years on Chicago’s South Side.
May 1, 2020
Building Philanthropy
Sheridan Road Magazine
“Richard is possibly the only philanthropist who understands the power of ‘home,’ and he believes in the importance of our work, which helps low- and moderate-income homeowners stay in their homes, care for their families, and protect what is often their only financial asset,” says Mary Ellen Guest, executive director of the Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA).
April 30, 2020
What to plant in Chicago for a thriving garden this spring
Curbed Chicago
Signs of spring are peeking out in Chicago. There’s more daylight—thankfully. Daffodils are blooming in front yards. Magnolia trees are showing their pink and white flowers. Forsythia plants are glowing bright yellow. It might have you itching to go freshen up your own outdoor space. Whether you’re in a bungalow with a backyard or courtyard apartment that has a little deck, there’s a way to get beautiful greenery.
April 9, 2020
Four Chicago Starter Homes for $300,000 or Less
Chicago Magazine
In Chicago, the affordable single-family starter home is increasingly rare.
Though the local housing market has been flat for months, options anywhere remotely near the city’s central core remain out of reach for most first-time buyers.
April 8, 2020
Built in 1926, West Rogers Park ‘bungalow mansion’ asks $685K
Curbed Chicago
In West Rogers Park, this “bungalow mansion” features an oversized version of the classic Chicago home style. The neighborhood is part of the city’s historic Bungalow Belt where thousands of bungalows were built in the 1910s and 1920s.
March 19, 2020
10 Chicago experts to follow if you love beautiful homes
Curbed Chicago
Curious about homebuying in Chicago? A great place to get familiar with what to expect in the city is to follow the experts on social media. While there are lots of brokers on Instagram and Twitter, we’ve hand picked a few who offer more than just feed of their recent listings.
January 22, 2020
A woman built this bungalow—in 1916
Crain's Chicago Business
A Portage Park bungalow that came on the market today was built by a female homebuilder, a rarity in Chicago in 1916 (and even now, for that matter). The four-bedroom bungalow on Laramie Avenue “is very striking when you walk in,” said Alex Lucas, who bought the house in 2017 from a family who’d owned the home for more than half a century.
October 10, 2019
Chicago Bungalow Awards: Nominations Sought For Best Projects
Patch Media
Nominations are sought for the 15th annual Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Bungalow awards. Created by the Chicago Bungalow Association with the support of The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the awards honor the creativity and efforts of bungalow owners for home improvement and restoration projects both large and small.
August 8, 2019
Here Are Chicago’s Best Bungalow Gardens, As Picked By 3,700 Voters
Block Club Chicago
Weiner’s Wrigley Field-themed garden, complete with an ivy-covered brick wall, won this year’s best rear or side garden category in the third annual Bungalow Garden Contest organized by the Chicago Bungalow Association.
August 2, 2019
Delight in these award-winning bungalow gardens
Curbed Chicago
For the third year in a row, the Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) has sought out the best gardens and awarded top prizes to homeowners with particularly green thumbs. There aren’t any landscape architects cultivating these flowery window boxes and verdant yards—that’s what makes the already perfect gardens so charming.
May 9, 2019
A writer comes home to ever-changing South Shore to find the middle class disappearing
Chicago Tribune
Carlo Rotella returned to his old neighborhood the other day, another silent Saturday morning in South Shore, the kind of day when the clang of a passing train is the only clamor. The occasion for the visit was his latest book, a portrait of South Shore, “The World is Always Coming to an End: Pulling Together and Apart in a Chicago Neighborhood.”
May 4, 2019
Home tour in Beverly, Morgan Park now includes expo as well as notable houses, Bethany church
Chicago Tribune
The annual Beverly Area Planning Association home tour returns to the Beverly and Morgan Park neighborhoods May 19 with the addition of an expo to connect visitors to contractors knowledgeable in design, home restoration, and eco-friendly services.
April 18, 2019
Bungalow Blackout': Vintage Homes Go Lights Out On Earth Day
Patch Media
Owners of Chicago bungalows and other classic homes in the city are asked to turn off all non-essential lights for one hour - 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. - on Earth Day, April 22. The Chicago Bungalow Association's "Bungalow Blackout" is inspired by Earth Hour, a global event centered on a mass electricity turn off during the same hour once a year.
February 15, 2019
Four Bungalows for Sale on the Northwest Side
Chicago Magazine
There’s a reason why the Chicago bungalow is such a popular choice with today’s families. The quaint brick homes, noted for their large front windows and walk-up entrances, have held up as affordable options for buyers who care about character as much as living space. Built en masse between the the World Wars, Chicago bungalows were, and very much remain, a symbol of the city’s burgeoning working class.
February 11, 2019
Bungalow beauty: Northwest Side swath of the humble homes is listed on National Register of Historic Places
Chicago Tribune
“The ubiquitous Chicago bungalow is snug, sensible, ugly and reassuring,” Tribune architecture critic Paul Gapp wrote in 1980. “It suggests that treasured old middle-class value systems still survive.”
January 14, 2019
‘These homes represented the American ideal’: How Chicago bungalow owners cherish — and renovate — their historic houses
Chicago Tribune
Troy Bryant knew things had to change when he saw the facade of his South Shore bungalow on a “We Buy Ugly Houses” commercial in April 2018. He watched the spot in the wee hours of the morning with his wife, DeLisa.
December 10, 2018
Bungalow Improvement Projects Recognized
Patch Media
Sixteen recent bungalow addition projects in the city of Chicago were recognized this week as the 2018 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Award winners. The winners were selected as part of the annual Chicago Bungalow Association contest that honors the creativity and efforts of homeowners for the work they’ve done in interior and exterior renovations, restoration and landscape design.
July 9, 2018
Battle Brewing Over Chicago's Bungalows
CBS News
Many of Chicago's bungalows pre-date World War Two and targeted the exploding American middle class. The bungalow homes are described as humble and iconic, but recently there has been a clash between keeping their design's heritage and keeping up with the expanding housing demands.
June 28, 2018
Association Campaigns to Stop Bungling Bungalows
Beverly Area Planning Association
We’ve all seen them: Classic Chicago bungalows with “pop out” roof additions that don’t come close to matching the architectural design and distinction of these classic homes, and frequently are lower quality than the original house.
June 13, 2018
Bungalow Expansion Project Offers Alternatives To Pop-Tops
Patch Media
The Chicago Bungalow Association has unveiled their Bungalow Expansion Project, a response to second-story “pop-top” additions on bungalows. Six addition ideas are outlined as ways for bungalow owners in the city to keep their home's historical value while also adding space and convenience.
June 12, 2018
No more bungled bungalows
Crain's Chicago Business
Two years after declaring a hashtag war against ugly second-floor additions to classic Chicago bungalows, an advocacy group is unveiling a package of design ideas for what it considers better-looking alternatives.
"We're showing that you can maximize the space without dropping a big square box on top of that detailed (single-story) bungalow and ruining the look" of the traditional facade, said Manuel Hernandez.
December 15, 2017
Gush over these Chicago bungalow renovations
Curbed Chicago
The little Chicago bungalow might be modest, but nearly 80,000 of these vintage homes exist in the city. Members of the Chicago Bungalow Association offered up some of their best renovations for the 13th Annual Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards.
October 6, 2017
Proud Of Your Bungalow? Nominate It For Annual Restoration/Renovation Award
DNA Info
Whether tackling small restoration projects or wholesale renovations, Chicago's bungalow owners share a common passion for preserving the city's historic homes. Every year, the Chicago Bungalow Association honors the best of those efforts with the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards, which are handed out in a number of categories.
October 5, 2017
Bungalow Association Seeks Nominations For Driehaus Awards
Patch Media
Bungalow owners in Beverly and throughout the city of Chicago can now enter their home for a chance to win $1,000 as part of the 13th annual Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards created by the Chicago Bungalow Association.
August 15, 2017
Berwyn bungalow lovers want to #Stopthepop
Chronicle Media
Architectural purists call them "pop tops." Developers call them "deluxe full second-story additions." A reminder of the recession and housing rehabbing frenzy, many vintage streetscapes of Chicago and pre-war suburbs have a house or two that has been remodeled with a complete tear-off of the second floor. Many have a "structurally overwhelming" design, say members of the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association.
Jul 31, 2017
Beverly Couple Among Bungalow Garden Contest Winners
Patch Media
A Beverly couple and Morgan Park woman were among the winners of the Chicago Bungalow Association's first ever garden contest. Voting for the contest, dubbed "Bungalow Garden Contest: You Be the Judge!," took place from July 25-28 and garnered nearly 5,000 votes.
July 26, 2017
Who Has The Best Bungalow Garden In Chicago? Here's How To Vote
DNA Info
The Chicago Bungalow Association is recruiting a few hundred thousand judges for its inaugural garden contest. The association has opened up online voting to the general public through noon Friday. Armchair critics will decide the winners in three categories: front gardens, side/rear gardens and window/planter boxes.
July 24, 2017
Best Chicago Bungalow Gardens Contest Begins Tuesday
Patch Media
The Chicago Bungalow Association will hold a contest to find the best bungalow gardens in the city. Voting for the contest will begin at noon on Tuesday, July 25 and continue through Wednesday, July 26 according to Angela Pauldine, director of communications for the Chicago Bungalow Association.
May 1, 2017
Best Bungalows in Beverly: Nominate Your Home
Patch Media
One of the features that makes Chicago more unique than any other major American metropolis is its historic homes. In the mid 20th century, bungalows were dominant on the South Side (the Bungalow Belt) and neighborhoods like Beverly remain full of them. So Beverly-Mt. Greenwood Patch has taken on the timeless task of collecting a list of the best bungalows in the neighborhood.
February 7, 2017
Two West Ridge Bungalows Take Home Architecture Awards
DNA Info
Two recently renovated West Ridge homes were recognized for their architectural excellence by the Chicago Bungalow Association. In the categories of Exterior Renovations and Sensible Additions, the two bungalows took the winning spots in the 12th Annual Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards.
February 2, 2017
Beverly Bungalow Award Winner Credits Thrifty Kitchen Rehab For Win
DNA Info
Maureen Gainer Reilly believes she won an award for the renovation of her Beverly bungalow not for how much she spent but for how little. Gainer Reilly spent just $2,500 to renovate the kitchen of her home near 99th Street and Damen Avenue. Still, she was honored last week by the Chicago Bungalow Association.
January 31, 2017
Local home awarded best interior bungalow rehab
Patch Media
Highlighting the very best in bungalow rehabilitation and restoration projects from the past year, while encouraging others to strive for greatness in their own projects, the Chicago Bungalow Association (CBA) presented the 12th annual Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Bungalow Awards.