May 18 Expo at Harold Washington College to Feature Financing and Product Information for Homeowners Interested in Historic Restoration
CHICAGO (April 10, 2002) – In a continuing effort to revitalize Chicago neighborhoods by helping people find ways to affordably restore their classic bungalows, the City of Chicago and the Historic Chicago Bungalow Association (HCBA) are sponsoring two events that in May will bring homeowners the financial and technical resources needed to get the job done.
On Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., the first-ever Historic Chicago Bungalow Expo will be held at Harold Washington College, 30 E. Lake St., Chicago. Here, home owners and buyers can meet with the vendors, financial institutions and city departments that are partners in the Historic Chicago Bungalow Initiative.
"People interested in buying or restoring a bungalow should attend our free Expo to learn about special Bungalow Mortgages and Rehabilitation loans that make owning and renovating an Historic Bungalow affordable," said HCBA executive director Charles Shanabruch. "Suppliers of materials, craftsmen, loan counselors, and experts from city agencies will be on hand at booths and in workshops to provide tips on everything from getting a building permit to restoring stained glass windows."
Also on May 18 -- as part of the City's Great Places and Spaces Weekend -- will be a preview showing of the "Green Bungalow Model Block". The City and the HCBA have teamed up with Neighborhood Housing Services and the Greater Southwest Community Development Corporation to buy four bungalows on the 6400 block of south Fairfield Ave. and restore them to meet the needs of modern families.
"Our thoughtful restoration process employs environmentally- friendly building methods to make the homes energy efficient. And more than 20 other homes on the block are receiving city grants to make their own exterior repairs. To cap it off, the entire block will be landscaped for a unified look. When work on the block is complete in June, we'll host a "Parade of Bungalow Homes" to help market the models and to inspire bungalow owners in other neighborhoods to consider restoration."
The Historic Chicago Bungalow Expo and the Green Bungalow Model Block are outgrowths of Mayor Daley's bungalow initiative that was first unveiled in the fall of 2000," Shanabruch explained. "With more than 10,000 people inquiring about buying or restoring bungalows, we felt it essential that we make it easier for people to find resources. We also wanted to demonstrate what owners can actually do to make their bungalows their housing of choice for the next century. The expo and model block accomplish this."
Jack Markowski, commissioner of the city's Department of Housing, said he anticipates the Expo will draw a great number of Chicagoans, as well as suburbanites and tourists interested in renovating older homes. "There are 80,000 Historic Bungalows in Chicago, representing a full one third of the city's single-family housing stock," he said. "Since the Initiative was announced, more than 2,000 people have had their bungalows certified and hundreds of owners have taken advantage of the many financial incentives and vendor discounts being offered by the HCBA and the City. We'll help even more bungalow owners become certified May 18 when representatives of city agencies will be on hand to assist people with the paperwork."
Vendor Exhibitors
Exhibitors at the Expo run the gamut from craftsmen specializing in products
for historic restoration to major retailers of home improvement products.
Already signed on are: Abt Appliances, Continental Window and Glass, Highland
Home Improvements, Home Depot, Lee Lumber & Building Materials, Midwest
Stained Glass, Pella Windows, Republic Windows & Doors, Renaissance Roofing,
Rexx Rugs, Sears, Seigel's Home and Building Centers , Signature Stained
Glass, Stained Glass Ltd., Total Home Maintenance, and Unique Indoor Comfort,
Inc. . Among the Expo's featured presenters is Bob Yapp, a historic preservation
expert and the host of the national television series and author of About
Your House.