Building at 2517 Central Street
Why it's listed
This two-flat at 2517 Central Street in Evanston, Illinois, was built in 1927 and is the easternmost of three similar buildings in a row on the north side of the street. Architect Arthur Jacobs designed all three for Bond, Ahrlen and Company, which acted as developer and general contractor. The building is faced in buff-colored brick with limestone trim, and its detailing is Gothic in inspiration. A projecting front bay groups three sets of leaded casement windows, one with a green stained glass shield, and brick buttresses separate the central windows from the splayed side bays. A green tile hipped roof covers the bay, topped by a gabled parapet with an escutcheon and limestone pinnacles. A doorway under a bronze canopy on the east side has two Tudor-arched doors. Each apartment has three bedrooms and two baths, and a two-car garage sits at the rear. The three buildings were listed because they were built as a group and represent the best two-flat construction in Evanston.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the building and the two two-flats just west of it were designed and built together as a group. Taken as a group, they are described as the best examples of two-flat construction in Evanston. They are variations on a theme and are compatible in scale, materials, design inspiration and quality of detailing.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84000980, listed March 15, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2517 Central St., Evanston |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | March 15, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000980 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Arthur Jacobs, Architect; Bond, Ahrien and Co., developers and General contractor. |
| Architectural style | Gothic-inspired detailing |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 42.06465, -87.70870 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84000980.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q134577789
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.