Building at 417-419 Lee Street
Why it's listed
Built in 1902 on the north side of Lee Street in Evanston, this two-story red brick four-flat was designed by Edgar O. Blake. Two-story pilasters divide the symmetrical facade into five bays, with the end bays serving as screened porches. A limestone band and a broad wooden entablature under the brick parapet stress its horizontal lines. The most noticeable classical feature is the Georgian doorway, set behind a shallow portico with double columns and topped by an elliptical fanlight, with a palladian window above lighting the entrance hall. Each apartment has three bedrooms, one bath, a fireplace framed by bookshelves and a porch, and transoms over the doors allow cross ventilation. The building matters as an early Evanston apartment house that offered homelike features later found in other buildings, including a screened summer porch for every unit. Blake designed homes for developers in Evanston as early as the 1870s and wrote a chapter on the city's architecture for a 1906 history.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a very early Evanston apartment building that already had homelike features such as gracious entry halls, abundant light and cross ventilation. It is unusual for giving every apartment a screened summer porch, a forerunner of the later sun porch. Its horizontal scale and delicate classical detailing suit the residential neighborhood, and its designer was an early Evanston architect.
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 84000942, listed March 15, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 417-419 Lee St., Evanston |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | March 15, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000942 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Edgar O. Blake |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 42.03602, -87.67757 (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 84000942.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q96374086
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.