Building at 923-925 Michigan Avenue
Why it's listed
Built in 1916, this L-shaped red brick apartment building on Michigan Avenue in Evanston rises three stories over an English basement. Architect Robert De Golyer gave it Federal Revival detailing, including bowed windows, a simple cornice, recessed blind arches, slender windows and a doorway with pilasters and a fanlight that echoes a Federal-style home. The design is described as an expanded version of the party-wall Federal buildings found on Boston's Beacon Hill. Inside are six apartments, three with five rooms and two baths and three with seven rooms and three baths. Each has a wood-burning fireplace and a maid's room, and the larger units have tiled solariums. Colonial motifs appear in paneled dining rooms, corner cabinets and fireplace trim. Baird and Warner featured the building in its 1928 book A Portfolio of Fine Homes, praising its location, construction, sun rooms, vacuum system and heated garages. De Golyer later lived in one of the apartments. No exterior alterations have been made.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a distinguished Evanston apartment house with a refined Federal Revival facade, luxurious amenities and homelike interiors. It was one of five Evanston apartment buildings featured in Baird and Warner's 1928 book, A Portfolio of Fine Homes. Its architect, Robert DeGolyer, also designed many Near North Side and Evanston apartments and the Ambassador East Hotel, and he lived in one of its apartments.
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 84000953, listed March 15, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 923-925 Michigan Ave., Evanston |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | March 15, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84000953 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Robert De Golyer |
| Architectural style | Federal Revival |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | No exterior alterations; common brick tuckpointed in 1975. Two garage buildings on the property, one for eight cars and one for three. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.03478, -87.67321 (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 84000953.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q96374089
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.