Oak Ridge Apartments
Why it's listed
Oak Ridge Apartments is a three-story red brick courtyard building at 1615-25 Ridge Avenue in Evanston, completed in 1914 to designs by Andrew Sandegren. A deep, sunken court about 58 feet wide sits well back from the street, with a broad central planter, polygonal bays and eight original globe light standards. Limestone trim, steep gables, a crenellated parapet and Tudor revival entrances give the building an English Manor character. Inside are 34 large apartments reached from five lobbies with mahogany walls and mosaic floors; many have fireplaces, French doors, maids' rooms and butlers' pantries. A 1914-era directory of better-class apartments described it as a high-grade, artistic building, and Architectural Record published it in 1922. Sandegren, known for upscale apartments on Chicago's near north side, chose to live here himself. A 1977 rehabilitation cleaned the masonry, replaced the roof and hot water system, and restored the courtyard landscaping and lighting.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of Evanston's loveliest courtyard buildings, with English Manor and Tudor revival features. It was praised in a historic directory of better-class apartments and published in Architectural Record in January 1922. Its architect, Andrew Sandegren, was known for upper-class apartments on Chicago's near north side and chose to live in this building.
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 84001025, listed March 15, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1615-1625 Ridge Ave., Evanston |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | March 15, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001025 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Andrew Sandegren |
| Architectural style | English Manor with Tudor revival forms |
| Areas of significance | Community Planning and Development, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Chemically cleaned and given a new roof and hot water system in 1977; courtyard planting, sidewalk and light fixtures were restored. It contains 34 apartments. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Within district | Evanston Ridge Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.04748, -87.68857 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 84001025.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q96397056
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.