A three-story plus basement multi-unit residence at 1247 North California Avenue in Humboldt Park will be saved and renovated by its new owner. According to real estate records, NXT Realty of North Center purchased the property in June 2025 for $1.13 million. The building, erected in the 1900s, had been recently boarded up, but the city issued permission to do preparatory interior demolition in October in anticipation of the rehab. Then, on April 23 of this year, the full renovation permit came through showing a reported cost of $246,000.
Site context of 1247 North California Avenue, via Google Maps
Photo by Daniel Schell
NXT Realty will do the general contracting work themselves, with Hector Castillo named as the architect of record. The rehab will legalize a pair of basement-level dwelling units in the six-unit building, raising the total number of permitted units to eight. New MEP systems will be added throughout the interior. Outside, masonry repairs will be made on the front and west facades, and the city has mandated the balcony above the front stoop to be removed. Upon completion of work, it is presumed these will be rental apartments.
The city ordered the removal of this balcony over the front stoop. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
A concrete slab on the alley at the rear of the property provides parking spaces for the residential units. No allowance is included in the permit to add a garage or to increase the number of spaces.
Slab parking at the rear. Image via Google Street View
Although 1247 North California Avenue is in the West Town Community Area, it is located directly across the street from the Chicago Park District’s Humboldt Park and its wide range of activities and recreational areas. Transportation access is available on this block of California via the Route 94 bus, which stops northbound and southbound at West Potomac Avenue. One block south, #70 buses stop at West Division Street. Rail travel is less convenient on foot, but both bus routes can be used to connect with Blue Line trains to the north or east.
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nice!
Incredible, now but an ADU in the back