Berwyn Pushing Their Bungalows

This story goes back to late July, but is of interest. The July 22nd Chicago Tribune Real Estate section had a column by Mary Umberger about Berwyn's $131,000 campaign to attract new people to the city. A big part of this effort centers around that most Chicago of home, the bungalow.

"If the bungalow belt had a buckle, it would be Berwyn." Block after block in Berwyn consists of this type of home. Berwyn claims to have the largest concentration of bungalows anywhere. Fourteen billboards were rented in Chicago "to extoll the virtues of the suburb, population 65,000." A cable campaign was also taken out on the Home & Garden Network.

It is estimated that there are 20,000 households in the city and a large majority are bungalows. Plus, Berwyn is just 8 miles from downtown Chicago.

"Bungalow-style housing proliferated in the Chicago area roughly between 1910 and 1940. They evolved as working-class housing and are typically brick, with 1 or 1 and a half stories. In some neighborhoods, they have become so coveted that they lost their 'working-class' connection."

Median price of homes in Berwyn was $245,000 between December and February.

Of course, Berwyn is proud of its Route 66 heritage and has banners the whole length of the road through town. However, sadly, Walgreens is forcing the removal of the "Spindle" which may already be down as I haven't heard anything about it. Let's hope that another site can be found for it. It is quite the tourist attraction although there are those who think it is ugly.

But, sadly, the only thing I can think of when I hear the name Berwyn is when TV's Svenghouli, host of cheesy horror movies and even cheesier talk,  says "Berwyn" and from off-camera comes the response "BERWYN!!!!"

Berwyn Bungalows Are Best. --RoadDog