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Welcome to what was originally the headquarters of Visualcraft – a business founded by former alderman and eventual Blue Island mayor Richard Withers and his brother Robert in the late 1950s. Built between 1960 and 1961, part of this building was used as the showroom and offices for the company, with another section rented as office space; Notably, State Representative and eventual long-time Circuit Court Judge Romie Palmer used this space as his office for much of the 1970s.

This home represents one of the few Modernist designs you’ll find in the neighborhood; 1939’s Dr. Aaron Heimbach House by Bertrand Goldberg on Greenwood Avenue represents another. Constructed more than 20 years later, you’ll find many similarities between the two designs, though this structure was almost certainly not designed by Goldberg and is believed to have been executed by local modernist architects McPherson, Swing & Associates. As researcher Marcy Dinius has pointed out – and who much of the research for this script can be attributed to – many similarities can be found between this design and the firm’s other work in the South Suburbs.

Although this home appears to be very simple in design, a closer look reveals the details, care, and craftsmanship typical of highly skilled architects. Just a few examples in this design include:

• Randomly recessed pieces of the common brick used for the construction of the home’s walls add a subtle softness to the otherwise hard exterior.
• Brick walls extending from the house and the façade’s distance from the sidewalk creates a courtyard and adds a bit of privacy – even despite the wall of glass that extends across its façade.
• The brick pavers used for the walkways in front of the house extend inside the home, further connecting the inside to the outside, a hallmark of the Modernist architectural style.
• Wood-clad ceilings with large, exposed wood beams that can be found throughout its interior.

This structure has seen many uses, owners, and tenants over the years, including more recent use as a recording studio and Air BNB location. It’s currently owned by Hudson and Colleen, who you’ll meet inside, and they’ve done a wonderful job of turning it into a comfortable, welcoming home in the short time they’ve owned it.

After you enter, you’ll take a moment to enjoy the open living space, then turn to your left to enter what was once a separate unit. After that, please make your way back into the main living space, and continue through the rest of the home, eventually exiting through the back.

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