Every morning, as I will myself toward the Blue Line's Western stop and the Loop, I encounter this building: Contrary to what vehement critics of this blog might expect, I like this brand-new building at 1954 N. Wilmot Ave., which stands in self-conscious defiance of its mass-produced western neighbor: McDonalds. There are countless new condo buildings peppering Bucktown, but none whose unique design directly challenges the greasy predictability of America's fast food king. And few buildings challenge the plain predictability of the neighborhood's rowhouses: This is what I love encountering while walking through Chicago's gentrifying neighborhoods. The past and present, just five feet from each other, take three-dimensional form. I'm betting the building's "four contemporary homes with a modern edge," starting at $629k, don't sell too quickly, though.

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