Landmark rowhouses
1880s–1910s greystone, brownstone and Roman-brick rowhouses on Astor Street, Dearborn Parkway and State Parkway. Carved stone detail, deep cornices and party walls, most of it inside a designated landmark district.
Service area · 60610
Masonry contractor in the Gold Coast, Chicago.
The Gold Coast (ZIP 60610) is two kinds of building on the same blocks: landmark greystone and brownstone rowhouses on Astor Street and the side streets, and tall pre-war and post-war co-op and condo towers along Lake Shore Drive and North State Parkway. Both take the full lake exposure, and both are dominated by height — which means Facade Ordinance scope, rope access and swing-stage work rather than ground-set scaffold.
Services in the Gold Coast
What we run on Gold Coast walls.
Weighted toward high-rise facade work, landmark rowhouse restoration and lake-exposure waterproofing.
01
Masonry Rebuilds
Complete rebuilds and restoration for commercial and residential properties.
02Brickwork
Expert brick installation and repair with attention to detail.
03Caulking
Professional caulking services to protect your building from water infiltration.
04Tuckpointing
Precise tuckpointing that strengthens and enhances the look of your brick.
05Waterproofing
Protect your building with our reliable waterproofing solutions.
Building stock
Astor Street rowhouses and lakefront towers.
Two patterns, and the access method changes everything about the scope.
Pre-war apartment towers
1920s–1930s masonry-clad towers on Lake Shore Drive and the side streets. Terra cotta and stone detail at the base and crown, common brick between, and parapets taking direct lake weather.
Post-war co-op and condo
Mid-century and later towers along the lakefront. The scope is sealant joints, window-perimeter flashing and selective brick replacement — usually reached by rope access or swing stage.
Typical work we run on these walls
Local context
Astor Street, Lake Shore Drive and the Oak Street blocks.
The Gold Coast runs from Division Street north to North Avenue and from Clark Street east to the lake. The Astor Street District is a designated Chicago Landmark district and is also on the National Register; the lakefront edge is dominated by tall residential buildings. Between them the side streets carry rowhouses and small apartment buildings, most of them stone-fronted.
Streets we read often
What the city asks for in the Gold Coast.
Landmark review on the side streets, Facade Ordinance on the lakefront.
Gold Coast permitting splits by building type. On the rowhouse blocks the driver is Commission on Chicago Landmarks review inside the Astor Street District. On the tall buildings it is the Chicago Facade Ordinance and the access plan — most of this work happens off a rope or a swing stage over an occupied sidewalk.
- Astor Street District review — work on a designated facade is submitted to the Commission with matched mortar and stone before the crew mobilises.
- Facade Ordinance — buildings above 80 feet sit in the critical-examination cycle; we run the repair scope that follows the engineer's report, permit and letter included.
- Access and public-way permits — rope access and swing-stage work over a sidewalk requires a street-use permit, pedestrian protection and a documented rigging plan.
- Association coordination — co-op and condo boards typically require scheduling, unit notification and an engineer of record on the repair scope.
Landmark status is confirmed by parcel before the visit — the district boundary does not include every Gold Coast block.
What clients say.
Real reviews from our Google and Yelp profiles — read them all, or leave your own.
★★★★★
They did a great job! They were thorough with every part of the process. Would definitely recommend!
★★★★★
Restoration on my building. Chicago common brick moisture damage and tuck pointing of the side wall.
★★★★★
I've had a great experience with Andriy. He was very quick to come by and check out my issues. We walked around the house — 130 years old — and he consulted me on all the issues he saw and things to…
★★★★★
The owner came out a couple of times to provide quotes for my project as things were constantly shifting and scope was changing. He was always quick to answer his phone or get back to me, and didn't…
★★★★★
Appreciate Andy and Matt's assistance with evaluating what work needed to be done on the exterior of a home we are purchasing. They were extremely helpful and provided a clear explanation of what nee…
Other areas we cover.
Bucktown
60647Industrial-loft conversions, worker cottages along the 606 / Bloomingdale Trail, six-corners storefronts. Different angle from Logan Square next door.
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Glenview
60025North suburban institutional and church masonry — pillar rebuilds, flashing correction and decorative caps.
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Hyde Park
60615Historic greystones and limestone-fronted apartment buildings — facade restoration and structural limestone work.
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Lakeview
60657Three-flats and six-flats, Wrigleyville two-flats, East Lakeview mid-rise condo facades along Sheridan. Facade Ordinance follow-up commercial scope.
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Lincoln Park
60614 · primary1880–1920 Italianate greystones, brick rowhouses, three-flats and workmen's cottages. Greystone tuckpointing and limestone-band restoration the signature scope.
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Lincoln Square
60625German-era six-flats and the Chicago Bungalow Belt — 1900–1930 common brick with limestone trim and tile-gable porches.
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Logan Square
60647Chicago Boulevards System landmark blocks, common-brick worker cottages, Milwaukee Avenue commercial. Boulevard houses the highlight scope.
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Old Town
60610Old Town Triangle landmark district (designated 1977). Pre-Fire and Victorian brick, preservation-grade by default, Commission review the rule.
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Prospect Heights
60070Suburban condominium and multi-family masonry — flashing repair and decorative stone refacing.
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South Loop
60605Printers Row lofts, converted warehouses and rowhouses — foundation water management and limestone entries the recurring scope.
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Wicker Park
60622Pierce Avenue Beer-Baron mansions, Painted-Lady Victorians on Crystal Street, Flat Iron Building six-corners commercial.
View detailsGold Coast masonry questions.
What's the typical Gold Coast building stock?
Two things on the same blocks. Landmark greystone, brownstone and Roman-brick rowhouses from the 1880s to the 1910s on Astor Street and the surrounding side streets, and tall residential buildings along Lake Shore Drive and North State Parkway — pre-war masonry-clad towers with terra cotta detail, and post-war co-op and condo buildings where the scope is sealant and flashing.
Do you do high-rise work by rope access?
Yes. On a Gold Coast high-rise we replaced deteriorated top-floor brick and repaired a window water leak at the source, working by rope access rather than erecting scaffold up the elevation. For a localised repair high on a tall building that is usually faster, cheaper and far less disruptive to residents than a full scaffold.
A window is leaking on an upper floor — where does that start?
Almost never at the window. On tall Gold Coast buildings the water usually enters through failed mortar joints, a cracked or displaced brick, a failed sealant joint or missing through-wall flashing above the opening, then travels down inside the wall and shows up at the nearest interior opening. We find the entry point first; replacing the window without that is a repeat visit.
Is my building in the Astor Street landmark district?
It depends on the parcel. The Astor Street District covers the core rowhouse blocks but not the whole neighborhood. We confirm status before the visit because inside the district the mortar specification, the joint profile and the permit path all change, and the work runs at preservation pace.
Do you work with condo and co-op boards?
Regularly. Most of our tall-building Gold Coast work follows a Facade Ordinance critical examination, so there is already an engineer of record and a report. We scope from that report, coordinate access and unit notification with the association, and document the completed work for the building's file.
How much does masonry cost in the Gold Coast?
Landmark rowhouse repointing runs $20–$50 per sq ft because of the hand-tooled joints and matched materials. High-rise facade work runs $20–$45 per sq ft, plus access — rope access or swing stage is priced separately from the masonry. Lintel replacement on a tall building runs $4,000–$15,000 depending on span and access.
Gold Coast · free estimate
Walk us through your Gold Coast facade.
Astor Street rowhouse or a lakefront tower elevation — one on-site visit, one written scope, one crew on the wall.