Grand Boulevard’s historic Swift Mansion dips below $1M

The newly reduced 1893 greystone has some great details but will still need some work

By Jay Koziarz Jan 31, 2018, 4:26pm CST

After hitting the market roughly one year ago for $1.3 million, the South Side’s historic Swift Mansion at the corner of 45th Street and Michigan Avenue returned this week with a new, lower price. The massive 10,000-square-foot Grand Boulevard home and its 2,400-square-foot coach house can now be had for just shy of $1 million.

Constructed in 1893 by meatpacking magnate and refrigerated railcar inventor Gustavus Swift as a wedding gift to his daughter, the limestone-clad greystone features some original architectural details such as its grand staircase, ballroom, and other bits of hand-carved oak woodwork.

Other parts of the home, however, have been stripped of their historic charm over the years. After its time as a family residence, the structure served as a funeral home and was most recently occupied by two different non-profit organizations—the Inner City Youth and Adult Foundation and Urban League.

The latest listing photos show a fair amount of clutter and a commercial grade kitchen set against the mansion’s stately bones. With the right buyer (and price), the property could make an attractive multifamily conversion—similar to the Shaw Mansion conversion in nearby Bronzeville.