Chicago · Cook County · IL
Homes for sale in
Imperial Towers.
- Active listings
- 1
- Median list
- $219K
- Avg time on market
- 24 days
- Sold · last year
- 20
Active listings
1 home on the market
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About the community
Affordable lakefront condos in a mid-century twin-tower complex.
Imperial Towers is a mid-century modern residential condominium complex at 4250 N Marine Drive, in the Buena Park district of Chicago's Uptown neighborhood, one block from the Lake Michigan lakefront. It is a twin-tower property, two staggered towers of about 29 stories with roughly 860 units combined, completed in the early 1960s and designed by L.R. Solomon and J.D. Cordwell Associates, the firm that later became Solomon Cordwell Buenz. The building carries a distinctive Far Eastern design theme, with mosaic panels, a terrazzo lobby, and Japanese-style gardens, and it offers a full-service package at an affordable price point, with a 24-hour doorman, an Olympic-size outdoor pool on a landscaped sundeck, and an assessment that covers most utilities.
At a glance
One block from the lakefront
A short walk across Lake Shore Drive to Montrose Beach, Montrose Harbor, and the lakefront trail in Buena Park.
Mid-century twin towers
Two staggered towers of about 29 stories and roughly 860 units, completed in the early 1960s with a distinctive Far Eastern design theme and Japanese gardens.
Pool and full-service staff
An Olympic-size outdoor heated pool on a landscaped sundeck, a 24-hour doorman, a fitness center, and on-site management.
Most utilities in the assessment
Assessments commonly cover heat, water, insurance, door staff, the pool and fitness center, and often cable and internet, so monthly carrying costs are predictable.
Red Line and Lake Shore Drive
Walkable to the CTA Red Line at the Wilson and Sheridan stations, multiple bus routes, and a quick Lake Shore Drive run downtown.
Chicago Public Schools
Served by CPS, with Brennemann Elementary adjacent and Senn High School commonly cited. Confirm the attendance boundary by address.
What’s close
Imperial Towers sits at 4250 N Marine Drive in Buena Park, a quiet lakefront pocket of Uptown, one block from Lake Michigan and steps from CTA transit.
- Building amenities
- The Olympic-size outdoor pool and sundeck, the fitness center, the 24-hour doorman and on-site management, and the landscaped Japanese-style gardens.
- Lakefront
- One block across Lake Shore Drive to Montrose Beach, Montrose Harbor, the bird sanctuary, and the lakefront trail.
- Schools
- Chicago Public Schools, with Joseph Brennemann Elementary adjacent, Walt Disney Magnet School nearby (application based), and Senn High School commonly cited. Confirm the attendance boundary by address with CPS.
- Transit
- Walkable to the CTA Red Line at the Wilson and Sheridan stations, multiple bus routes on Marine Drive and Sheridan Road, and Lake Shore Drive for a fast run downtown.
- Culture and dining
- Walkable to Uptown venues including the Aragon Ballroom, the Riviera Theatre, and the Green Mill, plus Broadway and Sheridan Road retail and restaurants.
- Parking
- An attached garage with leased and valet parking, generally rented separately rather than deeded to every unit.
What it’s actually like to live here
Imperial Towers sells a very specific Chicago proposition: genuine lakefront living at an entry-level price. For the cost of a modest condo elsewhere, residents get a doorman building one block from Lake Michigan, an Olympic-size pool on a landscaped sundeck, and morning runs or evening walks along the Montrose lakefront, harbor, and beach. The full-service package, with 24-hour door staff, a fitness center, on-site management, and an all-in assessment that covers heat, water, and most utilities, makes monthly costs predictable and low-maintenance. The mid-century architecture and Japanese gardens give the property a distinctive identity, and the Buena Park location is quiet and green while still walkable to Uptown's music halls, transit, and nightlife.
The residences range from small convertibles and studios near 550 square feet up through one-bedrooms around 900 square feet and two- and three-bedroom homes above that, so there is a wide spread of layouts and price points. Recent MLS data shows a median sale price around $221,500, with only a handful of sales in a typical year, so this is a thin, value-driven market where a well-priced unit stands out. Some homes have been fully renovated while others still carry original kitchens and baths, so condition varies a lot unit to unit and rewards careful comparison.
The honest tradeoffs are the flip side of the value. This is an early-1960s building, so buyers should scrutinize the reserve study, any recent or upcoming special assessments, and the condition of major systems rather than assume the low sticker price is the whole story. Because the assessment is comprehensive, it is not trivial and it rises with unit size, so the monthly payment matters as much as the purchase price. And this is a large building with an active rental component, which means more turnover and leasing rules that both owner-occupants and investors should read carefully, plus parking that is leased rather than deeded. None of these are dealbreakers, but they are the realities that separate a good fit here from a frustrated buyer.
The questions buyers actually ask
Imperial Towers FAQ
The questions I get most from buyers shopping Imperial Towers. If yours isn't here, text 224-385-8779, same-day reply.
- How much is the HOA?
- Single-family homes are $650 per month.
- What does the HOA actually cover?
- Monthly assessments vary widely by unit size, reported from roughly $394 on the smallest units to over $1,000 on the largest, and are unusually comprehensive. They typically cover heat, water, common insurance, the 24-hour door staff, the pool and fitness center, exterior maintenance, landscaping, snow removal, and trash, with cable and internet included on many units. Cook County property taxes are billed separately per unit, and garage parking is generally leased separately rather than deeded to every unit. Confirm the exact assessment and what it covers for a specific unit.
- What are property taxes like?
- Roughly $2,500 – $4,000 per year, depending on home size and value. Cook County assessor records are the source of truth. Happy to pull a specific bill on any home you're considering.
- When was Imperial Towers built?
- Developed by Albert A. Robin; designed by L.R. Solomon and J.D. Cordwell Associates (later Solomon Cordwell Buenz) built the community between 1962 and 1963. Developed by Albert A. Robin; designed by L.R. Solomon and J.D. Cordwell Associates (later Solomon Cordwell Buenz) stopped new construction in 1963, so every sale today is a resale.
- What's the typical closing timeline?
- 45 to 90 days from accepted offer to keys. Cash deals can close in two weeks. Conventional financing is usually closer to 90.
- Is Imperial Towers one building or two?
- It is a twin-tower complex: two staggered towers of about 29 stories that share amenities, staff, and management under one association at 4250 N Marine Drive, with roughly 860 units combined.
- When was it built and who designed it?
- It was completed in the early 1960s, developed by Albert A. Robin and designed by L.R. Solomon and J.D. Cordwell Associates, the firm that later became Solomon Cordwell Buenz. It carries a distinctive Far Eastern design theme with Japanese-style gardens.
- What do the monthly assessments cover?
- Reported inclusions are heat, water, common insurance, the 24-hour door staff, the pool and fitness center, exterior maintenance, landscaping, snow removal, and trash, with cable and internet on many units. Confirm the exact inclusions and dollar amount on the specific unit, and note that Cook County property taxes are billed separately for a condo.
- What does it cost to buy here?
- These are affordable lakefront condos. Recent MLS data shows a median sale price around $221,500 and a median list around $229,900, with only about 1 active listing and roughly 25 sales in the last year. Smaller studios and convertibles sell lower, while larger two-bedroom units reach higher.
- Is there parking, and is it included?
- The building has an attached garage, but parking is generally leased or valet and rented separately rather than deeded to every unit. Confirm parking availability and cost for a specific unit before you buy.
- How is the location for transit and the lake?
- Strong for both. It sits one block from the Lake Michigan lakefront, beach, and harbor across Lake Shore Drive, and it is walkable to the CTA Red Line at the Wilson and Sheridan stations plus multiple bus routes, with a quick Lake Shore Drive commute downtown.
- Who is the real estate agent for Imperial Towers?
- Joe Keegan is the local licensed Illinois real estate broker who covers Imperial Towers in Chicago, IL through Subdiview, a neighborhood-first home search for the Chicago suburbs and collar counties. Joe prices and negotiates from the live MRED sold comps for Imperial Towers specifically, not national averages, and can help you buy or sell here. Reach Joe at 224-385-8779 or joe@joekeeganhomes.com.
Your local agent
Joe knows Imperial Towers
Most agents will list anything. I focus on the places I actually know, and the things that move value here don't show up in the MLS write-up: which streets and buildings hold demand, what the HOA or assessments really cover, how the comps read once you account for condition and location, and where buyers consistently want to be.
When you're ready to tour or list, you want someone who has read the last 50 closed comps in this specific market, not a national average, and can tell you what they actually mean for your price. That's how I work. Text or call any time, and I'll give you a real take, not a brochure.
- Licensed Illinois broker
- Comp-driven pricing
- Chicago specialist
- Honest local market take
- Brokerocity
Market snapshot
Imperial Towers, by the numbers
Live MRED data, refreshed daily. The numbers below tell you what this market is doing today, not what Zillow's algorithm thinks it might be doing six weeks from now.
Typical list price
$219,000
Typical sale price · last 90 days
$270,000
Homes for sale right now
1
Avg time on market
24 days
Sold in the last year
20
This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC for the period September 13, 2025 through September 13, 2026. Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC does not guarantee nor is it in any way responsible for its accuracy. Data maintained by Midwest Real Estate Data LLC may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.
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Schools serving Imperial Towers
Where Imperial Towers homes go to school
Homes in Imperial Towers are most often zoned to Senn HS. Open a school to see its area, the district, and every home for sale that feeds it.
School assignment is derived from the school the MRED listing agent entered and is not a guarantee. Always verify current attendance boundaries with the district before writing an offer.
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