Engineer and developer Cameel Halim has been active in the real estate industry in the Chicago area since he immigrated to the US from Egypt. One of Cameel Halim’s famous purchases was the very nearly demolished historical Skiff House. Skiff House was designed by the architect Daniel Burnham (or possibly by his firm while he was ill). Burnham became famous for his work in the Chicago area around the turn of the century. The house was built for Frederick Skiff, the first director of the Field House Museum, which was also designed by Burnham. The old house stands on Kenilworth Avenue in a suburb of Chicago mostly populated by wealthy citizens. Skiff House had been bought for $1,875,000 by Antoinette Vigilante, a local developer who sold it at a loss for $2,350,000, taking into account the cost of taxes and maintaining the old building. While organizations like the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois work to protect historical areas in and around Chicago, the Village of Kenilworth did not have any ordinances in place to prevent tear-downs for development. While this may benefit property owners, without protective ordinances in place, the historical character of these Chicagoland neighborhoods is threatened. The community celebrated the last-minute salvation of Skiff House, and the Village of Kenilworth raised around $50,000 to help ease some of Vigilante’s financial loss on the sale.
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AuthorA successful real Chicago estate investor, Cameel Halim supports his community through a variety of charitable efforts. Archives
February 2018
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