About this home

Designed by David Adler as the coach house for the historic Centaurs estate in 1928, the Tower House remains one of Lake Forest's most celebrated architectural icons set near the shores of Lake Michigan. The five-story Italianate-style residence overlooks nearly an acre of private, wooded grounds, culminating in the famous tower, which features expansive views of the lake and the surrounding estate. The property is currently owned by acclaimed designer Kara Mann, who has meticulously designed plans for a potential renovation to modernize this significant historic property. Privacy is a defining feature of this Lake Forest estate, as it's visible only through the wrought-iron gates and accessible via a courtyard. The interiors, including the kitchen and baths, have been renovated by previous owners while preserving the home's architectural integrity and detailing. Adler's love for symmetry, historic style, and craftsmanship is captured in coved ceilings, arched doorways, Art Deco-style tray ceilings, original brick and wood floors, and Palladian-inspired arched windows and French doors that mirror each other. Natural light pours through expansive windows, illuminating the main living and dining areas. Heights reach up to eleven feet, giving these spaces a sense of volume. The residence is thoughtfully arranged across five distinct levels, centering on a main floor that balances grand entertaining with privacy and separation. The chef's kitchen is equipped with European-style cabinetry, Wolf, Sub-Zero, Viking, and Miele appliances, and opens to a sun-drenched solarium-the only addition to the original Adler footprint. A library with custom built-ins leads to a main-level guest suite. On the second floor, the layout provides a dedicated retreat with two primary suites and a bright, renovated laundry room. The architectural narrative continues upward through the tower, housing a fourth en-suite bedroom on the third level and the historic Byzantine Room on the fourth. This space features uniquely preserved murals by Russian-born artist Nicolai Remisoff, one of the few remaining examples of his work (the other is at the Lake Forest Library Rotunda). A fifth secluded bedroom suite and sitting area occupy the final interior level. The vertical journey concludes on the rooftop terrace, where treetop views and panoramas of the lake and the distant Chicago skyline offer a perspective as singular as the architecture itself. The property is completed by a detached two-car garage, an expansive patio, a private courtyard, and a lawn area suitable for a future pool. The Tower House stands as one of Lake Forest's most significant David Adler projects, now with the rare advantage of a renovation vision for its next chapter as a luxury North Shore residence.

What it's like to live here

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Listed by

Annie Royster Lenzke

Coldwell Banker Realty

8472348000 annie.lenzke@cbexchange.com

Property details

Price: $2,495,000
Bedrooms: 5
Bathrooms: 6
Interior: 6,404 sqft
Price / sqft: $390
Year built: 1928
Lot size: 38,285 sqft
Type: Single Family
Est. property tax: $51,896/yr · $4,325/mo · 2.08% IL avg
Last sold: $1,800,000 · Mar 2022

Estimated monthly payment

Down payment20% ($499,000)

Interest rate6.75%

Principal & Interest$12,946

Property Tax$2,287

Insurance$150

Total$15,383/mo

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Price history

$350K · Apr 85$2.50M · May 26

May 9, 2026$2,495,000Initial list price
Mar 10, 2022$1,800,000Sold
Oct 6, 2021$1,950,000Price change
Jul 26, 2021$2,050,000Price change
Apr 13, 2021$2,195,000Price change
Feb 4, 2021$2,395,000Price change
Feb 4, 2021$2,395,000Initial list price
Sep 18, 2020$2,395,000Initial list price
Oct 26, 2015$2,495,000Price change
Aug 12, 2014$2,495,000Initial list price
Mar 21, 2012$2,295,000Price change
Mar 2, 2012$2,295,000Relisted
Sep 19, 2011$2,295,000Price change
May 9, 2011$2,295,000Price change
May 10, 2010$2,800,000Initial list price
Apr 1, 1985$350,000Sold

Location

This home is located in Lake Forest, IL, in the Chicago area. Browse more Lake Forest listings on the Lake Forest market page or explore the full Lake Forest market report.

About Lake Forest: Lake Forest is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States. The population was 19,367 at the 2020 census. The city is along the shore of Lake Michigan, and is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and the North Shore. Lake Forest was founded with Lake Forest College and was laid out as a town in 1857, a stop for travelers making their way south to Chicago. The Lake Forest City Hall, designed by Charles Sumner Frost, was completed in 1898. It originally housed the fire department, the Lake Forest Library, and city offices. (source: Wikipedia)

Climate: Average year-round temperature is 51°F with 210 dry days per year and 36.7 inches of annual rainfall.

Home Intelligence

Neighborhood (zip 60045)

This neighborhood is predominantly owner-occupied (87%). Median age is 45.2; 38% hold a bachelor's degree; median household income is $201,847.

Median income: $201,847
Median age: 45.2
Owner-occupied: 87.4%
Bachelor's degree: 37.9%
Census median home value: $880,200

Source: US Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

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