Just Say Bunga-No to Pop Tops
Six years ago the Chicago Bungalow Association started a campaign called “Stop the Pop” in response to the ugly second-story additions that have “popped up” on top of bungalows across Chicagoland. Like a metastatic cancer that has spread throughout the entire body, you can’t escape vinyl siding clashing with beautiful brick no matter what neighborhood or suburb you’re in. While some owners might yell “property rights” (meaning they can do whatever they want to their homes), the organization presents a good case on why pop tops are bad from the use of inferior, short-lived materials to depreciating the value of the home in the long run. Some are better than others, but what kills me about the pop top is it takes bungalow out of the equation. Homeowners don’t seem to value what makes these modest structures so special.
What makes the city look like “Chicago” is the visual of the streetscape, seeing block upon block of an iconic building type like the bungalow. Full second-story pop tops visually destroy that cohesiveness, while the immensity of the additions take away from the simple beauty and uniformity of these brick dwellings. The bungalow was designed for adaptability. But there needs to be thoughtfulness when making changes to this instantly recognizable Chicago residence. I wish there were more realistic solutions out there (besides begging people to just stop the pop) as the city can only do so much. I can only offer my photos of the worst offenders I’ve seen over the years. Hopefully seeing them all together will emphasize how bad this pop top epidemic is.
Let’s start with Berywn, aka the “City of Homes.” You can make the argument that this suburb is like an outdoor museum as it has over a thousand bungalows of all shapes and sizes, which unfortunately also means there are plenty of pop tops. You’re not seeing things…that is the house of seven clipped gables on the right. It’s a shame Berwyn has allowed this to happen.
Then there is Elmwood Park. I explored every single part of this inner-ring suburb as a teenager. To say all the homes look alike is an understatement. There are blocks and blocks of identical bungalows but many of these homes are being inflicted with pop top syndrome as you can see below. I do give credit to the one on the left for not just sticking a lego box on top like the other house. There is an interesting roofline but the addition still overwhelms and clashes with the original structure.
In the suburb of Park Ridge you’ll find some bungalows that look a thousand times better than what currently exists in parts of Chicago. Although I don’t recommend painting brick green or grey, at least the colors of the home and addition match. Then there is the mess of a house at 810 S. Washington Avenue. You have a stucco pop top. A turret and statue niches. A Palladian window. It’s like if a yellow-brick bungalow married a McMansion and had a baby. Love it or hate it, can we at least agree this is no longer a bungalow? This is something else entirely.
Speaking of parts of Chicago, the Northwest Side is one the biggest pop top offenders. This area is also guilty of complete and utter destruction of bungalows, like the one at 6932 W. Hobart Ave in Old Norwood Park. Originally built in 1923 (and listed in the Chicago Historic Resources Survey), the home was renovated five years ago. A whole two-story house was attached to the facade. Who allowed this carnage to happen? If someone wanted a bigger house, maybe they shouldn’t have bought a bungalow. This isn’t a pop top, I’d consider it to be a crime against architecture.
If you spend enough time scrolling through real estate listings, then you know pop tops aren’t as bad compared to what’s been happening to bungalows at the present moment. Flippers are fully gutting homes with HGTV renovations, removing interior craftsmanship like wood trim, built-ins, and stained glass windows, so they can make a huge profit in the name of today’s trends. While pop tops can be removed by a future home owner, a flip is a bit more permanent. All those beautiful details are lost forever. It makes me want to scream “Look how they massacred my boy!”
But let’s get back to the pop top. Why am I judging them? Well, my grandparents had a bungalow and so do several of my friends. They are solidly built and have great craftsmanship, which is why they still look awesome a century later. It breaks my heart to see people ruining instead of preserving them. But don’t get me wrong, there are some excellent examples out there of second story additions that don’t look carelessly tacked on. Windows and materials match. Neighbors and the surrounding streetscape is considered. Whether this is the result of better oversight and guidelines of the town or the thoughtfulness of its owner, who knows? One can only hope for the sake of our eyes and hearts there are better-looking pop tops in the future.
