The famous home that appeared in the 1986 teen Movie, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” is getting a massive remodel, according to Neighborhoods.com. Classic movie buffs don’t fret – the infamous Glass House will not be completely changed. However, it will be outfitted with a whole new underground space, and the windows will be replaced with thermal glass. The steel beams once painted over in charcoal paint, will be restored back to their original brick-red color.
House not currently in living condition
The house is located in Chicago suburb, Highland Park, and the rest of the movie was filmed in the actual city of Chicago.
Although the house was in pristine condition when the movie was filmed, it is now almost unrecognizable and uninhabitable. It is rusty, dusty and unkempt. To make it habitable, the home must be renovated, as it faces the risk of further rust and decay.
The house was originally owned by Ben Rose, who passed away in 2009. In May of 2014, it sold for $1.06 million, less than half of its original listing price, according to Crain’s Chicago Business. There is a main house connected to the structure, and it was designed in 1953 by a student of Mies van der Rohe, James Speyer.
The firm Baranski, Hammer, Moretta & Sheehy Architects & Planners will be conducting the renovations. According to DNA info, most of the work will be done inside and underneath the structure of the home before the new owners move in.
Baranski’s team is in the process of digging out a 15-foot trench under the house to build a garage, a kids play area, and a laundry room. They will also add a full hot water radiator system in the flooring.
Movie relic nearly lost forever
"This house was very close to being torn down,” Jim Baranski, principal at Baranski, told DNAinfo.
“That's sort of an issue on the North Shore and in the Northwest suburbs in general: People are looking at historic houses and saying, 'OK it's not worth it, we'll tear it down and build some new thing,'" Baranski said. "We're trying to make a point that says, 'Look, these houses can be saved.'"
Ready to test your 80s movie knowledge?
For anyone who is a fan of 80s teen movies, you may recall the film starred suburban high school senior Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick), who played hooky from school to drive to Chicago with his girlfriend and best friend, Cameron (Alan Ruck).
Throughout the film, Ferris comes up with clever ways to dodge his unsuspecting parents, a strict principal, and a jealous sister. He convinces Cameron to “borrow” his father’s prized mint Ferrari to go on an adventure to the city.
Famous crash scene
The home was the set of the famous garage scene where the Ferrari was stored and eventually met its untimely demise. After their spree, and in anticipation of Cameron’s dad returning home from work, the friends bring the car back to the garage. In case your memory is a bit rusty, they set the car up on a jack and run it in reverse in a futile attempt to erase the mileage.
When Cameron realizes it is not working, he panics. Fed up with his father, who “loves the car more than him,” Cameron decides he’s going to take a stand and run his own life.
In a fit of anger, he kicks the car again and again. When the car is barely hanging on the lift, Cameron stops mid-kick right before he is about to deliver the final blow.
Just as he utters, “I can’t wait to see the look on the bastard’s face,” he rests his foot on the car and watches in horror as the 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder convertible careens off through the glass into the ravine.
