Late Richard Driehaus’ Gold Coast mansion sold for $5.6M

A Gold Coast mansion offered by the estate of the late billionaire financial guru Richard Driehaus, and seen in the movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” has found a taker.

A buyer whose identity is unknown paid $5.65 million for the five-bedroom, 8,650-square-foot home at 1401 North Dearborn Street — down from the $6 million asking price when it was listed in November, Crain’s reported. Joanne Nemerovski of Compass represented the buyer, while Tim Salm and Matt Leutheuser of Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty served as the listing agents.

The sale marked the fourth-priciest in the Chicago metro so far this year, and the second-priciest within the city limits, behind only the $11.2 million sale of Ken Griffin’s Park Tower condo in January, which also took a price cut to sell.

Chops from listing prices have been commonly required for sales of high-end Gold Coast homes in recent years, as several sat on the market after initially making ambitious asks.

The mansion was built in 1877 and owned by Driehaus since the 1980s. It boasts a pair of gold cherubs flanking the living room fireplace, several grand chandeliers and a stained-glass skylight above the staircase.

The estate features several art deco-inspired elements, such as the burlwood and marble fireplace mantel and a second staircase with a “jazzy” railing. The top floor has a conservatory that leads to a rooftop deck, the outlet reported.

Three of Driehaus’ mansions have now been sold since the famed businessman passed away in 2021. In January 2022, his 40-acre Lake Geneva residence was purchased for $36 million, setting a record in the area by a large margin. Another Gold Coast estate that Driehaus bought for his wife sold for $4.55 million in October.

Driehaus’ 1401 North Dearborn property served as the exterior of French restaurant Chez Quis in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” where Ferris poses as Abe Froman — the Sausage King of Chicago.

— Quinn Donoghue