For some folks, nothing can match the glory of college, when “the big game” was all that mattered and the shenanigans of dorm life were deemed high comedy. In some ways, architect James Gamble Rogers never left campus. The Yale grad designed multiple buildings for his alma mater, as well as for Northwestern University, including the Deering Library and the recently demolished Ryan Field. While institutions were his primary clients, his portfolio included a number of fine houses, such as the former Playboy mansion on North State Parkway and the substantial home at 5235 South University Avenue in Hyde Park, fittingly styled as Collegiate Gothic and now on the market for $3.1 million.

Built in 1904 for Hunter Woodis Finch, who owned a coal company, the property was later the home of University of Chicago quantum chemist Clemens C.J. Roothaan, who died in 2019 at 100. A concentration camp survivor, Roothaan was renowned in his field for developing a model for computing the structures of atoms and molecules.

After all these years, the house retains its charm and impressive detailing. There are multiple handsomely tiled fireplaces, including one in the primary bathroom, and a wonderfully old-school butler’s pantry, with a sink and built-in cupboards. Every room is amply scaled, from the massive wood-paneled reception hall to each of the seven bedrooms. The dining room, outfitted with three chandeliers, is just under 500 square feet, and the bookcase-lined living room tops 500. In addition to an extensive brick patio in the back, the residence features a first-floor sunroom and terrace. The separate garage houses a two-bedroom apartment on its second floor. It all adds up. Roomy inside and out, this onetime professor’s pad seems a sure-fire formula for fine living.