The Cabrini Green neighborhood in Chicago’s Near North side has had a rough history. Back in the mid-19th century, Swedish and Irish immigrants constructed shanties in the area. The nearby gas refinery gave the neighborhood the nickname “Little Hell.”
The neighborhood's current name comes from the Federal Housing Agency's now demolished projects in the area. Though the neighborhood’s demographic makeup shifted drastically throughout the years, violence and poverty was a staple to the area.
According to the Chicago Architecture blog, the neighborhood’s Romanesque, red-brick Saint Dominic’s Church “was instrumental in taming a part of the city that grew up from the swamps as a lawless district of vice and poverty.”
Screenshot via Google Maps, taken in September 2013
But the church, originally built in 1905, has been closed for two decades. Curbed Chicago reports that a new condo project will take its place.
Renderings that have circulated online for the project show a six-story, 45-unit building designed by Sullivan Goulette & Wilson. The apartment building will feature a south-facing, second-floor terrace and enclosed parking for bikes and cars.
According to Curbed, the condo’s construction is fueled by a real estate upswing in the area that comes with an influx of tech jobs.
The Chicago Architecture Blog has more information on the building's specifics and floor plans.
Related Stories
Sponsored | Multifamily Housing | Jul 20, 2023
Fire-Rated Systems in Light-Frame Wood Construction
Find guidance on designing and building some of the most cost-effective, code-compliant fire-rated construction systems.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 13, 2023
Walkable neighborhoods encourage stronger sense of community
Adults who live in walkable neighborhoods are more likely to interact with their neighbors and have a stronger sense of community than people who live in car-dependent communities, according to a report by the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at University of California San Diego.
Affordable Housing | Jul 12, 2023
Navigating homelessness with modular building solutions
San Francisco-based architect Chuck Bloszies, FAIA, SE, LEED AP, discusses his firm's designs for Navigation Centers, temporary housing for the homeless in northern California.
Sponsored | Fire and Life Safety | Jul 12, 2023
Fire safety considerations for cantilevered buildings [AIA course]
Bold cantilevered designs are prevalent today, as developers and architects strive to maximize space, views, and natural light in buildings. Cantilevered structures, however, present a host of challenges for building teams, according to José R. Rivera, PE, Associate Principal and Director of Plumbing and Fire Protection with Lilker.
Mass Timber | Jul 11, 2023
5 solutions to acoustic issues in mass timber buildings
For all its advantages, mass timber also has a less-heralded quality: its acoustic challenges. Exposed wood ceilings and floors have led to issues with excessive noise. Mass timber experts offer practical solutions to the top five acoustic issues in mass timber buildings.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 11, 2023
Converting downtown office into multifamily residential: Let’s stop and think about this
Is the office-to-residential conversion really what’s best for our downtowns from a cultural, urban, economic perspective? Or is this silver bullet really a poison pill?
Adaptive Reuse | Jul 10, 2023
California updates building code for adaptive reuse of office, retail structures for housing
The California Building Standards Commission recently voted to make it easier to convert commercial properties to residential use. The commission adopted provisions of the International Existing Building Code (IEBC) that allow developers more flexibility for adaptive reuse of retail and office structures.
Mixed-Use | Jun 29, 2023
Massive work-live-play development opens in LA's new Cumulus District
VOX at Cumulus, a 14-acre work-live-play development in Los Angeles, offers 910 housing units and 100,000 sf of retail space anchored by a Whole Foods outlet. VOX, one of the largest mixed-use communities to open in the Los Angeles area, features apartments and townhomes with more than one dozen floorplans.
Multifamily Housing | Jun 29, 2023
5 ways to rethink the future of multifamily development and design
The Gensler Research Institute’s investigation into the residential experience indicates a need for fresh perspectives on residential design and development, challenging norms, and raising the bar.
