Rosenwald Court Apartments
Chicago
Rosenwald Courts, located at 4600 S. Michigan Ave. in the Grand Boulevard neighborhood on the South Side is the recipient of Landmarks Illinois’ 2017 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for Rehabilitation. Developed in 1929 by Sears, Robuck, and Co. President and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, the massive, 454-unit complex provided housing for middle class African Americans in the early 20th century and was home to singer Nat King Cole, playwright Lorraine Hansberry, musician Quincy Jones, boxing legend Joe Louis, and Olympian Jesse Owens. Ownership was transferred to the Chicago Housing Authority in 1973, and the building closed in 2000. The end rehabilitation includes a mix of senior housing and affordable residential housing and office and retail space, encompassing over half a million square feet in all. The project serves as a model to developers, proving that no project is too big, and is an inspiring example of how historic preservation can come to serve the diverse needs of communities.
The team responsible for this project includes: Lightingale Group, Iceberg Development, Roos Enterprises, Goel Investments LLC, RCAP, Hooker DeJong Architects, John Joyce Associates, The George Sollitt Construction Company, and MacRostie Historic Advisors.