Construction for the National Public Housing Museum at 1322 W Taylor Street continues to progress in Little Italy. This project is a collaborative effort between Related Midwest and the Chicago Housing Authority, and is part of the larger Roosevelt Square masterplan that also includes three new mixed-use buildings.
National Public Housing Museum. Photo by Jack Crawford
National Public Housing Museum. Photo by Jack Crawford
Rendering of National Public Housing Museum by HED Architects and LBBA
The museum is being set up in the last remaining building of the Jane Addams Homes, with the other buildings having been demolished from 2002 to 2007. The architectural work for the museum is being carried out by HED Architects and LBBA. The museum will feature a sculpture garden with Edgar Miller’s artworks, three apartment displays from different eras of public housing, and an Entrepreneurship Hub for local businesses and startups.
National Public Housing Museum. Photo by Jack Crawford
National Public Housing Museum. Photo by Jack Crawford
National Public Housing Museum. Photo by Jack Crawford
Rendering of National Public Housing Museum entrance by Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous
The museum will display the history of public housing through various mediums including art, personal narratives, photographs, and a collection of items from public housing residents. A music room has also been planned as part of the programming. Alongside the museum, the project will see the construction of 15 mixed-income apartments to be housed within the same structure.
National Public Housing Museum. Photo by Jack Crawford
National Public Housing Museum. Photo by Jack Crawford
The location of the museum is near public transportation options, including the Blue Line at the Racine station and bus service for Routes 12, 60, and 157.
National Public Housing Museum. Photo by Jack Crawford
National Public Housing Museum. Photo by Jack Crawford
BOWA Construction, Blackwood Group, and MIKK are overseeing the museum’s construction, while GMA Construction is handling the residential component. Funded by city, state, and private sources, the project has an overall budget of $14.5 million and is expected to open this upcoming spring.
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A public housing museum sounds like as much fun as a Tracy Chapman concert. Hope there’s a special wing for lost human potential.
I’m at least glad that development is going on here, too bad most of it is CHA. Look for similar issues that plagued Stateway Gardens, Cabrini Green, etc to arise here. City leaders never learn.
And I think the museum will last 5 years, max. Hopefully it will be reused as something else down the road
Current issues stemming from the last bastion of Cabrini behind the multi-million dollar condos near Larabee/Chicago? Or the issues that CHA tend to bring in general?