Designed by Leo Steif in 1923, the Ralph J. Pomeroy Apartments sat vacant in Chicago’s historic Bryn Mawr district for six years until renovations began in 2010. Now, as part of the Chicago Housing Authority’s Plan for Transformation, the Pomeroy Senior Apartments building is CHA’s flagship senior living center on the city’s North Side.
The original brick, terra cotta, and limestone façade was inspected and restored, keeping the look consistent with the other buildings in the historic neighborhood. New windows and a bronze entry canopy were constructed, complementing the design vocabulary.
The entire interior of the building was renovated, from the first floor lobby and common areas, to the rooftop spaces. The number of living units was reduced from 120 to 104 to allow for more space per unit and comply with current accessibility requirements.
PROJECT SUMMARY
POMEROY SENIOR APARTMENTS
Chicago, Ill.Building Team
Submitting firm: Pappageorge Haymes Partners (architect)
Developer: Chicago Housing Authority
Associate architect: Architrave Ltd.
Interior design: Koo & Associates
Structural engineer: Matrix Engineering Corp.
Mechanical/electrical engineer: The Engineering Studio
Civil engineer/Landscape architect: Terra Engineering
Sustainability consultant: Grumman Butkus Associates
Environmental consultant: GSG Consultants Inc.
General contractor: James McHugh Construction
Construction manager: d’Escoto Inc.General Information
Size: 118,522 sf
Construction cost: $31 million
Construction time: January 2010 to August 2011
Delivery method: Design-bid-build
For added security and accessibility, the entrance of the building was moved from the busy Hollywood Avenue frontage to a quieter side street. The new entrance offers a direct view into the main-floor outdoor courtyard and a connection between the interior and exterior common areas.
The roof terrace is now accessible via a relocated staircase and elevator core. Here, residents can take advantage of private gardening and an outdoor space with views of Lake Michigan, as well as an indoor penthouse recreation room.
The Pomeroy project is tracking LEED Platinum certification through the use of geothermal wells, solar thermal and photovoltaic panels, heat recovery systems, green vegetative roofs, high-performance windows and envelope insulation, stormwater control, and Energy Star appliances. More than 90% of construction waste was diverted from landfill.
“They did it well,” said Reconstruction Awards Judge Keith Hammerman, PE. +
Related Stories
| Oct 16, 2014
Must see: Illustrator interprets iconic windows concocted by renowned architects
Graphic designer Federico Babina has made a name for himself when it comes to art inspired by architecture, or more accurately, art inspired by architecture that's inspired by other forms of art.
| Oct 16, 2014
Henning Larsen Architects to design train station for planned Danish town
Danish firm Henning Larsen Architects won Frederikssung municipality’s architecture competition for a regional train station in the planned city of Vinge—Denmark’s largest urban development.
| Oct 16, 2014
Report: How to keep public libraries relevant in a digital age
Public libraries will avoid being relegated to the scrap heap of history in a digital age as long as they continue to serve as platforms for learning, creativity, and innovation that strengthen their communities, according to a new Aspen Institute report.
Sponsored | | Oct 16, 2014
Drilling deeper: The booming Bakken Shale region
The Bakken Shale region, which spans from central North Dakota to the northeastern corner of Montana, is rapidly growing as a result of the oil and gas boom. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Oct 16, 2014
Germany to commemorate Berlin Wall anniversary with 10-mile LED 'balloon' installation
The project, named Lichtgrenze (or Border of Light), makes for a colossal art installation dividing Berlin back to East and West. Eight thousand LED light-filled balloons, each 11 feet high, will line the path.
| Oct 16, 2014
Perkins+Will white paper examines alternatives to flame retardant building materials
The white paper includes a list of 193 flame retardants, including 29 discovered in building and household products, 50 found in the indoor environment, and 33 in human blood, milk, and tissues.
Sponsored | | Oct 16, 2014
Mill Brook Elementary School colors outside the lines with creative fire-rated framing solution
Among the building elements contributing to the success of the elementary school’s public learning areas is a fire-rated stairwell that supports the school’s vision for collaboration. HMFH Architects designed the stairwell to be bright and open, reflecting the playful energy of students. SPONSORED CONTENT
| Oct 15, 2014
Drones may soon assist code inspectors for construction in the UAE
The United Arab Emirates’ Ministry of Labour announced that they will start using drones to help inspectors record when construction sites are breaking laws.
| Oct 15, 2014
Harvard launches ‘design-centric’ center for green buildings and cities
The impetus behind Harvard's Center for Green Buildings and Cities is what the design school’s dean, Mohsen Mostafavi, describes as a “rapidly urbanizing global economy,” in which cities are building new structures “on a massive scale.”
| Oct 15, 2014
Final touches make 432 Park Avenue tower second tallest in New York City
Concrete has been poured for the final floors of the residential high-rise at 432 Park Avenue in New York City, making it the city’s second-tallest building and the tallest residential tower in the Western Hemisphere.
