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
| Oct 17, 2011
Austin's newest urban apartment complex under construction
Complex sits on a four-acre waterfront site along Lady Bird Lake with spectacular city and lake views, and is slated to open spring 2013.
| Oct 12, 2011
FMI’s Construction Outlook: Third Quarter 2011 Report
Construction Market Forecast: The general economy is seeing mixed signs.
| Oct 6, 2011
GREENBUILD 2011: NEXT Living EcoSuite showcased
Tridel teams up with Cisco and Control4 to unveil the future of green condo living in Canada.
| Sep 29, 2011
Kohler supports 2011 Solar Decathlon competition teams
Modular Architecture > In a quest to create the ultimate ‘green’ house, 20 collegiate teams compete in Washington D.C. Mall.
| Sep 23, 2011
$5M pledge renewed for Habitat for Humanity
The five-year commitment, which will run through 2015, includes $5 million of donated interior and exterior locks and keys for homes built with Habitat for Humanity homeowner partners and volunteers.
| Sep 23, 2011
Under 40 Leadership Summit
Building Design+Construction’s Under 40 Leadership Summit takes place October 26-28, 2011 Hotel at the Monteleone in New Orleans. Discounted hotel rate deadline: October 2, 2011.
| Sep 20, 2011
Jeanne Gang wins MacArthur Fellowship
Jeanne Gang, a 2011 MacArthur Fellowship winner described by the foundation as "an architect challenging the aesthetic and technical possibilities of the art form in a wide range of structures."
| Sep 12, 2011
Living Buildings: Are AEC Firms up to the Challenge?
Modular Architecture > You’ve done a LEED Gold or two, maybe even a LEED Platinum. But are you and your firm ready to take on the Living Building Challenge? Think twice before you say yes.
| Jul 22, 2011
Five award-winning modular innovations
The Modular Building Institute's 2011 Awards of Distinction highlight fresh ideas in manufactured construction projects.