Historic Cabrini Green church to be demolished for tech-focused multifamily development

The Cabrini Green neighborhood in Chicago’s Near North side has had a rough history. Back in the mid-19^th 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.