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Cabrini–Green Homes
Cabrini–Green Homes are a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) public housing project on the Near North Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The Frances Cabrini Rowhouses and Extensions were south of Division Street, bordered by Larrabee Street to the west, Orleans Street to the east and Chicago Avenue to the south, with the William Green Homes to the northwest.
At its peak, Cabrini–Green was home to 15,000 people, mostly living in mid- and high-rise apartment buildings. The development experienced significant challenges, including high crime rates and building deterioration. "Cabrini–Green" became a metonym for problems associated with public housing in the United States.
Beginning in 1995, the CHA initiated the demolition of the mid- and high-rise buildings, with the final structure removed in 2011. Today, only the original two-story rowhouses remain.
The neighborhood has undergone extensive redevelopment and gentrification, influenced by its proximity to downtown Chicago. The area now includes a mix of market-rate and CHA-owned housing, forming a mixed-income community consisting of high-rise buildings and townhouses.
The construction of Cabrini–Green reflected the mid-20th-century urban renewal strategies used in United States urban planning. The extension buildings were referred to as the "Reds" due to their red brick exteriors, while the William Green Homes were called the "Whites" because of their reinforced concrete construction. Many of the high-rise buildings featured exterior porches called open galleries. According to the Chicago Housing Authority, the initial residents of the Cabrini rowhouses were primarily of Italian descent. By 1962, the majority of residents in the full complex were African American.
In the 1850s, shanties were built on low-lying land along the Chicago River, initially inhabited by Swedish and later Irish populations. The area became known as "Little Hell" due to the presence of a nearby gas refinery that emitted visible flames and fumes.
By the early 20th century, it was referred to as "Little Sicily" due to a large Sicilian immigrant population. In 1929 Harvey Warren Zorbaugh wrote "The Gold Coast and the Slum: A Sociological Study of Chicago's Near North Side", examining the contrasting social conditions of the affluent Gold Coast, the impoverished Little Sicily, and the transitional areas in between. That same year, the Marshall Field Garden Apartments, a privately funded low-income housing development, was completed. In 1942, the Frances Cabrini Homes were completed—586 units in 54 two-story rowhouse buildings designed by Holsman, Burmeister, et al. Initial residency requirements specified 75% white and 25% Black occupancy. The development was named for Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian-American nun canonized for her work with the poor. In 1957, the Cabrini Extension was added, consisting of 1,925 red brick units in mid- and high-rise buildings designed by A. Epstein & Sons. In 1962, the William Green Homes were completed north of Division Street, comprising 1,096 units designed by Pace Associates. These were named after William Green, a former president of the American Federation of Labor. In 1966, the lawsuit Gautreaux et al. v. Chicago Housing Authority was filed, alleging racially discriminatory practices in public housing placement. The CHA was found liable in 1969, and a consent decree was entered with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1981. From 1974 to 1979, the television sitcom Good Times aired on CBS, using exterior shots of Cabrini–Green in its opening and closing credits. Although set in public housing, the series did not explicitly name the complex. From March 26 to April 19, 1981, Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne temporarily moved into Cabrini–Green to draw attention to crime in the area. In 1992, the film Candyman, set in Cabrini–Green, was released. In 1994, Chicago received one of the first HOPE VI grants to redevelop the area into a mixed-income neighborhood. Demolition of high-rise buildings began on September 27, 1995. In 1997, the Near North Redevelopment Initiative was introduced, recommending demolition of the Green Homes and most of the Cabrini Extension. In 1999, the Chicago Housing Authority launched the Plan for Transformation, a $1.5 billion initiative to demolish 18,000 units and build or rehabilitate 25,000 units, incorporating earlier Cabrini–Green redevelopment efforts.
Subsequent improvements included a new library, renovations to Seward Park, and a new shopping center. On December 9, 2010, the final building of the William Green Homes closed. On March 30, 2011, the last high-rise building at Cabrini–Green was demolished, accompanied by a public art presentation. Most of the Frances Cabrini rowhouses remain, though many are in poor condition or abandoned.
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Cabrini–Green Homes
Cabrini–Green Homes are a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) public housing project on the Near North Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The Frances Cabrini Rowhouses and Extensions were south of Division Street, bordered by Larrabee Street to the west, Orleans Street to the east and Chicago Avenue to the south, with the William Green Homes to the northwest.
At its peak, Cabrini–Green was home to 15,000 people, mostly living in mid- and high-rise apartment buildings. The development experienced significant challenges, including high crime rates and building deterioration. "Cabrini–Green" became a metonym for problems associated with public housing in the United States.
Beginning in 1995, the CHA initiated the demolition of the mid- and high-rise buildings, with the final structure removed in 2011. Today, only the original two-story rowhouses remain.
The neighborhood has undergone extensive redevelopment and gentrification, influenced by its proximity to downtown Chicago. The area now includes a mix of market-rate and CHA-owned housing, forming a mixed-income community consisting of high-rise buildings and townhouses.
The construction of Cabrini–Green reflected the mid-20th-century urban renewal strategies used in United States urban planning. The extension buildings were referred to as the "Reds" due to their red brick exteriors, while the William Green Homes were called the "Whites" because of their reinforced concrete construction. Many of the high-rise buildings featured exterior porches called open galleries. According to the Chicago Housing Authority, the initial residents of the Cabrini rowhouses were primarily of Italian descent. By 1962, the majority of residents in the full complex were African American.
In the 1850s, shanties were built on low-lying land along the Chicago River, initially inhabited by Swedish and later Irish populations. The area became known as "Little Hell" due to the presence of a nearby gas refinery that emitted visible flames and fumes.
By the early 20th century, it was referred to as "Little Sicily" due to a large Sicilian immigrant population. In 1929 Harvey Warren Zorbaugh wrote "The Gold Coast and the Slum: A Sociological Study of Chicago's Near North Side", examining the contrasting social conditions of the affluent Gold Coast, the impoverished Little Sicily, and the transitional areas in between. That same year, the Marshall Field Garden Apartments, a privately funded low-income housing development, was completed. In 1942, the Frances Cabrini Homes were completed—586 units in 54 two-story rowhouse buildings designed by Holsman, Burmeister, et al. Initial residency requirements specified 75% white and 25% Black occupancy. The development was named for Saint Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian-American nun canonized for her work with the poor. In 1957, the Cabrini Extension was added, consisting of 1,925 red brick units in mid- and high-rise buildings designed by A. Epstein & Sons. In 1962, the William Green Homes were completed north of Division Street, comprising 1,096 units designed by Pace Associates. These were named after William Green, a former president of the American Federation of Labor. In 1966, the lawsuit Gautreaux et al. v. Chicago Housing Authority was filed, alleging racially discriminatory practices in public housing placement. The CHA was found liable in 1969, and a consent decree was entered with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in 1981. From 1974 to 1979, the television sitcom Good Times aired on CBS, using exterior shots of Cabrini–Green in its opening and closing credits. Although set in public housing, the series did not explicitly name the complex. From March 26 to April 19, 1981, Chicago Mayor Jane Byrne temporarily moved into Cabrini–Green to draw attention to crime in the area. In 1992, the film Candyman, set in Cabrini–Green, was released. In 1994, Chicago received one of the first HOPE VI grants to redevelop the area into a mixed-income neighborhood. Demolition of high-rise buildings began on September 27, 1995. In 1997, the Near North Redevelopment Initiative was introduced, recommending demolition of the Green Homes and most of the Cabrini Extension. In 1999, the Chicago Housing Authority launched the Plan for Transformation, a $1.5 billion initiative to demolish 18,000 units and build or rehabilitate 25,000 units, incorporating earlier Cabrini–Green redevelopment efforts.
Subsequent improvements included a new library, renovations to Seward Park, and a new shopping center. On December 9, 2010, the final building of the William Green Homes closed. On March 30, 2011, the last high-rise building at Cabrini–Green was demolished, accompanied by a public art presentation. Most of the Frances Cabrini rowhouses remain, though many are in poor condition or abandoned.