Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois: Chicagoland Watch List

Rosenwald Apartments
4600 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago

This grouping of five-story structures was built in 1929 as low-cost housing, with the financial assistance of Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears Roebuck & Co. Although the complex was rehabilitated in the 1980s, it has been vacant for several years.

A recent proposal to rehabilitate the structures fell through and the complex is scheduled to be auctioned this fall.

The complex was listed on the National Trust’s “Eleven Most Endangered” list in 2003. Although it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it is not protected as a local landmark.

What Can I Do? Help locate a developer with historic preservation experience who would be willing to convert this National Register-listed property into a residential redevelopment project. Area residents should urge their local alderman, Dorothy Tillman (3rd Ward), 4645 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL 60653, to protect and stabilize this important complex until it can be appropriately rehabilitated.

Photos: National Trust for Historic Preservation

Landmarks Illinois
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