Chicago
The long-awaited re-opening of the former Michigan Boulevard Garden Apartments, now known as Rosenwald Courts, is a preservation success story decades in the making. Developed in 1929 by Sears, Roebuck & Co. president and noted philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, the massive 454-unit complex provided much-needed housing for African-American families in Chicago's Bronzeville community.
The entire main apartment building was retained, as well as the circa 1905 three-flat buildings at the northeast corner of the block. While the interior of the main building was reconfigured to connect the 29 separate walk-ups with elevators and corridors, the three-flat interiors were retained and restored.
Rosenwald Courts includes 175 one-bedroom and 64 two-bedroom units; 120 of the units are targeted to seniors 55 and older.
In the courtyard, the historic axial pathways were retained and augmented with new plantings, playground equipment, benches, bike racks, and a dog run. A new seating area at the south end of the courtyard serves both residents and retail patrons, further energizing the building’s connection to the 47th Street commercial corridor.