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Cabrini–Green Homes are a
Chicago Housing Authority The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is a municipal corporation that oversees public housing within the city of Chicago. The agency's Board of Commissioners is appointed by the Mayor of Chicago, city's mayor, and has a budget independent from that ...
(CHA)
public housing Public housing, also known as social housing, refers to Subsidized housing, subsidized or affordable housing provided in buildings that are usually owned and managed by local government, central government, nonprofit organizations or a ...
project A project is a type of assignment, typically involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a specific objective. An alternative view sees a project managerially as a sequence of events: a "set of interrelated tasks to be ...
on the Near North Side of
Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
, 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 Chicago Avenue is a major east–west street in Chicago, Illinois, that runs at 800 north from 385 east to 5968 west in the Chicago street address system from which point it enters the suburbs and goes into several different suburban addr ...
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 building An apartment (American English, Canadian English), flat (British English, Indian English, South African English), tenement ( Scots English), or unit (Australian English) is a self-contained housing unit (a type of residential real estate) ...
s. The development experienced significant challenges, including high crime rates and building deterioration. "Cabrini–Green" became a
metonym Metonymy () is a figure of speech in which a concept is referred to by the name of something associated with that thing or concept. For example, the word "wikt:suit, suit" may refer to a person from groups commonly wearing business attire, such ...
for problems associated with
public housing in the United States In the United States, subsidized housing is administered by federal, state and local agencies to provide subsidized rental assistance for low-income households. Public housing is priced much below the market rate, allowing people to live i ...
. 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 Redevelopment is any new construction on a site that has pre-existing uses. It represents a process of land development uses to revitalize the physical, economic and social fabric of urban space. Description Variations on redevelopment include ...
and
gentrification Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has ...
, 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.


Layout and demographics

The construction of Cabrini–Green reflected the mid-20th-century
urban renewal Urban renewal (sometimes called urban regeneration in the United Kingdom and urban redevelopment in the United States) is a program of land redevelopment often used to address real or perceived urban decay. Urban renewal involves the clearing ...
strategies used in United States
urban planning Urban planning (also called city planning in some contexts) is the process of developing and designing land use and the built environment, including air, water, and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportatio ...
. The extension buildings were referred to as the "Reds" due to their red
brick A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a unit primarily composed of clay. But is now also used informally to denote building un ...
exteriors, while the William Green Homes were called the "Whites" because of their
reinforced concrete Reinforced concrete, also called ferroconcrete or ferro-concrete, is a composite material in which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are compensated for by the inclusion of reinforcement having higher tensile strength or ...
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 Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
descent. By 1962, the majority of residents in the full complex were
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
.


History

In the 1850s, shanties were built on low-lying land along the
Chicago River The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of Chicago, including its center (the Chicago Loop). The river is one of the reasons for Chicago's geographic importance: the related Chic ...
, 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 Frances Xavier Cabrini (; born Maria Francesca Cabrini; 15 July 1850 – 22 December 1917), also known as Mother Cabrini, was a prominent Italian-American religious sister in the Roman Catholic Church. She was the first American to be reco ...
, 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 The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States that continues today as the AFL-CIO. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions eager to provide mutual ...
. 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 A consent decree is an agreement or settlement that resolves a dispute between two parties without admission of guilt (in a criminal case) or liability (in a civil case). Most often it is such a type of settlement in the United States. The ...
was entered with the
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It administers federal housing and urban development laws. It is headed by the secretary of housing and u ...
in 1981. From 1974 to 1979, the television sitcom ''
Good Times ''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans (actor), Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was televis ...
'' 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 Jane Margaret Byrne (née Burke; May 24, 1933November 14, 2014) was an American politician who served as the 50th mayor of Chicago from April 16, 1979, until April 29, 1983. Prior to her tenure as mayor, Byrne served as Chicago's commissioner of ...
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.


Overview

Cabrini–Green consisted of ten sections constructed over a 20-year period: the Frances Cabrini Rowhouses (586 units, completed in 1942), Cabrini Extension North and South (1,925 units, completed in 1957), and the William Green Homes (1,096 units, completed in 1962). As of May 3, 2011, all high-rise buildings in the complex had been demolished. A total of 150 Frances Cabrini Rowhouses, located south of Oak Street, north of Chicago Avenue, west of Hudson Avenue, and east of Cambridge Street, have been renovated and remain occupied.


Crime and response


Problems develop

Poverty and organized crime have been historically associated with the Cabrini–Green area. A 1931 map produced by Bruce-Roberts, Incorporated labeled the intersection of Oak Street and Milton Avenue (now Cleveland Avenue) as "Death Corner," noting it as the site of approximately 50 murders. Initially, the housing was racially integrated, and many residents were employed. However, following
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, nearby factories that had supported the local economy closed, leading to widespread job loss. At the same time, municipal disinvestment caused in part by
suburbanization Suburbanization (American English), also spelled suburbanisation (British English), is a population shift from historic core cities or rural areas into suburbs. Most suburbs are built in a formation of (sub)urban sprawl. As a consequence ...
and
white flight The white flight, also known as white exodus, is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the Racism ...
resulted in the reduction of
public services A public service or service of general (economic) interest is any service (economics), service intended to address the needs of aggregate members of a community, whether provided directly by a public sector agency, via public financing availab ...
, including building maintenance. In an effort to cut costs, lawns were paved over, broken lights were left unrepaired for extended periods, and fire-damaged apartments were boarded up rather than restored. Later developments, such as the William Green Homes, were constructed with limited budgets, leading to issues related to poor construction quality and long-term maintenance challenges. Many buildings lacked interior hallways; instead, units were accessed via exterior concrete walkways enclosed in chain-link fencing, exposing residents to weather conditions, including harsh winter temperatures. Unlike many of the city's other public housing projects, Cabrini–Green was located at the boundary of two of Chicago’s wealthiest neighborhoods,
Lincoln Park Lincoln Park is a park along Lake Michigan on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. Named after US president Abraham Lincoln, it is the city's largest public park and stretches for from Grand Avenue (500 N), on the south, to near Ardmore Avenu ...
and the Gold Coast, and less than a mile from the
Magnificent Mile The Magnificent Mile (sometimes locally abbreviated to the Mag Mile) is the approximately one-mile-long stretch of Michigan Avenue (Chicago), Michigan Avenue from the Chicago River to Oak Street (Chicago), Oak Street on the Near North Side ...
. Despite its proximity to affluent areas, the complex was marked by high poverty rates. Gang activity was prominent, with individual gangs controlling specific buildings, and residents often felt compelled to affiliate with them for protection. At the height of Cabrini-Green's disinvestment, vandalism became widespread.
Graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...
was common, and damage to building infrastructure—such as doors, windows, and elevators—was frequent. Pest infestations were widespread, and garbage frequently clogged trash chutes, at one point accumulating up to the 15th floor. Utilities, including water and electricity, were often unreliable and went unrepaired for extended periods. Externally, the buildings displayed signs of deterioration, with boarded-up windows, charred sections of the façade, and paved-over green areas. In response to safety concerns, balconies were enclosed with fencing to prevent the disposal of trash from upper floors and to reduce the risk of falls or objects being thrown. This gave the structures an appearance resembling prison tiers or cages, drawing criticism from community leaders.


Brother Bill

In the 1980s, Catholic lay worker William "Brother Bill" Tomes Jr. regularly visited Cabrini–Green in an effort to reduce violence within the community. His work attracted national attention, and he was interviewed by ''
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
'' magazine and multiple television networks.


Tenant activism

Over the years, residents of Cabrini–Green organized to advocate for assistance from the city and to support one another within the community. Marion Stamps, a prominent community leader, was the most visible resident organizing protests and strikes against the Chicago Housing Authority, city officials, and others on behalf of Cabrini–Green residents from the 1960s until her death in 1996. That same year, the federal government ordered the demolition of 18,000 public housing units in Chicago, as part of a nationwide initiative affecting tens of thousands of units. Some tenant activists at Cabrini–Green worked to prevent displacement and advocated for continued access to public housing for low-income residents. These efforts led to a consent decree that allowed certain buildings to remain standing during redevelopment, enabling residents to remain in their homes until new housing became available. The agreement also provided displaced residents with guaranteed access to housing in the redeveloped neighborhood. In 2001, a tenants group filed a lawsuit against the Chicago Housing Authority concerning relocation plans under the city's Plan for Transformation, a $1.4 billion initiative for public housing redevelopment. According to attorney Richard Wheelock, who represented the tenants, the pace of demolition outstripped that of reconstruction, resulting in displaced families being forced to seek housing in other segregated or unsafe neighborhoods or risk becoming homeless. In 1997, the same year as the attack on Girl X, community leaders formed the Alliance for Community Peace for "mentoring and recreation to area youth" which later expanded citywide.


Recent history and plans

While Cabrini–Green experienced decline during the postwar period—marked by disinvestment, industrial departure, and
white flight The white flight, also known as white exodus, is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the Racism ...
—the broader Near North Side of Chicago saw significant socioeconomic growth. Downtown employment shifted from manufacturing to professional services, increasing demand for middle-income housing. This spurred
gentrification Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more Wealth, affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has ...
, which spread north from the Gold Coast along the lakefront, then westward and eventually across the
Chicago River The Chicago River is a system of rivers and canals with a combined length of that runs through the city of Chicago, including its center (the Chicago Loop). The river is one of the reasons for Chicago's geographic importance: the related Chic ...
. In the 1980s, the industrial area just south of Cabrini–Green and west of Michigan Avenue was redeveloped into the River North neighborhood, becoming a center for arts, entertainment, and later, the city’s technology sector. By the 1990s, former industrial land near the north branch of the Chicago River—surrounding Cabrini–Green to the north, south, and west—was converted into office, retail, and residential developments. As property values increased, Cabrini–Green's location became more attractive to private developers. Speculators began acquiring land adjacent to the complex in anticipation of its eventual demolition. In May 1995, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) assumed control of the
Chicago Housing Authority The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is a municipal corporation that oversees public housing within the city of Chicago. The agency's Board of Commissioners is appointed by the Mayor of Chicago, city's mayor, and has a budget independent from that ...
and began demolishing vacant "Reds" buildings in the Cabrini Extension, promoting a mixed-income model for public housing redevelopment. In June 1996, the City of Chicago and the CHA introduced the Near North Redevelopment Initiative, a plan for new development on and around the Cabrini–Green site. The city’s ten-year Plan for Transformation, officially launched in 2000, called for the demolition of nearly all high-rise public housing in Chicago, including most of Cabrini–Green, with the exception of some remaining rowhouses. Demolition of the Cabrini Extension was completed in 2002. Part of the cleared area was incorporated into Seward Park, while construction of new
mixed-income housing The definition of mixed-income housing is broad and encompasses many types of dwellings and neighborhoods. Following Brophy and Smith, the following will discuss “non-organic” examples of mixed-income housing, meaning “a deliberate effort to ...
began on the remaining land in 2006. Beginning in 1994, subsidized mixed-income housing developments were initiated on nearby underused or vacant parcels, including the Orchard Park senior housing complex, along with sites formerly occupied by an
Oscar Mayer Oscar Mayer is an American meat and cold cut producer known for its hot dogs, bologna sausage, bologna, bacon, ham, and Lunchables products. The company is a subsidiary of the Kraft Heinz, Kraft Heinz Company and based in Chicago, Chicago, Illin ...
factory and the
Montgomery Ward Company Complex The Montgomery Ward Company Complex is the former national headquarters of Montgomery Ward, the United States' oldest mail order firm. The property is located along the North Branch of the Chicago River at 618 W. Chicago Avenue in Near North S ...
. Today, new market-rate housing nearly surrounds the remaining public housing structures. Redevelopment plans for the Cabrini–Green site included 30% public housing replacement units and 20% workforce-affordable housing. Adjacent luxury developments include 20% affordable units, half designated as public housing replacements, with an additional 505 replacement units planned for off-site construction. In February 2006, a redevelopment partnership between the Chicago Housing Authority, Holsten, Kimball Hill Urban Centers, and the Cabrini–Green LAC
Community Development Corporation A community development corporation (CDC) is a not-for-profit organization incorporated to provide programs, offer services and engage in other activities that promote and support community development. CDCs usually serve a geographic location su ...
began a $250 million, 790-unit project called Parkside at Old Town, located on the Cabrini Extension site. Demolition of the William Green Homes was completed in 2011. Most of the remaining Cabrini rowhouses are in disrepair, with many abandoned and slated for demolition and redevelopment. The Plan for Transformation’s relocation process led to the lawsuit ''Wallace v. Chicago Housing Authority'', which alleged that displaced residents were placed in substandard temporary housing, did not receive promised social services, and were often denied the opportunity to return to redeveloped sites.Business and Professional People for the Public Interest website. "Public Housing Transformation: Physical Planning, Relocation, Social Services, and Mobility Counseling Families Left Behind" The case was settled in June 2006. Under the settlement, two relocation programs were established: the existing CHA program to support moves to racially integrated areas with case-managed services, and a modified program administered by CHAC Inc., intended to increase access to economically and racially integrated communities and to social services.National Center on Poverty Law. Poverty Law Library. "Wallace v. Chicago Housing Authority: Chicago Housing Authority and Housing Advocates Settle Lawsuit over Resident Relocation

/ref> Some former residents relocated to suburbs such as
Harvey, Illinois Harvey is a city in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 20,324 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Harvey is bordered by the villages of Dixmoor, Illinois, Dixmoor and Riverdale, Illinois, Riverdale to the north; ...
or to other public housing sites in nearby cities. Others moved into newly built CHA replacement housing. Reports indicate that residents of the mixed-income developments have experienced fewer crime-related issues. The final two families residing in Cabrini–Green were relocated by court order on December 1, 2010. Following the closure of Cabrini–Green, crime in the area declined significantly; only one homicide was reported in the first half of 2006. The final phase of demolition was completed in 2011. However, plaintiffs in the ''Wallace'' case and others have argued that the relocation process contributed to increased socioeconomic and racial segregation, homelessness, and related issues by moving residents into other disinvested neighborhoods, primarily on Chicago's south and west sides. In 2013, a
Target Target may refer to: Warfare and shooting * Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports ** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports ** Aiming point, in field artille ...
store opened at 1200 N. Larrabee Street, located on the former site of high-rises at 1230 N. Larrabee Street and 624 W. Division Street in the Green Homes complex. File:16mm film transfer of final days of Cabrini Green.webm, A film showing images of the final days of Cabrini–Green. The flashing lights were part of an art installation installed after the buildings were vacant but just before demolition. File:Cabrini demolition.jpg, The demolition of William Green Homes in 2006. This is the demolition of 534 West Division Street, nicknamed "Tha Jube". File:Demolition of Cabrini Green IMG 3654.jpg, The last building of Cabrini–Green being demolished in 2011 File:Cabrini green.jpg, The demolition of one of the Cabrini–Green buildings


Reputation

While Cabrini–Green was often viewed negatively by non-residents, some long-term residents interviewed by the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' in 2004 expressed complex feelings about the complex's closure.Schmich, Mary. "Future closes in on Cabrini" ''Chicago Tribune Web Edition'' July 4, 200

/ref> Despite the building's poor physical condition, many described strong community ties and mutual support among residents. They expressed concern over the displacement and fragmentation of the community as redevelopment progressed. Although the buildings were in disrepair, the extremely low rent and proximity to downtown and the lakefront gave low-income residents access to areas they otherwise could not afford. Cabrini–Green frequently drew negative media attention. Among Chicago's public housing projects, Cabrini–Green became the most widely known and publicized, both locally and nationally, surpassing others such as the
Robert Taylor Homes Robert Taylor Homes was a public housing project located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. Constructed in 1962 and demolished by 2007, it was the largest housing project in the United States. The developme ...
and
Stateway Gardens Stateway Gardens was a Chicago Housing Authority, Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) public housing Public housing in the United States, project in the Douglas, Chicago#Bronzeville, Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side (Chicago), South Side of ...
on the South Side, and Rockwell Gardens and the
Henry Horner Homes Henry Horner Homes was a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) public housing project located in the Near West Side community area on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The original section of Henry Horner Homes was bordered by Oakley ...
on the West Side. Several notable events, including annual New Year's Eve celebrations during which gang members discharged firearms into the air, prompting police to routinely block off surrounding streets, contributed to Cabrini–Green's reputation. On July 17, 1970, Chicago police patrolman Anthony N. Rizzato and Sergeant James Severin were fatally shot from an apartment window by gang members while crossing a
baseball field A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refer ...
within the complex. The attack was reportedly carried out to establish a pact between rival gangs. Three adults and one juvenile were charged with the murders; the two shooters received prison sentences of 100 to 199 years. In 1981, the gang killings of 11 made national attention.Hawkins, Karen.
Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...
. "Chicago closes Cabrini-Green projects", December 2, 2010, edition of USA Today, National, A2.
That same year, in March, Mayor Jane Byrne and her husband Jay McMullen moved into a fourth-floor apartment at 1160 N. Sedgwick Street in an effort to highlight concerns over safety in the complex. Her stay, supported by police officers and personal security, lasted three weeks. The move further reinforced Cabrini–Green's negative public image as a symbol of the challenges facing public housing. On October 13, 1992, seven-year-old Dantrell Davis was shot in the head and killed by a sniper's bullet while walking to Jenner Elementary School with his mother. On January 9, 1997, a nine-year-old girl nicknamed "Girl X" was raped, poisoned, and strangled in a stairwell of the 1121 N. Larrabee Street building, leaving her permanently blind, paralyzed, and mute due to brain damage. The assailant used a marker to write gang symbols on her abdomen in an attempt to mislead investigators and left her face down in the snow in an unlit hallway, where she was discovered by a janitor who resigned that same day. Patrick Sykes, a 25-year-old resident who was not affiliated with any gang, was later apprehended, confessed in detail to the crime, and was sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed by the state—120 years in prison.''THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS vs PATRICK SYKES'' Circuit Court of Cook County case No. January 1, 2942. June 30, 2003

/ref>U.S. News Story Page. "Bail set at $6 million for alleged assailant of Girl X" ''CNN interactive'' April 5, 1997
/ref> The case drew significant media attention. Two Chicago reporters highlighted the broader community’s indifference to conditions in Cabrini–Green, citing Girl X as a stark example. Four years after the attack, Girl X testified in court. Judge Joseph Urso ruled that the Chicago Housing Authority was negligent in its maintenance and security of the building and awarded the family $3 million for her long-term care. Local Little League coach Daniel Coyle documented his experiences in the community in his 1994 book ''Hardball: A Season in the Projects'', describing the persistent challenges as “A well-meaning person shows up three times a week. But nothing changes.” The 2001 film '' Hardball (film), Hardball'' was based on this book.


Education

Chicago Public Schools Chicago Public Schools (CPS), officially classified as City of Chicago School District #299 for funding and districting reasons, in Chicago, Illinois, is the List of the largest school districts in the United States by enrollment, fourth-large ...
(CPS) operates the public schools in the City of Chicago. Most teenagers living in Cabrini–Green attended William H. Wells High School or Lincoln Park High School. Near North Career Metropolitan High School, which evolved from Cooley Vocational High School and was located at Larrabee and Blackhawk, served students from 1979 until its closure in 2001. At its peak, five CPS elementary schools served the neighborhood: Richard E. Byrd Community Academy, Edward Jenner School, Manierre School, Schiller Community Academy, and Truth School. During the 1970–1971 school year, enrollment across five neighborhood grade schools—Cooley Upper Grade Center, Byrd, Jenner, Manierre, and Schiller—totaled 6,144 students. By 1997, Cooley had closed, and the combined enrollment of the remaining four schools had dropped to 2,361. Factors contributing to this decline included demolition of residential buildings, decreasing family sizes, increased vacancy rates, and a growing proportion of adult residents. During the 2003–2004 school year, fifth-grade students from Room 405 at Richard E. Byrd Community Academy created a detailed plan urging the City of Chicago and the
Chicago Board of Education The Chicago Board of Education serves as the board of education (school board) for the Chicago Public Schools. The board traces its origins to the Board of School Inspectors, created in 1837. The board is currently made up of 11 members appoin ...
to build a new school. They cited inadequate facilities, including the lack of a lunchroom, gymnasium, and
auditorium An auditorium is a room built to enable an audience to hear and watch performances. For movie theaters, the number of auditoriums is expressed as the number of screens. Auditoriums can be found in entertainment venues, community halls, and t ...
, and issues such as malfunctioning heat that forced students to wear winter clothing indoors. As part of their advocacy, students sent letters and emails, conducted surveys, created petitions, interviewed officials, and produced videos and a website to raise awareness. Their efforts received local and national attention. In 2004, Byrd students were rezoned to Jenner, and Byrd was closed. By 2008, the building remained vacant. As of 2008, only three of these schools remained in use, and by 2013 only Manierre and Jenner continued operating as K–8 schools. In the early 2010s, CPS considered merging Jenner and Manierre, but concerns involving students crossing gang territorial lines meant that both schools remained open. Manierre is located in an area known as “Sedville,” a gang territory in
Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins. In some cases, newer developments on t ...
. Freidrich von Schiller School served students from the William Green Homes. Originally located in two buildings at 640 West Scott Street—one constructed around 1963 and another approximately a century old—the school was redeveloped in 1969 when the city approved a new campus for Schiller. The new facility, built on a site, was scheduled to open in September 1970 and cost $2.5 million. It was designed to include a “Schome” (meaning "school-home") for preschoolers and a separate building for elementary students, with a total capacity of 1,635 students. Schiller closed in 2009, and students were reassigned to Jenner. The building is now occupied by Skinner North, a
selective school A selective school is a school that admits students on the basis of some sort of selection criteria, usually academic. The term may have different connotations in different systems and is the opposite of a comprehensive school, which accepts all s ...
.(published by Community Renewal Society, '' Chicago Reporter'' is a sister publication) Currently, the area is served by
Ogden International School Ogden International School of Chicago is a public K-12 school in Chicago, Illinois founded in 1857. It is a part of Chicago Public Schools (CPS). It maintains three campuses: East Campus with elementary grades, Jenner Campus with middle school a ...
, which maintains a preschool and middle school campus in the area. Before merging into Ogden in 2018, the building housed Jenner Academy of the Arts. In 2016, Jenner had 239 students, 98% of whom were Black, with nearly all from low-income households. The building had a capacity for 1,060 students. Enrollment declined significantly after the demolition of Cabrini–Green. The process to merge Jenner into Ogden International began in the late 2010s.


Parks and recreation

The New City
YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...
opened in 1981. Due to concerns about crime in the surrounding neighborhood, it was constructed without windows to minimize the risk of damage from stray bullets. The facility served both residents of Cabrini–Green and the nearby Lincoln Park neighborhood. According to CBS Chicago, the YMCA was credited with helping to bridge social and economic divides between families from different backgrounds. In 2007, the YMCA closed, and the property was sold as the population of Cabrini–Green declined due to relocation and redevelopment.


Notable people

*
Jerry Butler Jerry Butler Jr. (December 8, 1939 – February 20, 2025) was an American soul singer-songwriter, producer, musician, and politician. He was the original lead singer of the R&B vocal group the Impressions, who were inducted into the Rock and ...
, soul singer. *
Terry Callier Terrence Orlando "Terry" Callier (May 24, 1945 – October 27, 2012) was an American soul music, soul, Folk music, folk and jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter. Life and career Callier was born in the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, and was ...
, soul musician. * William Gates, high school and college basketball player and subject of the 1994 documentary film ''
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'' * Greg Hollimon, comedic actor * Eddie T. Johnson, police superintendent. *
Major Lance Major Lance (April 4, 1939, – September 3, 1994) was an American R&B singer. After a number of US hits in the 1960s, including " The Monkey Time" and "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um", he became an iconic figure in Britain in the 1970s among foll ...
, R&B singer and father of
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms *
Ramsey Lewis Ramsey Emmanuel Lewis Jr. (May 27, 1935 – September 12, 2022) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and radio personality. Lewis recorded over 80 albums and received five RIAA certification, gold records and three Grammy Awards ...
,
jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...
pianist A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...
*
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,
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musician.


In popular culture


Comics

* In Frank Miller's '' Give Me Liberty'' dystopic graphic novel, Cabrini-Green is a de facto prison for poor African-Americans.


Film

* The opening shot and many scenes in the 1975 film '' Cooley High'' take place at the Cabrini–Green Homes, and the film portrays the lives of young people in those projects. The film's creator, Eric Monte, was raised at Cabrini–Green Homes and attended the real-life Cooley Vocational High School. * In the 1992 horror film '' Candyman'', Cabrini–Green appears as the focal point of the titular character's supernatural activity. Part of the movie was filmed at the housing project over the course of three days. * The 2001 movie '' Hardball (film), Hardball'' was a chronicle of Little League baseball in Chicago's Cabrini-Green housing project. * The documentary ''70 Acres in Chicago'', about Cabrini–Green by Ronit Bezalel, who spent two decades there beginning in 1995, was screened at the Gene Siskel Film Center in 2015. * The 2023 movie '' We Grown Now'' is set in Cabrini-Green in the early 1990s.


Television

* The buildings are shown in the opening and closing credits of ''
Good Times ''Good Times'' is an American television sitcom that aired for six seasons on CBS, from February 8, 1974, to August 1, 1979. Created by Eric Monte and Mike Evans (actor), Mike Evans and developed by executive producer Norman Lear, it was televis ...
''. Cabrini-Green is never mentioned specifically, but only referred to as "The Projects." The series is focused on the Evans family, residents of a two bedroom apartment unit on the 17th floor of a high-rise tower. Much is mentioned during the series about the poor condition of the facility (crime, broken down elevators, broken light bulbs, failing heat, water, etc.) Former resident Eric Monte was creator of the show. * In the television series '' Boss'', Cabrini–Green serves as the inspiration and filming location for the "Lennox Gardens" housing project. * The television series '' Lady Blue'' filmed one of its first episodes, "Death Valley Day", on location at the development, which was called "The Heights" and depicted as being dominated by a gang. The poor condition of the building, and features such as the fence-railings on the upper floors, are visible throughout (at the episode's climax, one gang member falls to his death when he's pushed through one of the fences). According to series star Jamie Rose, residents objected to the film crew being there and began throwing bottles at them.


Video games

* The ''Rossi-Fremont'' housing projects in the video game
Watch Dogs ''Watch Dogs'' (stylized as ''WATCH_DOGS'') is an action-adventure video game franchise published by Ubisoft, and developed primarily by its Montreal and Toronto studios using the Disrupt game engine. The series' eponymous first title was rele ...
were inspired by both Cabrini-Green and the
Robert Taylor Homes Robert Taylor Homes was a public housing project located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. Constructed in 1962 and demolished by 2007, it was the largest housing project in the United States. The developme ...
.


See also

* Pruitt-Igoe,
St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
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Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
*
Kowloon Walled City Kowloon Walled City () was an extremely densely populated and largely lawless enclave of China within the boundaries of Kowloon City of former British Hong Kong. Built as an imperial Chinese Fortification, military fort, the walled city beca ...
,
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
* Vladeck Houses,
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
,
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
* Parkchester,
The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
,
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
*
Broadwater Farm Broadwater Farm, often referred to simply as "The Farm", is an area in Tottenham, North London, straddling the River Moselle (London), River Moselle. The eastern half of the area is dominated by the Broadwater Farm Housing estate, Estate ("BWFE") ...
,
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
,
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
*
Red Road Flats The Red Road Flats were a mid-twentieth-century high-rise housing complex located between the districts of Balornock and Barmulloch in the northeast of the city of Glasgow, Scotland. The estate originally consisted of eight multi-storey blocks ...
,
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
*
Ballymun Flats The Ballymun Flats referred to a number of flats—including the seven Ballymun tower blocks—in Ballymun, Dublin, Ireland. Built rapidly in the 1960s, there were 36 blocks in total, consisting of 7 fifteen-storey, 19 eight-storey, and 10 fo ...
,
Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...
,
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
* Towers in the park


References


Further reading

* Memoir of a childhood at Cabrini–Green. * Poetry by a former resident of Cabrini–Green.
Cabrini Green
* ''Cabrini–Green in Words and Pictures'' (2000). . * Dizikes, Peter

''MIT News'', MIT News Office, March 3, 2011. * "Cross The Bridge" by author and Cabrini resident Pete (K-SO G) Keller. * "Gang Leader For A Day" By Sudhir Venkatesh
''The Paw Print''
Walter Payton H.S., February 2009. Special Issue on Cabrini–Green.


External links


Residents' Journal
��written, produced & distributed by Chicago Public Housing residents; archives contain many articles on activism at Cabrini–Green, particularly around the plans for redevelopment
Chicago Coalition to Protect Public Housing

Voices of Cabrini
��Documentary film by Ronit Bezalel
70 Acres in Chicago: Cabrini Green
��a film by Ronit Bezalel and a follow-up to Voices of Cabrini
Frances Cabrini Rowhouses 2010–2013
Photography by Satoki Nagata
Chicago Tribune: Cabrini–Green Columns


* ttp://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/253.html Encyclopedia of Chicago entry on Chicago Housing Authority {{DEFAULTSORT:Cabrini-Green Public housing in Chicago Central Chicago Neighborhoods in Chicago Residential buildings completed in 1942 Residential buildings completed in 1958 Residential buildings completed in 1962 Buildings and structures demolished in 1995 Buildings and structures demolished in 2002 Buildings and structures demolished in 2011 Demolished buildings and structures in Chicago Former buildings and structures in Chicago Urban decay in the United States Italian-American culture in Chicago Articles containing video clips 1942 establishments in Illinois 1995 disestablishments in Illinois 2002 disestablishments in Illinois 2011 disestablishments in Illinois