Chicago, IL
1991
A badly deteriorated and fire-damaged residential hotel located in a historic district of Chicago was renovated into 86 SRO units on 3 floors accessed by a new elevator. 76 units have private baths, 6 have shared baths, and 4 are handicap accessible. All units have kitchenettes that allow completely independent living. The apartment floors were gutted and rebuilt, while maintaining the highly functional and efficient layout of the existing building. At the ground floor, 2 dayrooms and a 24-hour front desk were built at the front of the building. The building is considered a ‘contributing’ structure in the historic district. In order to comply with State of Illinois guidelines, the existing ornamental plaster in the lobby was preserved and restored, and historically accurate panel doors and trim were installed on the first floor. Additionally, the façade was restored, complete with leaded glass windows at the ground level and true divided-lite wood windows at the upper floors.
