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Rosenwald Courts Apartments

Michigan Boulevard Garden Apartments

Address

4642 S. Michigan Ave.
Do NOT park in the parking lots as your vehicle may be towed; there is ample street parking on Michigan, 47th and Wabash streets.

Neighborhood

Bronzeville

Hours

Sat, Oct 14: 10am - 5pm

Sun, Oct 15: Closed

Photography Permitted Washrooms Available Wheelchair Accessible

Architect

Ernest Grunsfeld, Jr., 1929

Description

A footnote in the vast philanthropic legacy of Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck & Company, Rosenwald Courts Apartments opened in 1929 as a shining example of what an affordable urban housing block could be. Inspired by Vienna's housing works, Rosenwald enlisted his nephew and architect of Adler Planetarium Ernest Grunsfeld, Jr. to design the 454-unit apartment project. The result was this Moderne complex with great care given to natural lighting, green spaces and play areas.

Towering figures like boxer Joe Louis, author Gwendolyn Brooks and Nat King Cole shared the address with doctors, lawyers and other members of the black professional class. After a long decline, Rosenwald Courts closed in 1999. A collaborative capital campaign raised $132 million to redevelop the building as mixed-income housing with updated retail and office space. Reopened in 2016 with 239 apartments, Rosenwald Courts has arguably never looked better.

Visitor Experience

Visitors will enter at the Michigan entrance near murals designed by local artists Carolyn Elaine and Damon Lamar Reed, with Architreasurers. A variety of pictures of Julius Rosenwald and some of his accomplishments will be by the main entrance.

The community room will be open, featuring photographs of some of the famous residents of the building. Also, explore the 2-acre interior courtyard where Shawn Michelle will be selling their world-famous ice cream.