Parkside of Old Town

The infamous Cabrini Green project in Chicago was one of the largest CHA projects, best known for its lack of safety and high crime rates. After the demolition of several large super-blocks of CHA high-rise buildings in that area, a Master plan was sought to redesign and refresh this space.

We worked with the city, local developers and a team of Cabrini stakeholders to evolve a design that would work in the best interests of the local community.

The redevelopment site is located next to an existing public park as well as an elementary school for arts, and is connected by multiple modes of public transit systems We wanted to ensure safety for the commuters and children who would be spending frequenting this area. The establishment of a safe, walkable site was key.

We created a master planning strategy for the site, situating larger buildings along busier public streets while more mid-rise and town homes were lined along smaller interior streets.

A series of internal parks not only create a serene and sustainable environment but also extends the residents’ sightlines for eyes-on-the-street security and encourages safe public green spaces.

For the benefit of local families, all dwellings at Parkside are comprised of a fully integrated collection of rental and for-sale CHA, affordable and market-rate units. This means that families living here have the opportunity to set goals and upgrade to new homes and better lifestyles.

The rich collaborative process between the residents and architects created a dynamic experience and produced an award-winning solution. The ultimate success of the project now depends on the residents of Parkside of Old Town.

The Architect of Record for this project is FitzGerald Associates Architects. Architect Shabbir Chandabhai was a part of the design team during his tenure with FitzGerald, from 2003 to 2008.