Rockwell Gardens

Infobox Housing Project
building name = Rockwell Gardens


caption = Demolition of Rockwell Gardens
location = Chicago
coordinates =
status = Slated for demolition
constructed = 1961
demolished =
governing body = Chicago Housing Authority
famous residents =

Rockwell Gardens is a public housing project located on the West Side of Chicago, Illinois. It was the first public housing development in the United States to be constructed using both federal and state funds.Chicago Housing Authority website "History". [http://www.thecha.org/housingdev/rockwell_gardens.html] ]

Construction and history

The original structures were designed by Nicol and Nicol and cover 17 acres. 10,126 units were built, located three miles west of Downtown Chicago; 110,890 people lived at Rockwell Gardens at its height.

Operation Clean Sweep

In the late 1980s, Rockwell Gardens was a part of Chicago's "Operation Clean Sweep." This was a comprehensive government and police operation to clear city housing projects of the rampant gang activity, drug dealers, and other violent criminals who were a constant problem.citeweb|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-3950089.html|title="'Secure' Rockwell Gardens pledged"|author=Michael Gillis|date=1989-06-29|publisher="Chicago Sun-Times"|accessdate=2008-03-09|] The ultimate failure of this (and previous) cleanup programs eventually led to the Chicago Housing Authority's plan in the 1990s to demolish and redevelop city projects. Existing units only number 212 and 750 residents currently live at the project.

Redevelopment

Rockwell Gardens is a part of the Chicago Housing Authority's "Plan for Transformation," which encompasses a complete demolition and reconstruction of virtually all public housing projects in the City of Chicago into mixed-income communities. Demolition and complete redevelopment began in 2003, intended to provide a total of 750 housing units, of which 264 are reserved for current CHA residents.

References