ABLA
Encyclopedia
ABLA was a public housing
development made up of different public housing projects in Chicago
, Illinois
, operated by the Chicago Housing Authority
. The name "ABLA" was an acronym for four different housing developments that together constituted one large site. Those four developments were: the Jane Addams Homes, Robert Brooks Homes (including the Robert Brooks Extension), Loomis Courts, and the Grace Abbott Homes totaling 3,596 units. It spanned from Cabrini Street on the north to 15th Street on the south; and from Blue Island Avenue
on the east to Ashland Avenue on the west. Most of ABLA has been razed for the Roosevelt Square mixed-income community development. For most of their existence the ABLA's held more than 17,000 residents (though only 8,500 were officially on the lease), giving it the second largest population in the CHA. It was second only to the Robert Taylor Homes
and Cabrini–Green in land area and had a higher occupancy than Cabrini–Green.
Homes (one of the first housing projects) consisted of 32 buildings of 2, 3, and 4 storeys (987 units) built in 1938 by Franklin D. Roosevelt's WPA
Program. They were originally built to last 60 years. They were famous for their animal sculptures in the court area. The majority of the buildings have been demolished.
Homes were built in 1955. In 2005, four of the high-rise buildings were demolished, and the rest were demolished by 2007. This property is planned to be redeveloped in Phases 3-6 of the new Roosevelt Square mixed-income community.
Cross Ashland also extended east all the way to Halsted. Before the ABLA homes were constructed many Blacks worked at the various railyard companies at Fifteenth street before the companies all moved to foreign lands and the suburbs. They were proud to leave the oppressive south and work arduous hours to feed families and attend barbecues.
In 2005 this community of roughly 10,000 in the fifties and 5,000 in the nineties was eventually brought to an end in a mass fire sale to land developers. Today the Cross Ashland area remains underdeveloped save for the new FBI building and University Police Station.
also contributed to the end of ABLA.
reopened Fosco Park, a 57000 square feet (5,295.5 m²) community center which includes an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium and a new daycare facility. A new Jewel/Osco supermarket opened near ABLA in January 2002. The redevelopment plan also includes an integrated "campus" green space with Smyth School and Duncan YMCA. A new fire and police station was constructed near ABLA.
Due to their proximity to downtown and the UIC Medical Center/University, the ABLAs can be seen in several films and television programs:
Public housing
Public housing is a form of housing tenure in which the property is owned by a government authority, which may be central or local. Social housing is an umbrella term referring to rental housing which may be owned and managed by the state, by non-profit organizations, or by a combination of the...
development made up of different public housing projects in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, operated by the Chicago Housing Authority
Chicago Housing Authority
The Chicago Housing Authority is a municipal corporation established by the State of Illinois in 1937 with jurisdiction for the administrative oversight of public housing within the City of Chicago...
. The name "ABLA" was an acronym for four different housing developments that together constituted one large site. Those four developments were: the Jane Addams Homes, Robert Brooks Homes (including the Robert Brooks Extension), Loomis Courts, and the Grace Abbott Homes totaling 3,596 units. It spanned from Cabrini Street on the north to 15th Street on the south; and from Blue Island Avenue
Blue Island Avenue
Blue Island Avenue is a diagonal street in the city of Chicago, Illinois that once led to a ridge of land that early pioneers gave the name "Blue Island" because at a distance it looked like an island in the prairie. The blue color was attributed to atmospheric scattering or to blue flowers growing...
on the east to Ashland Avenue on the west. Most of ABLA has been razed for the Roosevelt Square mixed-income community development. For most of their existence the ABLA's held more than 17,000 residents (though only 8,500 were officially on the lease), giving it the second largest population in the CHA. It was second only to the Robert Taylor Homes
Robert Taylor Homes
Robert Taylor Homes was a housing project in the Bronzeville neighborhood of the South Side of Chicago, on State Street between Pershing Road and 54th Street alongside the Dan Ryan Expressway.-History:...
and Cabrini–Green in land area and had a higher occupancy than Cabrini–Green.
Jane Addams Homes
The Jane AddamsJane Addams
Jane Addams was a pioneer settlement worker, founder of Hull House in Chicago, public philosopher, sociologist, author, and leader in woman suffrage and world peace...
Homes (one of the first housing projects) consisted of 32 buildings of 2, 3, and 4 storeys (987 units) built in 1938 by Franklin D. Roosevelt's WPA
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
Program. They were originally built to last 60 years. They were famous for their animal sculptures in the court area. The majority of the buildings have been demolished.
Robert Brooks Homes
Built in 1943, the original 835 rowhouse units were recently reconstructed (completed in two phases between 1997 and 2000) The $45 million CHA-funded renovation reduced unit density per acre and increased unit sites, resulting in 330 units of public housing.Loomis Courts
Built in 1951, this 126-unit complex consists of 2 buildings of 7 stories each. It was built with City-State funds, not federal public housing funds. In 2005, the CHA started a 2-phase rehabilitation of the property that will result in all units being preserved as affordable rental housing. Rents will continue to be based on 30% of household income.Grace Abbott Homes
Originally made up of 7 15-story buildings and 33 2-story rowhouse buildings (1,198 units), the Grace AbbottGrace Abbott
Grace Abbott was an American social worker who specifically worked in advancing child welfare. Her elder sister was social worker Edith Abbott....
Homes were built in 1955. In 2005, four of the high-rise buildings were demolished, and the rest were demolished by 2007. This property is planned to be redeveloped in Phases 3-6 of the new Roosevelt Square mixed-income community.
Robert Brooks Extension
Built in 1961, this complex was made up of 3 16-story buildings (450 units). One building at 1239 S. Racine was demolished in 1998. The remaining 2 buildings were demolished in 2001. In 2005, Phase 1 of a new mixed-income development called Roosevelt Square was under construction on this site.Cross Ashland
Just west of the ABLA's was small neighborhood affectionately known as "'cross Ashland". Named for the southern twang in which many residents of the downtown and the projects pronounced its location. Bordered by Ashland to the east, Western avenue on the west, the Fifteenth Place train tracks to the south and Roosevelt Rd. on the north. This area originally went as far north as Polk, pre-dating the Medical district. Many blacks and Jews lived in the area through much of the 20th century until the late sixties when most Jews, Poles and Italians moved away.Cross Ashland also extended east all the way to Halsted. Before the ABLA homes were constructed many Blacks worked at the various railyard companies at Fifteenth street before the companies all moved to foreign lands and the suburbs. They were proud to leave the oppressive south and work arduous hours to feed families and attend barbecues.
In 2005 this community of roughly 10,000 in the fifties and 5,000 in the nineties was eventually brought to an end in a mass fire sale to land developers. Today the Cross Ashland area remains underdeveloped save for the new FBI building and University Police Station.
Existing conditions
ABLA once held over 17,000 residents but due to redevelopment only 2,100 residents remain. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Little Italy neighborhood and inner city Chicago in general) underwent a significant period of gentrification resulting in almost all of the Chicago Housing Authority's projects being demolished or slated for redevelopment. The University Village redevelopment of the general Maxwell Street neighborhood and the expansion of the south campus of University of Illinois at ChicagoUniversity of Illinois at Chicago
The University of Illinois at Chicago, or UIC, is a state-funded public research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, near the Chicago Loop...
also contributed to the end of ABLA.
Plan for transformation: mixed-income redevelopment
The CHA's redevelopment plan for ABLA is named Roosevelt Square and includes 1,467 public housing units, of which 329 units were completed in 2000 as part of a complete rehab of the Brooks Homes and 383 off-site CHA replacement units were newly constructed. Construction of the remaining 775 on-site mixed-income units at Roosevelt Square began in 2004. ABLA's new physical design includes traditional Chicago-style buildings including single family homes and six-flat structures. In June 2005, the Chicago Park DistrictChicago Park District
The Chicago Park District is the oldest and largest park district in the U.S.A, with a $385 million annual budget. It has the distinction of spending the most per capita on its parks, even more than Boston in terms of park expenses per capita...
reopened Fosco Park, a 57000 square feet (5,295.5 m²) community center which includes an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium and a new daycare facility. A new Jewel/Osco supermarket opened near ABLA in January 2002. The redevelopment plan also includes an integrated "campus" green space with Smyth School and Duncan YMCA. A new fire and police station was constructed near ABLA.
The "Vill"
The common nickname for the ABLA homes is "the village," or "the vill,"Due to their proximity to downtown and the UIC Medical Center/University, the ABLAs can be seen in several films and television programs:
- The 80s police drama Hill Street BluesHill Street BluesHill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
was set at a police station located two blocks east of ABLA. Stories from the show often involved situations there. - In the 1987 film Next Of Kin many scenes were filmed in and around ABLA, most notably one in which Patrick SwayzePatrick SwayzePatrick Wayne Swayze was an American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter. He was best known for his tough-guy roles, as romantic leading men in the hit films Dirty Dancing and Ghost, and as Orry Main in the North and South television miniseries. He was named by People magazine as its "Sexiest...
hides from his pursuers inside the Robert Brooks Extension and bribes a young child to misdirect them. - In the 2001 film HardballHardball (film)Hardball is a 2001 American dramedy film directed by Brian Robbins. It stars Keanu Reeves, Diane Lane and D. B. Sweeney. The screenplay by John Gatlins is based on the book Hardball: A Season in the Projects by Daniel Coyle. The original music score is composed by Mark Isham. The film is known in...
, Keanu ReevesKeanu ReevesKeanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor. Reeves is perhaps best known for his roles in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Speed, Point Break and the science fiction-action trilogy The Matrix...
coaches a ragtag bunch of kids on an inner-city little league team. Almost half the film was shot at ABLA. - Several episodes of ERER (TV series)ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
, Chicago HopeChicago HopeChicago Hope is an American medical drama series created by David E. Kelley that ran from September 18, 1994, to May 5, 2000. It takes place in a fictional private charity hospital.-Premise:The show stars Mandy Patinkin as Dr...
and Early EditionEarly EditionEarly Edition is an American television series that aired on CBS from September 28, 1996 to May 27, 2000. Set in the city of Chicago, Illinois, it follows the adventures of a man who mysteriously receives each Chicago Sun-Times newspaper the day before it is actually published, and who uses this...
have filmed scenes in and around the ABLA homes.