Revitalizing Chicago’s Last Standing Jane Addams Homes Building
At Roosevelt Square, a single historic structure carries the weight of nearly a century of lived experience. The former Jane Addams Homes, once part of one of the nation’s earliest public housing developments, now stands renewed as the home of the National Public Housing Museum and 15 mixed-income residences. This project, led in partnership with the National Public Housing Museum and Related Midwest, called for a design approach that honored collective memory while creating a vibrant place for community life.
The challenge centered on transforming a long-vacant, culturally significant building into a contemporary mixed-use destination without diminishing the authenticity that defines it. The museum sought a space that could elevate the voices and stories of public housing residents across the United States. At the same time, the site needed housing that would contribute to a diverse, thriving neighborhood.
This balance between preservation and reinvention shaped every design decision.
HED approached the project with a focus on listening, collaboration, and respect for the building’s original character. Working closely with Related Midwest, LBBA, and the National Public Housing Museum, the team restored the masonry façade, reestablished historic window profiles, and retained original signage that anchors the building in its 1930s context. These exterior elements set the tone for a rehabilitation that strengthens the building’s presence in the community while preparing it for new uses.
Inside, roughly 60 percent of the building now supports the National Public Housing Museum, a dynamic cultural venue dedicated to storytelling, dialogue, and shared understanding. The remaining area includes 15 thoughtfully designed mixed-income apartments that bring the structure back into daily use. These units blend the texture and rhythm of the historic building with the comfort and functionality expected in contemporary housing.
Across both program components, the design team balanced restoration with modernization. Renovated interiors, upgraded systems, and a strengthened building core support long-term performance and accessibility. By coordinating disciplines early and moving through decisions together, the team delivered a smart, cohesive solution that responded to the client’s goals with clarity and care. This collaborative approach, rooted in HED’s integrated design philosophy, reduced friction, supported consensus, and created steady momentum from the outset.
Today, the building stands as both a physical and cultural anchor within Roosevelt Square. It offers a welcoming home for a museum that amplifies narratives often overlooked, and it provides housing that reconnects the site to neighborhood life. The project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can advance equity, strengthen community identity, and extend the life of cherished structures. It positions the National Public Housing Museum and Related Midwest to continue shaping conversations about housing, history, and belonging, while giving Chicago a renewed landmark rooted in legacy and built for the future.