Can anyone tell me what the strange windowless buildings on the southeast corner of 55th and Woodlawn are for?

Lorrainium,

I have no idea, but from the Google Streetview of it, one can see an old woman standing on a door stoop... it looks like some of the cruelest housing in the city, no windows and the ceiling is as high as the doorframe?

These cant be residences, take a streetview drive around.

Any ideas?

Mike, ForgottenChicago.com Webcrew

They are indeed residences. The entrances and windows face the common area that isn't quite visible from either street.

I did pass by on the bus. I saw mailboxes and dryer vents next to the doors on some of the spaces, so I assumed them to be residences. But no windows? I used Google Earth, it showed a common area, but proved fruitless in viewing the windows. But now that y'all have verified the buildings to be residences, what kind? Why bother with such a dreary structure?

I believe these are public housing for the elderly. They were built on slum-clearance land during Hyde Park's urban renewal period (late 50s, early 60s). They indeed have windows in the rear, facing the courtyard.

However, there are a similar set of private residences in Kenwood which have no windows on the exterior. They do feature an atrium in the center, but you wouldn't know from outside. Check it out in street view: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Chicago+5018+S.+Dorchester&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2008 01:40AM by Serhii.

Yes, they are indeed subsidized elderly housing; they are built on an atrium concept. All the windows face a semi-private patio for quiet, since 55th street is very noisy,as well as to face the sun. I believe that they won an award from the AIA or at least got an honorable mention somewhere. I think I have this reference somewhere. In fact, I think I have the plan of one in a book, but maybe not. I'll have to look up the reference.

The Atrium houses in Madison Park are quite famous; they were designed by Y.C. Wong and have been extensively published. Here's an interior pic;

http://www.chicagobauhausbeyond.org/cbb/past_events/HydeParkTour2005_02/31.html

There won't be residential in Chicago w/out windows ever. Fire code violation that is rigorously enforced.