The Belle Shore Apartments

Chicago, Illinois

Constructed in 1928, this 140-unit apartment building was originally designed as studio and one-bedroom apartments for single-working people. Through the years, the property deteriorated due to age and neglect. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. The developer wished to restore the building while still maintaining the mix of studios and one-bedroom apartments as subsidized housing for the working poor. The project scope included: exterior masonry repairs and restoration; window restoration and replacement; new roofing; construction of a new roof-top boiler room; new mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems; new elevators; lobby, corridors and apartment renovations; and creation of new commercial spaces on street level for upscale stores and restaurants.

Completed in 1998.

Awarded the 1999 National Trust/HUD Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation.

Construction cost: $7.5 million