Parkway Garden Homes

Last updated

Parkway Garden Apartment Homes
Image Parkway Gardens.jpg
Chicago locator map.png
Red pog.svg
Location6330-6546 South King Drive, Chicago, Illinois
Coordinates 41°46′36″N87°36′59″W / 41.77667°N 87.61639°W / 41.77667; -87.61639
Arealess than one acre
Built1950 (1950)–1955
Architect Henry K. Holsman
Architectural style Modern
NRHP reference No. 11000848 [1]
Added to NRHPNovember 22, 2011

Parkway Gardens Apartment Homes, commonly known as O'Block and formerly Wiiic City, is an apartment complex in the Greater Grand Crossing community area on the border of Woodlawn and Washington Park, on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. [2] The complex was built from 1950 to 1955; architect Henry K. Holsman, who planned several of Chicago's affordable housing developments, designed the Modernist buildings.

Contents

The complex is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and has become one of Chicago's most violent blocks, being the epicenter for crime and gang activity, and serving as a hub for the Black Disciples and the Gangster Disciples. [3] [4]

History

Parkway Gardens Apartment Homes, built from 1950 to 1955, was the last of Henry K. Holsman's many housing development designs in Chicago. Holsman began designing low-income housing in Chicago in the 1910s when an urban housing shortage developed after World War I. He worked on several of the Chicago Housing Authority's major housing projects in the 1930s; later in the decade, he began developing his projects with funding from the Federal Housing Authority. From the 1940s onward, Holsman focused on designing residences for Chicago's African-American citizens, such as his Princeton Park community. [5] [6]

While Chicago's African-American population boomed from 1920 to 1970 due to the Great Migrations, discriminatory housing policies forced African-Americans to live in the "Black Belt" section of the city's South Side, which did not have enough housing to meet demands. After completing the Winchester-Hood and Lunt-Lake Apartments on the North Side, Holsman began work on the similarly designed Parkway Gardens as a return to the South Side African-American community. The complex replaced the White City Amusement Park, which had operated at the site since 1905. Holsman's firm went bankrupt before the complex opened due to unsound financial decisions, one of which resulted in Holsman's conviction for mail fraud. [7]

The complex was the first cooperatively owned African-American housing development in the United States. While Holsman had worked on cooperative housing in the past, its adoption by African Americans was considered a major success for the community. Mary McLeod Bethune gave an address at the development's cornerstone-laying ceremony, which was attended by Governor Adlai Stevenson II, Chicago Mayor Martin H. Kennelly, and both of the state's U.S. Senators. Advocates for affordable housing and civil rights praised the development when it was completed, citing its modern heating and appliances and its expansive units. The complex attracted African-American residents from lower-income backgrounds, early residents included former First Lady Michelle Obama, as well as rappers Chief Keef, King Von, and Fredo Santana. [7] Parkway Gardens shifted from cooperative ownership to HUD management in the 1970s and to private ownership in the 1980s. [8] Following the change in ownership, the property deteriorated because of a lack of investment in modernization and maintenance.

The Chicago affiliate of national real estate firm Related Companies and a major affordable housing and mixed-use developer known for its expertise in preservation projects purchased Parkway Gardens in 2011. The company completed a significant renovation of the property in September 2013, preserving a site with historical significance and providing an affordable place for 2,000 people to live. This renovation of Parkway Gardens received the 2014 Chicago Neighborhood Development Award for Outstanding For-Profit Neighborhood Real Estate Project from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation Chicago. [9]

The complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 22, 2011, for its architectural significance and its role in African-American community development. [1] [7]

Gang activity

From the late-2000s to early 2010s, Parkway was the center of gang shootings mostly amongst teenagers and young adults. Tenants of Parkway and community leaders contested the crime wave that came after CHA demolished the drug-infested Robert Taylor Homes, nicknamed the "Calumet Buildings" which were once located at 6217 S. Calumet Ave. The 28 16-story red-brick project buildings were the base of operations for the Black Disciples gang. In a 2004 Chicago Tribune article it was stated drug dealers in the Robert Taylor Homes were hauling in drug profits as much as $300,000 per day. [10] After the demolition of Robert Taylor Homes in 2006, Black Disciples then shifted their operations to Parkway Gardens which was at the time affordable housing for low-income families and had become Gangster Disciples territory. [11]

In the early 2010s, gang activity skyrocketed and Parkway Gardens became the center of one of Chicago's most violent blocks. The 6400 block of South King Drive was known locally as "WIIIC CITY", [12] but began to be referred to as "O'Block" following the 2011 murder of resident and Black Disciples member Odee Perry. [12] [13] [14] [15] Under this new name, it has become nationally notorious due to former Parkway Gardens residents rappers Chief Keef, King Von, Fredo Santana, and Lil Durk, whose music often references Parkway Gardens and its violence. [16] Between June 2011 and June 2014, Parkway Gardens had the most shootings of any block in Chicago. Many of these shootings occurred in 2011 and 2012, with city police reporting that violence at the complex has since steadily declined. The violence stems mainly from gang rivalries between the Gangster Disciples and Black Disciples, who both control territory near the block. [17]

Architecture

Holsman gave the Parkway Gardens Apartment Homes a Modernist design inspired by European housing projects of the 1920s and 1930s. The complex is low-rise and includes several walk-up buildings, giving it a personal feel at a time when skyscraper housing projects were common. Thirty-five buildings are included in the complex; twenty-four of these are walk-up buildings, while the remaining eleven are eight-story buildings. The development's layout emphasized spaciousness, light, and airflow and pointed entrances toward the inside of the complex rather than the street. Instead of ornamentation, angled bays gave variety to the exteriors, a feature inspired by German "zig-zag houses". The few decorative elements, which include cantilevered balconies and ribbon windows, are typical of Modernist buildings. [7]

Former resident and rapper King Von's first studio album was titled Welcome to O'Block, and a single which is featured on the album is titled "Took Her To The O" which is a reference to the homes.

Notable residents

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabrini–Green Homes</span> Public housing development in Chicago

Cabrini–Green Homes are a Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) public housing project on the Near North Side of Chicago, Illinois. The Frances Cabrini Rowhouses and Extensions were south of Division Street, bordered by Larrabee Street to the west, Orleans Street to the east and Chicago Avenue to the south, with the William Green Homes to the northwest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Taylor Homes</span> Former public housing development in Chicago, Illinois, United States

Robert Taylor Homes was a public housing project in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois from 1962 to 2007. The largest housing project in the United States, it consisted of 28 virtually identical high-rises, set out in a linear plan for two miles, with the high-rises regularly configured in a horseshoe shape of three in each block. It was located along State Street between Pershing Road and 54th Street, east of the Dan Ryan Expressway. The project was named for Robert Rochon Taylor (1899–1957), an African-American activist and the first African American chairman of the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA). It was a part of the State Street Corridor which included other CHA housing projects: Stateway Gardens, Dearborn Homes, Harold Ickes Homes, and Hilliard Homes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Park (community area), Chicago</span> Community area in Chicago

Washington Park is a community area on the South Side of Chicago which includes the 372 acre (1.5 km2) park of the same name, stretching east-west from Cottage Grove Avenue to the Dan Ryan Expressway, and north-south from 51st Street to 63rd. It is home to the DuSable Museum of African American History. The park was the proposed site of the Olympic Stadium and the Olympic Aquatics Center in Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roseland, Chicago</span> Community area in Chicago

Roseland is one of the 77 official community areas of Chicago, Illinois, located on the far south side of the city. It includes the neighborhoods of Fernwood, Princeton Park, Lilydale, the southern portion of West Chesterfield, Rosemoor, Sheldon Heights and West Roseland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greater Grand Crossing, Chicago</span> Community area in Chicago

Greater Grand Crossing is one of the 77 community areas of Chicago, Illinois. It is located on the city's South Side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nickerson Gardens</span> Public housing complex in Los Angeles, California, United States

Nickerson Gardens is a 1,066-unit public housing apartment complex at 1590 East 114th Street in Watts, Los Angeles, California. Nickerson Gardens is the largest public housing development in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Obama</span> First Lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017

Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is an American attorney and author who served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, being married to Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Keef</span> American rapper (born 1995)

Keith Farrelle Cozart, better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago's South Side, he began his recording career as a teenager and initially garnered regional attention and praise for his mixtapes in the early 2010s. Cozart is often credited with popularizing the hip hop subgenre drill for mainstream audiences, and is considered a progenitor of the genre.

Tavares Lamont Taylor, known professionally as Lil Reese, is an American rapper. Hailing from Chicago's drill scene in the early 2010s, he is known for his collaborations with Chief Keef, Fredo Santana, and Lil Durk. In 2012, Taylor was featured on Chief Keef's single "I Don't Like", which peaked at number 73 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaked at number 20 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and peaked at number 15 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. His debut mixtape, ‘Don't Like’ was released later that year. Since the first mixtape release, Taylor has gone on to release six mixtapes in total, including the 2013 ‘Supa Savage’ mixtape, as well as three EPs, including the 2017 collaborative project ‘Supa Vultures’ EP with Lil Durk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fredo Santana</span> American rapper (1990–2018)

Derrick Antonio Coleman, known professionally as Fredo Santana, was an American rapper. The older cousin of rapper Chief Keef, Santana began recording music in 2011, releasing a series of mixtapes throughout 2012 and 2013.

Drill is a subgenre of hip-hop music that originated in Chicago in the early 2010s. It is sonically similar to the trap music subgenre and lyrically similar to the gangsta rap subgenre. Early drill artists are noted for their explicit, confrontational style of lyricism and association with crime in Chicago, especially the Black Disciples and Gangster Disciples. The genre progressed into the American mainstream in 2012 following the success of pioneering rappers like Chief Keef, Lil Reese, Lil Durk, Fredo Santana, G Herbo, Lil Bibby and King Louie, who had many local fans and a significant internet presence alongside producer Young Chop. Other rappers, such as Lil JoJo, FBG Duck, S. Dot, Edai, L'A Capone, RondoNumbaNine, SD and producer Leek-E-Leek also contributed to the early drill scene. Chief Keef, in particular, is considered the primary progenitor and popularizer of drill music, responsible for bringing it to the mainstream. The growing fanbase sparked major label interest, leading to deal negotiations and signings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Keef discography</span>

The discography of American rapper Chief Keef consists of five studio albums, four extended plays, forty mixtapes, and twenty-eight singles. Chief Keef released his first studio album Finally Rich in 2012, which contained several successful singles, including "I Don't Like", "Hate Bein' Sober", and "Love Sosa". The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 on the Billboard Rap chart. In 2013, he was featured on several hit songs by other rappers. In 2014, he released his mixtape Back from the Dead 2, which was critically acclaimed. In 2015, he was featured on Travis Scott's debut album Rodeo on the song "Nightcrawler". He later released the album Bang 3 in two parts. Following this Chief Keef decided go on a one-year hiatus. In 2017, he released three mixtapes and then released the album Dedication. He then released more mixtapes in 2018. In 2019, he released his collaborative album with Zaytoven called GloToven which has a sole feature from Lil Pump. He then went on a hiatus for around 2 years, to return with his fourth album 4NEM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barack Obama Presidential Center</span> Planned library in Chicago, Illinois

The Barack Obama Presidential Center is a planned museum, library, and education project in Chicago to commemorate the presidency of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States. The center will also include community and conference facilities and will house the nonprofit Obama Foundation. Construction on the 19.3-acre (7.8 ha) campus began in 2021, the tower topped out in mid-2024, and the center is expected to open in the first half of 2026.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Durk</span> American rapper (born 1992)

Durk Devontay Banks, known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper. Regarded as a pioneering artist in the Chicago-based hip hop subgenre drill music, he has been noted as one of the subgenre's most commercially successful rappers. He initially garnered local success with the release of his Signed to the Streets mixtape series (2013–2014), which led to him to sign with Def Jam Recordings. The label released his debut studio album, Remember My Name (2015), and its follow-up, Lil Durk 2X (2016), to moderate commercial reception before parting ways with the rapper in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">6ix9ine</span> American rapper (born 1996)

Daniel Hernandez, known professionally as 6ix9ine and also as Tekashi 6ix9ine or Tekashi69, is an American rapper. His music has been marked by an aggressive style of rapping, while his controversial public persona is characterized by his distinctive rainbow-colored hair, many tattoos, extensive history of legal issues, social media "trolling", and publicized celebrity feuds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King Von</span> American rapper (1994–2020)

Dayvon Daquan Bennett, known professionally as King Von, was an American rapper and gangster from Chicago, Illinois, who was affiliated with the Black Disciples gang. He was considered a preeminent figure in the drill genre.

<i>Welcome to OBlock</i> 2020 studio album by King Von

Welcome to O'Block is the debut studio album by American rapper King Von to be released during his lifetime. It was released on October 30, 2020 by Only the Family and Empire Distribution. Welcome to O'Block was released a week prior to King Von's murder on November 6, 2020, after the album's official release party. The project features chief production from Chopsquad DJ, and other producers including Hitmaka, Tay Keith and Wheezy; guest appearances include Polo G, Lil Durk, Dreezy, Moneybagg Yo, Fivio Foreign and Prince Dre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Took Her to the O</span> 2020 single by King Von

"Took Her to the O" is a song by American rapper King Von released on February 21, 2020, through labels Only the Family and Empire representing the third and last single extracted from his debut album Levon James (2020). The song was written by Von and Chopsquad DJ, with the latter solely producing the beat. The song is among Von's most popular. The song is a drill track. The song received positive reviews from music critics, with many praising it for the detail-rich approach to storytelling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gleesh Place</span> 2020 single by King Von

"Gleesh Place" is a song by American rapper King Von. It was released on October 23rd, 2020, as the fifth single from Von's debut studio album Welcome to O'Block released the subsequent October 30th, 2020. The song represents the number eight on the album tracklist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil JoJo</span> American rapper and gangster

Joseph J. Coleman, known professionally as Lil JoJo, was an American rapper and gangster from Chicago, Illinois, who garnered distinction in Chicago's early drill music scene. He was affiliated with a faction of the Gangster Disciples that is a rival of factions of the Black Disciples. He rose to prominence in the local drill scene with his single 3HunnaK and its accompanying music video, which was a diss song to rival members that exacerbated already hostile intergang disputes. Amidst that time period of escalating feuding and heightening tension, Coleman was killed in a drive-by shooting in Chicago at the age of 18.

References

  1. 1 2 "Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 11/21/11 Through 11/25/11". National Park Service. Archived from the original on December 4, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  2. ↑ TRD Staff (2021-04-30). "Related lists 694-unit Parkway Gardens complex for sale". The Real Deal. Archived from the original on 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2024-06-01.
  3. ↑ "The most dangerous block in Chicago, once home to Michelle Obama: 'O block'". Chicago Sun-Times. 2014-11-02. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  4. ↑ "O Block member admits lying to FBI to avoid testifying in FBG Duck murder trial". Chicago Sun-Times. 2023-11-30. Archived from the original on 2024-01-06. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  5. ↑ Ford, Tanisha C. (Oct 29, 2021). "The History of Parkway Gardens, a Bucolic Haven for Middle-Class Black Families". Town & Country. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2024-11-09. Retrieved 2024-11-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. 1 2 3 4 Ramsey, Emily (February 15, 2011). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Parkway Garden Homes" (PDF). National Park Service. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 4, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  8. ↑ Evans, Maxwell. "With Parkway Gardens Up For Sale, Officials Hope New Owners Can Revive City's First Black-Owned Housing Cooperative". Block Club Chicago. Archived from the original on November 9, 2024. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Preserving Affordable Housing at Parkway Gardens in Chicago | HUD USER". Archived from the original on 2022-10-05. Retrieved 2022-10-05.
  10. ↑ "U.S. Hits drug empire". Chicago Tribune . 14 May 2004. Archived from the original on 2022-10-04. Retrieved 2022-10-04.
  11. ↑ "CHA Land Remains Vacant for over a Decade (Commentary) | We the People Media | Residents' Journal". 23 June 2011. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  12. 1 2 Main, Frank (November 2, 2014). "'O Block': the most dangerous block in Chicago, once home to Michelle Obama". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on August 8, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  13. ↑ Meisner, Jason (January 17, 2024). "O-Block gang members convicted in killing of rapper FBG Duck in Gold Coast". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on August 26, 2024. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  14. ↑ Lee, William (August 11, 2011). "Man, 20, fatally shot near South Side housing complex". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on August 26, 2024. Retrieved August 26, 2024.
  15. ↑ Patton, Desmond U.; Pyrooz, David; Decker, Scott; Frey, William R.; Leonard, Patrick (September 2019). "When Twitter Fingers Turn to Trigger Fingers: a Qualitative Study of Social Media-Related Gang Violence". International Journal of Bullying Prevention. 1 (3): 205–217. doi:10.1007/s42380-019-00014-w.
  16. ↑ Main, Frank (October 31, 2014). "The most dangerous block in Chicago". Chicago Sun-Times . Archived from the original on November 2, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  17. ↑ John Eligon (December 22, 2016). "Bored, Broke and Armed: Clues to Chicago's Gang Violence". The New York Times. Retrieved December 23, 2016.
  18. ↑ Evans, Maxwell (August 18, 2021). "King Von Mural Near Parkway Gardens Sparked Debate, Threats And Harassment. Now, Neighbors To Vote On Its Fate". Block Club Chicago . Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  19. ↑ M., D. (29 January 2024). "Which Rappers Are From Chicago's O-Block?". BLEUMAG. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  20. ↑ Rosemary Regina Sobol, Chief Keef pays $531 to settle speeding ticket Archived 2017-07-29 at the Wayback Machine , Chicago Tribune (July 30, 2016): "his former home in the Parkway Gardens apartment complex on the South Side."
  21. ↑ Garvey, Meaghan (2018-01-21). "Fredo Santana's Honest Rhymes Fueled Chicago's Drill Movement and Influenced a Generation". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  22. ↑ Main, Frank (November 2, 2014). "'O Block': the most dangerous block in Chicago, once home to Michelle Obama". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved November 27, 2023.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.