Foundation For Homan Square

BUILT IN 1906, THE SEARS ROEBUCK CO INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX WAS ONCE THE LARGEST COMMERCIAL FACILITY IN THE UNITED STATES WITH OVER 3 MILLION SQ FT OF SPACE. IT WAS HOME TO THE ORIGINAL SEARS TOWER BEFORE RELOCATING TO THE WORLDS TALLEST BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO IN THE 1970S. ONCE SEARS MOVED ITS OPERATIONS, 55-ACRES OF ONCE VIBRANT LAND WAS LEFT VACANT. AS THE FORMER ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL HUB OF CHICAGOS WEST SIDE, ITS HISTORIC STATUS WAS RECOGNIZED IN 1978 AND ADDED TO THE NATIONAL HISTORIC REGISTER.BY 1988, REDEVELOPMENT PLANS WERE UNDERWAY IN CONCERT WITH THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. NOW KNOWN AS HOMAN SQUARE, THE HISTORIC SEARS CATALOG FACILITY IS HOME TO A ROBUST COMMUNITY OF 16 NONPROFITS, A RECREATION CENTER, SCHOOLS, A HEALTH CENTER, AND 350 AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, ALL FORMING THE HEART OF A RESIDENTIAL, PRIMARILY BLACK (89%) COMMUNITY OF STRONG LEADERS, PUBLIC SERVICE WORKERS, AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS.THE NONPROFIT, FOUNDATION FOR HOMAN SQUARE (FHS), WAS FORMED IN 1995 TO CARE FOR AND STEWARD THESE COMMUNITY ASSETS. OVER THE YEARS, THE ORIGINAL SEARS TOWER (TOWER) HAS NEEDED EXTENSIVE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR RESTORATIVE WORK. CAPITAL FUNDS WERE RAISED TO COMPLETE THE IMMINENT INTERIOR REPAIRS WHICH WERE CRITICAL TO THE FACILITY BEING HABITABLE. HOWEVER, EXTERIOR REPAIRS ARE BECOMING A SEVERE THREAT TO THE STRUCTURAL STABILITY OF THE BUILDING. THE CITY OF CHICAGOS DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS PERFORMED A CRITICAL EXAMINATION REPORT ON THE EXTERIOR OF THE TOWER AND IDENTIFIED SEVERAL IMMINENT REPAIRS WITHIN A FOUR-YEAR TIMELINE. THE CITY RECOMMENDED THE REPAIRS BE DONE IMMEDIATELY, HOWEVER, EXTENDED THE TIMEFRAME TO ALLOW FOR FUNDRAISING EFFORTS TO BEGIN.CURRENTLY, THE TOWER SERVES AS A COMMUNITY HUB FOR ARTS AND CULTURE EXHIBITIONS, COMMUNITY CONVENING SPACE, FOOD RETAIL, AND NONPROFIT INCUBATION SPACE. WITHOUT IMMINENT RESTORATION, THE TOWER WILL BECOME STRUCTURALLY UNSOUND AND EVENTUALLY UNINHABITABLE. FUNDING FROM SAVE AMERICAS TREASURES WILL ENSURE THIS IMPORTANT HISTORIC TREASURE THAT CREATED AND STILL CREATES A STRONG SENSE OF PLACE AND EMBODIED THE ECONOMIC SPIRIT OF THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY WILL CONTINUE TO SPUR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROSPERITY ON CHICAGOS WEST SIDE.FUNDING FROM SAVE AMERICAS TREASURES ALSO WILL ENABLE THE PLANNED RENOVATION WORK TO BE COMPLETED WITHIN 2 YEARS. THE ORIGINAL FOUR-YEAR TIMELINE RISKS FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR WALLS AND FACILITY AS THERE HAS BEEN EXTENSIVE WATER DAMAGE FROM CRACKED MASONRY AND DETERIORATED WATERPROOFING.GOALS, ACTIVITIES, AND TIMELINE EXTENSIVE RESTORATION OF THE TOWER FAADE INCLUDING RESTORATION OF BRICK MASONRY, TUCKPOINTING,WINDOWSILLS, STONE AND TERRA COTTA ELEMENTS, AND CONCRETE FOUNDATION. WORK WILL BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER 2024 AND PROJECTED TO CONCLUDE BY AUGUST 2026.O OUTCOME: EXTERIOR WORK WILL FURTHER PRESERVE THE HISTORIC INTERIOR ELEMENTS DAMAGED BY WATER PENETRATION FROM THE FAADE.O OUTCOME: FACILITY REMAINS OPEN TO THE COMMUNITY AND 16 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS CONTINUE SERVICES. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF THE INTERIOR ELEVATOR. EXTERIOR DETERIORATION CAUSED WATER PENETRATION IN THEMECHANICAL SYSTEM. ELEVATOR REPAIRS WILL BEGIN IN SEPTEMBER 2024.O OUTCOME: ELEVATOR IS OPERABLE AND ADA COMPLIANT. THE ORIGINAL SEARS TOWER WILL REMAIN A COMMUNITY ASSET FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAS SUFFERED FROM HISTORIC AND SYSTEMIC DISINVESTMENT.O OUTCOME: 16 NONPROFITS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO SPACE TO PROVIDE SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO THE LOCALCOMMUNITY.O OUTCOME: RESTORATION OF THE FACILITY WILL ATTRACT ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT AND COMMERCE.THE TOWER IS CURRENTLY UTILIZED BY HUNDREDS OF MAINLY LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENTS, ARTS EXHIBITIONS, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND LEADERSHIP COUNCILS. THE RESTORATION OF THE TOWER WILL SIGNAL TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT THEY ARE IMPORTANT AND DESERVING OF EQUITABLE INVESTMENT WHILE ALSO ATTRACTING ADDITIONAL BUSINESSES AND SERVICES TO THE AREA