I totally forgot yesterday was Wednesday and had been saving this to post for bww (black & white Wednesday). I love showing off the architecture of our wonderful city of Chicago, but thought this was an important shot to include at some point. This is the only standing building of a set of housing projects that had existed just a few blocks from our house when we first moved here. The others have been replaced over the past 10 years with mixed income row houses, though mixed income is not really accurate as they would be unaffordable to most low-income families. As part of the negotiations for demolition and displacement of probably hundreds of low income families, the city agreed to convert and restore one building to serve as a museum to Chicago's botched housing projects. No surprise, while the building has survived, we've seen no movement to actually create the museum. While I love our city, this is a side to it that makes me less proud -- though I suspect poverty and how to respond is a concern around the world, with no straightforward solutions.
I think I've figure out a way to move this to Wednesday in the editing section -- just switching dates with the one currently there. Will try tonight.
Love the choice(s) in processing, it gave me a great impact when viewing. By just viewing I could sense the negative story behind the photo. A detail of interest to me is the fence which gave the impression of jail. Excellent.
You really get the feel of the mood with the b/w and the dramatic sky. Interesting story and hopefully one day you will be walking the halls of a museum.
Wonderful atmospheric B&W image Taffy!! Lets hope that one day soon they will do what they promised and make this into a museum. Fabulous sky too - Fav!!
Wow, I hadn't realized they were doing this. When we lived downstate, everything revolved around Chicago like it was a city-God that could do no wrong.
Wonderfully captured... If you ever get shots of the Hull House, please send my way. When I teach the Progressive Era, it is one of the areas I highlight most. Thanks!
@3rdxoff Happily!! Hull House sits on the eastern rim of our campus and UIC has the Jane Adams School of Social Work. I'll take a photo this spring -- it's quite a legacy. My aunt worked there just out of college.
@momzo Cabrini Green has been largely razed as of about 5 years ago and now is a 'new' neighborhood of middle and higher income condos with a huge shopping area being built -- kind of the western edge of what is labeled Lincoln Park. That area is a few miles north of where we are.
I don't even know how to put into words what I feel about this photo. It's a fav certainly and yet it makes me very sad. You've certainly captured the feeling of despair that I'm sure a lot of these families felt. And @rellimdj is absolutely right about the fence giving everything a jail like feel. I'm really confused, and then not seeing as it's the government of Chicago, by the concept of "museum dedicated to the housing projects". Do they not realize that housing projects, while a large part of Chicago's history, aren't something to be celebrated? I don't know, just kind of gives me the willies. Ironically, my sister who still lives in Chicago, was telling my parents the other day about her shopping at Target where Cabrini Green used to be.
@mej2011 You have nailed it on many levels re the situation about housing here. The museum is NOT a celebration one, which is why I suspect it's been hard to fund and make progress on. Rather, the agreement was to show just how misguided the warehousing of people has been. Cabrini Green were high-rise buildings like many of the projects. Taylor Street Homes were these low rise ones. Neither was successful at helping support people as a way to moving up. They became dead ends. So the museum is supposed to be a way to 'never forget' the mistake of these CHA sites.
Wow, I love the photo and the story. I think nearly every city in the world has a story like this, but not on this scale. I love the architecture of Chicago too, I have only been there once but it left a great impression on me. Thank you for sharing.
I love the processing and the darkness- the mood. I didn't realize they were going to make a museum. It would sure be an interesting one, but as you said I can see why it hasn't happened yet. With Chicago's more recent history, we'll be lucky if the building isn't bulldozed in the middle of the night to make way for some pet project
The processing, drama and darkness this shot portraits Taffy makes one feel sad and depressed that this building is just sitting here but on the other hand it is great for photography. Nice work.
@radiogirl Thanks so much! And yes, last year someone started black and white wednesday -- so just tag it bww if you start participating and you can see others as well that way by going to the tag.
A museum to honor their botched housing project job? Really. Or are you speaking tongue in cheek? Haha This is great in b and w! Good idea to save it for today.
@espyetta I should have made it clear...the 'powers that be' were not the ones pushing for a museum, but rather those who lived in the neighborhood and were being forced out. They thought that there should be something public, rather than tearing down all the evidence and letting people forget this historical fact of how the poor and needy, and largely African American and other non-white groups, were treated. So museum in the sense of one to make sure no one forgets, not a museum to honor anything. My cynicism leads me to believe that is why it hasn't happened yet. By not putting funds into it, the city can delay indefinitely. It's been about 8 years so far!
Lovely composition and processing, Taffy. My first impression was that it is a bit dark, but after reading the story, I know why! The dark, high contrast processing and dramatic clouds really strengthens the feeling of neglect, waste and lack of purpose. Well done!
Oh, I have such mixed feelings about this! Your photograph is indeed beautiful, and it does convey that sense of blight, alienation, isolation, and stigma that was associated with these projects. I certainly hope that the displaced residents were given a better chance at life because these environments were not conducive to a healthy existence. They were really failed urban and social experiments for the most part, so usually there is not much to celebrate about them (unless, of course, you are telling me that this used to be a vibrant low income community that was destroyed in the name of gentrification). The money (unless it has been appropriated) is best spent assisting in the relocation. Yes, I am a cynic when it comes to stuff like that...
I'm sure there are museums for debotchery but botched housing projects. That's different. This pic seems very bleak with the heavy clouds and stark tree. Definitely send a message.
Great b&w!!
Is every Wed b&w day
Fav