The Lathrop, it stands as a powerful symbol of a time when America grappled with housing shortages and urban renewal. You are standing in the heart of one of Chicago’s first public housing projects, a sprawling campus of brick buildings and landscaped courtyards completed in 1938. Designed in a Prairie School style, with touches of Art Moderne and Colonial Revival, it was one of the first projects of the Public Works Administration, built under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Lathrop was named for social reformer Julia Lathrop, an advocate for social justice and housing reform, who believed that everyone deserves a safe and decent place to live.
The development, once a symbol of a new era of public housing, was criticized in its time and later decades for housing segregation policies. The 925 residential units housed mostly white families. The Lathrop, despite its original intention to segregate, later became racially integrated, making it one of the most diverse public housing neighborhoods in Chicago. Now, the Lathrop, revitalized with mixed-income housing, stands as a testament to both the ambition and the challenges of the past.
The project, after facing neglect and challenges associated with crime and gang activity, has recently undergone a remarkable transformation, showcasing architectural preservation and sustainability. The development continues to evolve, with the aim of providing more affordable housing and community spaces for families and individuals of all backgrounds.