The South Chicago community joined with Mayor Lightfoot, U.S. Representative Robin Kelly, and 10th Ward Alderwoman Susan Sadlowski Garza to celebrate the formal opening of a renovated senior affordable apartment building and its new community center in a building preserved by two Chicago nonprofits.
Built 93 years ago for the YMCA, the property at 3039 East 91st Street served as the Southeast side’s community and athletic center and provided low-income affordable housing. When the building was put up for sale, many feared that the critical community asset would be lost. Instead, the building was purchased and renovated by a partnership between two of Chicago’s most respected advocates for community development and affordable housing advocates – the South Chicago-based Claretian Associates and Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), the Chicago affiliate of one of the nation’s pre-eminent housing preservation organizations.
The $29 million renovated building is now home to the 40,000 square foot Salud Center operated by the Claretian Associates and 101 affordable senior apartments updated and improved by POAH. Upgrades to the building included modernizing apartments, replacing heating and cooling systems with energy efficient mechanicals, installation of a new roof and landscaping and repurposing of the non-residential portion of the building as the Salud community Center.
“Claretian Associates has worked tirelessly to renew the Salud Center for the South Chicago community,” said Angela Hurlock, Executive Director of the Claretian Associates. “When we were first approached about the building’s closing, many residents and community members encouraged us to do our best to ensure its long-term affordability and to restore its community center. That’s when we began to engage with POAH to create a partnership that would benefit South Chicago and our most valuable assets – our residents.”
Financial assistance for the acquisition and renovation was provided by the use of Low-Income Housing Tax Credits tax-exempt bonds and a $1 million loan from the Illinois Housing Development Authority, and a $4.65 million loan from the City of Chicago Department of Housing, as well as private financing from the Low-Income Investment Fund, CREA and R4 Capital. The funding sources ensure the affordability of the rental apartments for the next 40 years. The property is also supported by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through a Section 8 rental assistance contract.
The property’s construction was led by Skender Construction, with design by the architecture firms of Canopy Architects and Architrave.
