Related Midwest, the Related Affordable Foundation and Related Affordable Management Company today celebrated the opening of a newly renovated playground at Marshall Field Garden Apartment Homes, a 628-unit affordable housing community in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood.
Related partnered with KABOOM!, a national nonprofit organization focused on ending playspace inequity, to construct the new playground.
On July 23 and 24, volunteers including residents, Related team members and community partners came together to build the playground. Illinois State Sen. Lakesia Collins and State Rep. Yolonda Morris joined the volunteer effort on July 23, working alongside the community to bring the playspace to life. Its completion comes nearly two months after Related and KABOOM! hosted a design day at the community, where children and adult residents shared visions for their dream playspace. These ideas were integrated into the final playground design, ensuring it reflects the unique spirit and needs of the Marshall Field Garden Apartment Homes community.
The effort culminated with a celebratory ribbon-cutting event attended by Related, residents, community members and partners, including representatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), who gathered to mark the official opening of the playspace.
The renovated playground at Marshall Field Garden Apartment Homes marks the seventh successful collaboration between Related, Related Affordable Foundation and KABOOM! at communities across the country. The team last completed a playground build at Southern Hills Orlando, a Related Midwest property in Decatur, Ill., in fall 2022.
Related Midwest previously led a $175 million renovation of Marshall Field Garden Apartment Homes following the firm’s 2016 acquisition of the property, one of the largest affordable housing communities on Chicago’s North Side and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The rehabilitation included the modernization of residences and addition of amenities. It also preserved the affordability of the homes for an additional 30 years.
The Marshall Field Garden Apartment Homes playground is one of more than 17,000 KABOOM! playspaces built or improved nationwide, serving more than 12 million children.All are part of KABOOM!’s ongoing mission to end playspace inequity, a challenge that disproportionately affects children of color and those in underserved communities. Through its “25 in 5 Initiative to End Playspace Inequity,” KABOOM! is accelerating efforts in 25 municipal systems across the United States, striving to ensure all children have equitable access to quality play spaces, so that every child can experience the critical development benefits of having quality places to play.
