Chicago Landmarks
 

South Side Community Art Center

Exterior, photo by Bob Thall     Address: 3831 S. Michigan Ave.
Year Built: 1892 - 1893 remodeled in 1940
Architect: Gustav L. Hallberg , Bredendieck & Lerner
Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: June 16, 1994

Doorknob - 1892 section, photo by Bob Thall Built for grain merchant George Seaverns, Jr., this Georgian Revival-style residence (see Colonial Revival) was converted in 1940 for use by the South Side Community Art Center. The building's interior, remodeled at that time, is a rare example of New Bauhaus-style design. The art center, which was established as part of the Works Progress Administration's (WPA) Federal Art Project, has been influential in the development of the city's African-American artists. It is the only continuous survivor of the more than 100 centers established nationwide by the WPA during the 1930s and 40s.