“Work is underway at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture’s campus to build a garden and educational space.

“The sculpture garden broke ground this month on land previously intended to be the museum’s archives center, which was a controversial project shut down by the city in 2022 and demolished early last year.

“The museum is also set to build a glass atrium, which was approved at last year’s community meeting, to enclose its courtyard so it can be used year-round, adding 6,000 square feet of program space, Ocasio said. The permit should be approved by October, he said.

“A new archives center, the National Boricua Archives and Collections Research Center, is in the works for 2533 W. Division St. and 2537 W. Division St. after being approved by City Council last summer. The museum aims to break ground on that in 2026 and open in 2027. Fundraising for the project is ongoing, Ocasio said.

“The garden and community area was presented to the community late last year and received approval from city officials, the Park District, Preservation Chicago and city and state agencies.

“Native plants reflective of the prairie-style landscape will be put in place in tribute to famed architect Jens Jensen, who designed Humboldt Park’s prairie garden. Jensen served as the park’s superintendent; in the 1890s, he worked out of the stables building that became the museum.” (Parrella-Aureli, Block Club Chicago, 7/21/25)

“The solution also included the retention of the foundation of the illegal building, for possible use for future programming. In addition, Ocasio said he would pursue suggestions made by Preservation Chicago to top off the museum’s courtyard with a glass roof and remove the tent currently used as an event space.

“‘We’re here to help and we want to be your partner,’ said Ward Miller, executive of Preservation Chicago, who declared himself “very pleased with the outcome” of the negotiation. (Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 10/4/23)

Preservation Chicago is thrilled with this outcome. We played a central role in helping to amplify and document this illegal construction. We worked closely with neighborhood partners including Humboldt Park resident Kurt Gippert who launched the Change.org petition, and like-minded organizations including Juanita Irizarry, executive director of Friends of the Parks.

Ward Miller meet with leadership from the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture and their design team to help them try to find a workable way forward. Many of these creative alternative ideas were incorporated and were presented at the public meeting as the path moving forward.

These ideas included the demolition of the partially built cinder-block structure and using the concrete pad as a sculpture garden, create a glass-enclosed courtyard, inspired by the Three-Arts Club, in the historic structure to allow for year-round programing and to eliminate current white tent, and relocating the archive building and use to a nearby location beyond the greenspace of Humboldt Park.

We appreciate Billy Ocasio’s gracious recognition and gratitude to Ward Miller and Preservation Chicago during the public meeting for playing such a constructive role in finding a way to forward.

Read the full story at Block Club Chicago

• “National Puerto Rican Museum’s Outdoor Sculpture Garden, Education Space Coming In September; The space will be able to host everything from poetry and dance workshops to shows, high school field trips and community meetings, museum officials said, Ariel Parrella-Aureli, Block Club Chicago, 7/21/25
• Illegal Building in Humboldt Park Will Be Demolished, Museum Leader Apologizes for ‘Missteps’, Patty Wetli, WTTW Chicago, 10/4/23