The historic Carling Hotel located where the Gold Coast meets Old Town has been adaptively reused for affordable housing apartments. The Carling is one of the first buildings to be protected and rehabbed under Chicago’s 2014 SRO Preservation Ordinance. Converted into 80 apartments, the four-story building at 1512 N. LaSalle Street has been fully updated. The $27 million rehab project included the restoration of the building’s historic lobby along with its brick and ornamental terra cotta facade. A restaurant will occupy one of the ground floor commercial spaces.
Designed by architect Edmund J. Meles in 1927, The Carling was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017 as part of the development project. By nominating the building to the National Register of Historic Places, the development was able to take advantage of beneficial historic funding sources and programs. The project was developed by Michaels Development Company with architect Landon Bone Baker.
Preservation Chicago applauds the development team for their efforts in revitalizing this historic building. Additionally, we applaud 27th Ward Alderman Walter Burnett Jr., Mayor Rahn Emanuel, other alderman, and community groups who helped to make the SRO Preservation Ordinance a reality in 2014. This ordnance will help to save and restore SRO’s across the city protecting both the historic buildings and the affordable apartments they provide for decades to come.
Other historic SRO adaptive reuse affordable housing developments underway include the Mark Twain Hotel at 111 W. Division in the Gold Coast and the Art Deco former Lawson House YMCA at 30 W. Chicago Avenue.
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