“Mayor Brandon Johnson recently joined Chicago DOH Commissioner Lissette Castañeda, Gorman & Company, the Phoenix Foundation and community partners to celebrate the ribbon cutting of the Charles Earle School Apartments. Located at the southeast corner of S. Hermitage Ave and W. 61st St, the former Charles Warrington Earle School was built in 1897 and served Chicago students until its closure in 2014.

“Planned by developer Gorman & Company, the development has adaptively reused the school building, converting it into 50 units of affordable housing with 50 parking spaces.

“Designed by local firm Beehyyve, the 1974 portion of the building was demolished, with the rest of the school rehabbed. The historic school building had its exterior cleaned and new windows were installed to enclose the facade.

“The Phoenix Foundation will provide residents with access to on-site supportive services for individuals and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness. The development includes a community room, computer lab, exercise room, playground, community garden, green space and on-site property management.

“The $34.9 million development was supported by $4.2 million in TIF funding and $540,000 in Chicago Recovery Plan Permanent Supportive Housing funding granted by the Chicago Department of Housing. Additional financing was provided through the Illinois Housing Development Authority, Federal Home Loan Bank’s Affordable Housing Program, ComEd energy incentives, private financing, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity, and federal and state Historic Tax Credit equity.” (Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 9/2/26)

“Designed in the Renaissance Revival style by Chicago school board architect William August Fiedler in 1897, with a 1900 addition by William Bryce Mundie, the Earle School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. That historic designation made the building eligible for federal and state historic tax credits, which helped fund the conversion.

“The redevelopment team demolished an unsalvageable 1974 auxiliary wing while restoring the original brick structure, and converted the old school gymnasium into an indoor sports court for residents.” (Sheffield, Hoodline, 8/27/26)

“‘My father was actually a teacher; he passed away 20-something years ago. So I kind of look at this as a gift from him,’ Peters said.

“‘These 50 apartments will be for residents who are earning less than $50,000 if they’re on their own or less than $73,000 a year if they are a family of four,’ said Lisette Castaneda, commissioner of the Department of Housing.” (ABC7 Chicago, 8/26/26)

Preservation Chicago applauds Gorman & Company, the Phoenix Foundation, the Chicago Department of Housing and the West Englewood community on the reopening of the Charles Warrington Earle School. We have advocated for the adaptive reuse of this building, and it is deeply gratifying to see it occupied again.

William August Fiedler’s 1897 Renaissance Revival schoolhouse, enlarged in 1900 by William Bryce Mundie, is among the finest buildings in West Englewood. It sat vacant for twelve years after Chicago Public Schools closed it in 2014, one of nearly fifty schools shuttered in a single wave.

The financing deserves particular attention. Listing on the National Register of Historic Places made the project eligible for federal and state Historic Tax Credits, which contributed $6.8 million toward the $34.9 million cost. Historic designation is often characterized as an obstacle to development. Here it was the instrument that made the development possible.

Dozens of closed Chicago public schools remain vacant, most of them on the South and West Sides, and most of them substantial masonry buildings of real architectural quality. The Earle School demonstrates what is achievable. Preservation Chicago encourages the City, Chicago Public Schools and the development community to pursue this model for the shuttered schools that remain, and we encourage National Register listing wherever these buildings qualify.

Read the full story at Urbanize Chicago

• Ribbon cutting celebrated for Charles Earle School Apartments; The shuttered school at 6121 S. Hermitage is now 50 apartments, Lukas Kugler, Urbanize Chicago, 9/2/26
• Shuttered Englewood School Reborn as 50 Apartments After 12-Year Wait, Damon R. Sheffield, Hoodline, 8/27/26
• Former Charles Warrington Earle School in Englewood repurposed as affordable housing, ABC7 Chicago, 8/26/26
• City Council approves affordable adaptive reuse at 6121 S. Hermitage; Urbanize Chicago
• WIN: Historic Earle Elementary School to be Adaptively Reused for Affordable Housing; Preservation Chicago