CHA Fannie Emanuel Apartments

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      The Chicago Housing Authority’s Fannie Emanuel Senior Apartments comprises a complete renovation of an existing 20-story residential building.  The existing building is a concrete frame structure with block and brick cladding. Holabird and Root’s team investigated a number of possibilities for the rehabilitation of the building, including replacing the brick completely or restoring the façade to a water tight condition.  Ultimately, our team discovered that it would be most cost effective to stabilize the existing brick and overclad the building with a new, insulated metal panel skin.  This will create a new weather barrier, add insulation to what is currently a solid block and brick wall, and give us the opportunity to create a contemporary look. In addition to the new façade, the project features completely renovated residential units, a roof garden and laundry/common spaces at the solarium level overlooking the new garden, a new main entry and lobby, and extensive landscaping of the project’s 2.5-acre site.  The site will include new parking, bike storage, rain gardens, and a walking path.