Center on Halsted
- Architecture
- Commercial
- Cultural
- Building Envelope
- Cultural Resources
- Sustainable
As part of the project’s design team, McGuire Igleski worked to document and restore the historic architectural terra cotta and brick facade. The masonry components were carefully dismantled and reconstructed to repair deteriorated conditions and incorporated into a new community center. Archival research allowed for the accurate replication of missing historic masonry elements and the design of new windows that match the original configuration. The restoration was an integral part of a larger 175,000-square-foot LEED-certified community center designed by the Gensler team, which sensitively integrated the historic façade as the centerpiece of the new development.
Photos: Leslie Schwartz Photography
Chicago, Illinois
Center on Halsted
55,000 SF
Gensler
Located in the heart of Chicago’s Lakeview Community Area, the Center on Halsted is the Midwest’s most comprehensive community and advocacy center dedicated to advancing community and securing the health and well-being of local LGBTQ+ people. The historic building, designed by David Saul Klafter and built in 1924, was originally the Sexauer Garage. It is noteworthy for its polychromatic terra cotta, particularly the winged wheel motif that illustrates the building’s original use.