Landmarks Illinois awards 1212 Larkin for rehabilitation in their 2024 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation awards
1212 Larkin is a thoughtfully designed affordable housing development created around the historic Larkin Center and nearby hospital building. The $3.5 million adaptive reuse project spanning 3.5 acres provides 48 units of housing across the historic buildings and 12 new multifamily buildings. The former Larkin Center operated as an orphanage and social services organization for more than 100 years, with the main building constructed in 1912. The hospital was built in 1926. The National Register-listed Larkin Center was vacated in 2013. The development team behind 1212 Larkin reimagined the long-vacant local landmark, using it as the centerpiece of the 100 percent affordable and supportive housing community. The former Larkin Center and hospital now feature apartments, community rooms, a business center, a fitness center, a library/study room, a computer lab, laundry and storage space. The new multifamily buildings were designed to resemble Elgin’s historic residential architecture, making the development fit seamlessly into the existing landscape. Apartments were also grouped into four-flat buildings and the townhomes were designed to resemble individual single-family residences. The development’s design produces affordable housing that is devoid of stigma.
credit: https://www.landmarks.org/
