Loomis Courts

The Loomis Courts housing project was the third set of projects built within the “ABLA” housing projects cluster that was built between 1938 and 1961.  Construction of the Loomis Courts began in October of 1950 as the second project complex within the ABLA for African Americans only which was a 126 unit mid-rise complex with 2 buildings that were 7 story apartments, this project was completed in 1952.

During the early 1950s while these buildings were being built and opened the Imperial Chaplains and 14th Street Clovers dominated these projects.

In the year 1959, the Vice Lords invaded these buildings and viciously battled the Chaplains and Clovers for dominance of these building, the Vice Lords would succeed.

In the later 1960s the Supreme Gangsters moved into these buildings and battled viciously with Vice Lords.

Just like the neighboring projects in the ABLA complex the Loomis Courts started out in the right direction providing ideal and safe housing in the community in the 1950s and the earlier 1960s.  Starting in the mid-1960s CHA screening became more lax and many criminals and other undesirables were allowed to move in, soon these projects became to fall victim of crime and drugs and by the mid-1970s CHA could no longer budget renovations.

In the year 1981, the Black Gangster Disciples in these buildings became the Black Gangsters (later known as New Breeds) and now only battled Conservative Vice Lords and Traveling Vice Lords for the dominance of the drug trade.

The 1980s and 1990s were the most violent decades in these projects as Conservative Vice Lords, Traveling Vice Lords and New Breeds waged violent drug wars through these buildings.  In the year 2005 these buildings were renovated and still stand today.

These ABLA buildings were nicknamed “The Village,” which is the nickname for all four housing project complexes in the ABLA development.