| Hood(s) | Roseland; |
|---|---|
| Location | 91st Street on the north, 95th Street on the south, Wentworth Avenue on the east, Eggleston Avenue on the west |
| Lifecycle | 1942 – 1943, Construction; |
| Controlling gangs | Black P Stones; Gangster Disciples; |
These projects were built in 1942 and completed in 1943 in the racially conflicting community of Roseland that was having conflicts between blacks and whites. The complex was built as a 128-unit 2 story row house public housing project. The CHA informed Roseland residents that these projects were only meant to temporarily house returning World War II veterans then they were to be sold off to private land lords but that never happened instead these remained CHA buildings despite the protests from Roseland’s white residents until they moved out in the 1970s.
Starting in the late 1970s the further south side began experiencing economic hardships as the majority of industries began closing down which left Roseland in despair as gangs and drug violence began plaguing the community. The Lowden Homes were soon neglected by the CHA and police as they became crime ridden and run down. Gangster Disciples and Black P Stones took over complete control of the projects as violent gang wars ensued. The residents of nearby Princeton Park which was a 75% elderly community by the 1990s petitioned to Chicago police to please patrol the area or allow private security in those projects but this never happened, instead the projects were renovated in the 2000s decade (Chicago Tribune Jon Anderson, September 23, 1998.)