Altgeld Gardens Shop Building Landmark

At a glance

• What: Ordinance O2026-0027058 designates the Shop Building at Altgeld Gardens, South Ellis Avenue in the 10th Ward (Chico's ward), a Chicago Landmark.
• Why: The Landmarks Commission found it meets five criteria (2-120-620 (1), (3), (4), (5) and (7)). The ordinance describes the building as the commercial center and community hub of Altgeld Gardens, which held a grocery, drug store, tailor, doctor's office and beauty parlor; the site of the Altgeld Gardens Consumer Co-operative from 1945 to 1951, which by 1947 was the largest store of its kind in the country; and, since the late 1960s, a wall of names and messages remembering residents ("Up Top").
• Vote: Passed 50 to 0 on September 23, 2026 after the Zoning Committee (chair Villegas) reported it.

Sources

• City Council journal, September 23, 2026, Volume II: https://chicityclerk.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public-1/reports/2026_09_23%20Journal%20of%20the%20Proceedings%20Vol.%20II.pdf
• Journal pages 50189 to 50195.

Log

2026-09-23 - City Council

Passed 50 to 0.

2026-09-22 - Committee on Zoning, Landmarks and Building Standards

Committee passage (reported to Council September 23).

Committee passed the designation with strong support from a neighboring alderman; tied to a planned youth-center rehabilitation.