South Side Community Arts Center Announces Plans For $15M Renovation and Expansion

Historic South Side Community Arts Center announces plans for $15M renovation and expansion of the country's oldest continuously operating Black Art Hub.

Community Design Unveiling -- February 22, 2025

Exterior view of South Side Community Art Center renovation and addition, at night, from S. Michigan Ave. Courtesy SSCAC & Future Firm.

CHICAGO – The South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC), the country’s oldest, independently run, and continuously operating Black arts institution, today announced its planned rehabilitation and expansion. An official Community Design Unveiling will be held on February 22 at 1:00 pm at Apostolic Faith Church, 3823 S Indiana Ave. SSCAC invites those interested in learning more about the project to attend. SSCAC’s mission is developing and showcasing Black artists at every stage of their careers.

The addition and rehabilitation project is estimated to cost up to $15M. Designed by Future Firm (architect), wrkSHäp | kiloWatt (historic preservation architect), and to be built by a joint venture of general contractors Brown & Momen, Inc. and Berglund Construction, with the advice of URBAN ReSOLVE (development advisor), the project will add over 10,000 square feet of space to the Center, which will expand visitor capacity by 398%, and provide accessibility to people with disabilities. The development team is diverse and local.

The project will expand the Center’s capacity for exhibitions, art practice, research, and community engagement. Upon completion SSCAC will be able to facilitate many more exhibitions and interactions with Black artists while increasing access for community members, researchers, arts administrators, historians, and educators.

Interior view of reception at new entry, with gallery to the right, in proposed addition to the South Side Community Art Center. Courtesy SSCAC & Future Firm.

 

Interior view from entry toward gallery in new addition. Courtesy SSCAC & Future Firm. 

The Center is working closely with the development team, including consultants and contractors, to ensure that the project aligns with SSCAC’s values and advances equity and community-based development opportunities.

Project-enabling work continues over the next few months, with plans to begin construction of the addition and rehabilitation of the historic house later in 2025 and plans to complete the project in late 2026. The rehabilitation and expansion are supported by the City of Chicago, the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Illinois Arts Council, the Driehaus Foundation, Terra Foundation, Mellon Foundation, Commonwealth Edison, the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation (Climate Initiative) as well as other generous private donors.

The rehabilitation and expansion plan utilizes design approaches that honor the building’s historic character while introducing new spaces and upgraded building technology to meet the needs of the next generation of artists and visitors and the Center’s significant on-site archives.

The addition, planned for the rear of the original building, will provide a backdrop to SSCAC’s historic facade, creating a clear dialogue between the past and future. State-of-the-art systems, including a geothermal well field and solar-ready roof, will support the project’s LEED Silver goal, reflecting SSCAC’s commitment to sustainability and efficient operations for decades to come. New museum-grade galleries will provide spaces to preserve and exhibit SSCAC’s collection and loaned works. New flexible classrooms, improved archival storage areas, and updated office spaces will equip the center to support artists, educators, and staff. A rooftop gathering space will provide much-needed event space. A new stepped terrace, evoking the original and iconic front stoop of the Center, will further connect SSCAC to its neighborhood, welcoming Bronzeville residents and visitors alike.

The project will expand and modernize the Center while honoring its rich legacy. The building’s facade will celebrate the pattern of nail holes found in the historic Margaret T. Burroughs Gallery by implementing a custom perforated exterior panel system. Evocative of the nail holes created by previous generations of artists exhibiting in the gallery, the exterior panel system creates a symbolic link to the past while allowing dappled natural light to enter the Center, creating an ethereal space and place to celebrate the work of Black artists for generations to come.

Explore the transformation of the South Side Community Art Center at 3831 S. Michigan Avenue. View highlights of the historic building’s original design by Gustav Hallberg and its renovation, including accessible additions and modern galleries designed by Future Firm. This journey includes interior updates like museum-grade lighting, event spaces, and restored historic areas, blending preservation with bold new features for the community. Courtesy of SSCAC & Future Firm.

“As a little girl growing up in Chicago’s South Side and South Suburbs, I learned about Dr. Margaret Burroughs’ incredible legacy as an SSCAC founder from my parents and maternal grandmother who lived near SSCAC,” said k. kennedy Whiters, RA, principal of wrkSHäp | kiloWatt. “Decades later, as a preservation architect, I am excited to support the SSCAC community in ensuring that the future of its Bronzeville home is a sustainable one that honors its historic fabric and meets the needs of the present and the future.”

“I am thrilled that the City of Chicago has joined the State and many foundations and individuals to make this project a reality,” said Third Ward Alderperson Pat Dowell. “I am also excited that the entire project team is committed to ensuring that this project benefits our community - both during construction and long into the South Side Community Art Center’s future.”

"As a longtime advocate for minority contractors in Chicago, I’m proud this project creates meaningful opportunities for diversity while supporting the cultural growth of the South Side Community Arts Center," said Ernest Brown, President & Founder of Brown & Momen, Inc. "For me, this project represents more than just construction—it’s an opportunity to enrich the cultural fabric of the Bronzeville community,” said Hansel Whiteurst, Senior Vice President of the building division of Berglund Construction. “It’s a privilege to be part of a project that will provide a space for artistic expression and create lasting opportunities for local engagement and growth."

“We are thrilled that after 85 years, we can build on the vision of Margaret Burroughs and so many other artists in our community to create a space that will inspire the next generation of artists, celebrate Black art, and create real impact not only in Bronzeville but across Chicago and beyond,” said Twyler Jenkins, Co-President of the South Side Community Art Center Board.

A glimpse into one of the early gatherings at the home of Dr. Margaret Taylor-Burroughs and her husband, where the vision for the South Side Community Art Center began to take shape, 1938.

As the oldest Black art center in the United States still operating with its original mission in its original location, the SSCAC and Future Firm are working closely with wrkSHäp | kiloWatt to preserve its legacy while creating space to support the artists of the future.
“As a little girl growing up in Chicago’s South Side and South Suburbs, I learned about Dr. Margaret Burroughs’ incredible legacy as an SSCAC founder from my parents and maternal grandmother who lived near SSCAC,” said K. kennedy Whiters, RA, principal of wrkSHäp | kiloWatt. “Decades later, as a preservation architect, I am excited to support the SSCAC community in ensuring that the future of its Bronzeville home is a sustainable one that honors its historic fabric and meets the needs of the present and the future.”

Exhibition view of The Promised Land (2023) in the historic Burroughs Gallery at the South Side Community Art Center.  This photo, captured by Natasha Moustache.

“I am thrilled that the City of Chicago has joined the State and many foundations and individuals to make this project a reality,” said Third Ward Alderperson Pat Dowell. “I am also excited that the entire project team is committed to ensuring that this project benefits our community - both during construction and long into the South Side Community Art Center’s future.”

“As a longtime advocate for minority contractors in Chicago, I’m proud this project creates meaningful opportunities for diversity while supporting the cultural growth of the South Side Community Arts Center,” said Ernest Brown, President & Founder of Brown & Momen, Inc.

“For me, this project represents more than just construction—it’s an opportunity to enrich the cultural fabric of the Bronzeville community,” said Hansel Whiteurst, Senior Vice President of the building division of Berglund Construction. “It’s a privilege to be part of a project that will provide a space for artistic expression and create lasting opportunities for local engagement and growth.”

“We are thrilled that after 85 years, we can build on the vision of Margaret Burroughs and so many other artists in our community to create a space that will inspire the next generation of artists, celebrate Black art, and create real impact not only in Bronzeville but across Chicago and beyond,” said Twyler Jenkins, Co-President of the South Side Community Art Center Board.

The South Side Community Art Center officially opens its doors at 3831 S. Michigan Avenue, a remodeled mansion designed by Gustav Hallberg. The interior, reimagined by New Bauhaus designers Hin Bredendieck and Nathan Lerner, features classrooms, performance spaces, and a gallery furnished by WPA craftsmen, 1940.

PROJECT CREDITS
Builder: Brown & Momen, Inc. + Berglund Construction
Development Advisor: URBAN ReSOLVE
Architect: Future Firm
Historic Preservation Architect: wrkSHäp | kiloWatt
Mechanical, Electrical & Plumbing Engineer, Fire Protection & Sustainability Consultant: dbHMS 
Structural Engineer: Rockey Structures 
Civil Engineer: Engage Civil

 

Membership is More Important Than Ever!

The South Side Community Art Center (SSCAC) is proudly recognized as one of the top places in the U.S. to learn about Black history, according to the New York Times. As we approach our 85th anniversary in 2025, we are thrilled to announce a major transformation. Construction will soon begin on a new 3-story wing, adding gallery space, classrooms, and enhanced accessibility features.

This expansion ensures SSCAC remains a vibrant, safe space for our community, surrounded by art created for us, by us. Your membership is vital in supporting this evolution and maintaining our role as a cultural cornerstone.  Become a Member here

 


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