RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Chrysler Village, commonly referred to as Lawler Park and located on Chicago's southwest side, is a community of such historical and cultural significance that the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and the United States Department of Interior added it to the National Register of Historic Places in the year 2014; and
WHEREAS, Chrysler Village is a distinct subdivision within the Clearing neighborhood, bordered by South Long Avenue on the west; South Lavergne Avenue on the east; the alley behind West 63rd Street on the north; and West 63rd Street on the south; and
WHEREAS, In 1942, developers Joseph E. Merrion and F.J. Walsh were tasked with building the 64-acre planned community with 700 units in the form of single family homes, duplexes, fourplexes, six-flats, and multi-unit row houses; and
WHEREAS, Designed by architects Harold E. Anderson and H.A. Stahl, the housing stock in Chrysler Village reflects the midcentury Minimal Traditional architectural style characterized by a box form and lack of ornamentation; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of Chrysler Village marked a turning point in the history of housing as a planned community during WWII by establishing a partnership between private developers and the federal government to develop housing for an estimated 30,000 plant workers in wartime industries; and
WHEREAS, Chrysler Village was home to the Dodge Chrysler Defense Plant, a sprawling industrial facility designed to aid in the production of 3,983 B-29 "Superfortress" bombers, the first plane with a pressurized cabin and by far the most sophisticated aircraft of its time; and
WHEREAS, Today, the vast majority of homes in the Chrysler Village community have preserved their unique aesthetic appeal, providing a stark contrast to the bungalows and industrial buildings that were built in the decades following the war; and
WHEREAS, Chrysler Village and the Clearing neighborhood remain a destination for working class families and a symbol of Chi...
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