City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development
09/23/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/24/2026 09:15
Youth Center Proposed for Landmark Riverdale Building
Youth Center Proposed for Landmark Riverdale Building
September 23, 2026
312.744.9267
The Shop Building at Altgeld Gardens in Riverdale would be renovated as a $24.3 million community center for youth under a financial proposal introduced to City Council today by Mayor Brandon Johnson.
The By The Hand Club For Kids project at 13122 S. Ellis Ave. would leverage a $7.3 million Community Development Grant to support the building's reuse for youth-oriented development services. The 35,000-square-foot project would provide year-round youth services including workforce exposure, health and wellness resources and after-school programming.
The Shop Building was designed by Chicago architect George Fred Keck and constructed in 1945 to serve as a commercial and organizational hub for the Altgeld Gardens public housing complex.
Also known as the Up Top building, the structure was designated a Chicago landmark by City Council today, based on a Chicago Landmarks Commission recommendation that was introduced to City Council this summer.
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