Chatham-Greater Grand Crossing Commercial District District

Address: 19 buildings clustered near the 75th and 79th Street intersections with Cottage Grove Ave. Year Built: 1911 - 1930 Architect: Various Date Designated a Chicago Landmark: October 8, 2008

The Chatham-Greater Grand Crossing Commercial District, named for its location spanning two South-Side community areas, possesses one of the finest-surviving groupings of terra cotta-clad commercial buildings in Chicago. The use of decorative terra cotta for Chicago commercial buildings reached the apex of creativity during the 1920s. Development dates from the 1910s and-20s, during which time commercial buildings were built along Cottage Grove and the major intersecting arterial streets of 75th and 79th. This collection of buildings retains a strong visual prominence today and is a reminder of the days when streetcars encouraged the development of neighborhood shopping districts. The District includes a range of nationally-popular architectural styles from the period, including the Classical, Renaissance, Gothic Revival styles, as well as the Chicago-originated Prairie and Sullivanesque styles.