Fort Sheridan

The decommissioning of a military base adjacent to Lake Michigan created the opportunity for a large team of developers and architects to rehabilitate existing structures and create a new community within the context of a historic military base. Fort Sheridan was created to house troops near Chicago in the event of continued civil unrest following the Haymarket Riots in 1886. The base design featured officer and enlisted men housing organized around a drill field. Many of the buildings were designed by the firm of Holabird & Roche including the focal backdrop to the drill field and an 800-foot-long barracks centered by an imposing bell tower.
FitzGerald was retained to convert the structure into a series of loft-like apartments and create a parking structure partially below grade at the back of the building. The multifloored two- and three-bedroom units featured open plans, exposed heavy-timber trusses and masonry walls. The exteriors, composed of Cream City brick and Wisconsin limestone, were restored to an original appearance.