Location

About the neighborhood

ChiArts will be located temporarily at the Douglas school campus for two years. ChiArts will share the campus with John J. Pershing West Middle School. The Douglas campus is in the southern most area of the South Loop in the 2nd ward.

The neighborhood contains one of the few surviving collections of rowhouses on the South Side, dating from the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The housing includes early works by Louis H. Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright (Roloson House).The neighborhood is often referred to as the “GAP,” due to its survival in the midst of other areas that had been cleared for redevelopment in the 1960s. In recent years, the area has undergone substantial rehabilitation, including construction of many new “infill” residences.

About Pershing West Middle School
John J. Pershing West Middle School is a grade 4-8 magnet school with a focus on the humanities. The school was created through the Renaissance 2010 project and academically performs above the district and state testing averages.

Principal Cheryl Watkins is a 2009 winner of the prestigious Milken Educator Award, which is a nation-wide recognition. She is committed to working with ChiArts in making this co-share successful for both schools. The Pershing West school staff includes a Golden Apple winner and a Teacher of Distinction. The school is the first winner of the “Having a Ball” dance program.