With Chicago pressed for affordable housing, the two-flats have become disposable
CHICAGO, Ilinois — Most of the largest cities in America are the oldest, too. And just about every classic city has its very own signature building. Brooklyn has brownstones outfitted with stoops. Philadelphia has its signature row houses. And, of course, The Windy City has the two-flats.
The legendary two-flats have been around for so long that, chew on this: most were built even before Wrigley Field.
Known for their distinct pre-war architecture, two-flats have been known to inspire delight in many a tourist. After all, in most areas of the country, spotting a two-story home, which, in reality, is an apartment unit on each floor, is a rare sighting indeed.
Because the two-flats were designed for a different place during a different time, similar to dinosaurs — these oversized dwellings appear lost in the mists of time. And just as the dinosaurs and 99 percent of all species to have ever existed went extinct, the same fate appears to be in store for the two-flats.
"Lincoln Park lost 16% of these small residential buildings between 2013 and 2019. In North Center, the losses totaled 14%," according to the Chicago Tribune. Around the city, from the Oakland area to West Englewood, the two-flats are going extinct.
As for why this staple of the Windy City appears on the verge of extinction, again — the laws of nature take effect. "Either evolve or perish" is nature's motto. And quite simply, the two-flats weren't built to evolve with modern times.
"In wealthy areas, they've become single-family homes," Hannah Alani writes. "In poorer neighborhoods, they're now vacant lots."
Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes apparent the divide in how two-flats are adjusted to meet this new environment reflects Chicago's alarming socio-economic divide. After all, Chicago is among the most segregated cities in America.
Of the two-, three- and four-flats recently eliminated, roughly 50 percent have been replaced with a single-family home. And such "makeovers" have occurred primarily in North Side neighborhoods. As expected, these areas — despite the pandemic — saw a boost in household incomes.
On the other hand, of the roughly one-third of the city’s flats converted to vacant land, most have occurred in the South and Westside neighborhoods. Both areas have been hard-hit by population loss and foreclosures.
In short, the slow death of the two-flat boils down to a shortage of roughly 120,000 affordable homes. For this reason, it appears the most economical way to remedy the problem is to say "so long" to Chicago's two-flats — those antique homes of a bygone society.