SWBR celebrates ground breaking for $13m DePaul Carriage Factory; to transform 73,000 s/f historic building into functional living space

SWBR Architects joined the ground breaking celebration for The DePaul Carriage Factory, a five-story, 71-unit residential apartment building that is a mix of affordable and mental health apartments for DePaul. Construction has begun on the building, which was designed with inspiration from the original historic Cunningham Carriage Factory on Litchfield St. SWBR and its partners at Christa Construction are working to preserve much of the existing 73,000 s/f building in an effort to transform the historic factory into a new, functional living space. The total cost of the project is $13 million. SWBR has designed the project to include a new main ADA accessible, central entry, new doors and windows, new elevators and stairwells, and a centralized community room for the residents. "This project provided a special opportunity for us to memorialize the important manufacturing efforts that took place at this site for nearly 80 years," said Joseph Gibbons, AIA of SWBR Architects. "The James Cunningham name was revered all over the world as makers of high-quality transportation vehicles, from coaches and carriages to airplanes. As we re-purposed this building, we paid special attention to respecting the past while connecting its proposed use to the future."