Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) CEO Lynn Osmond today announced the neighborhoods and sites for this year’s Open House Chicago (OHC) architecture festival and for the first time ever‎ Englewood is among the 20 community areas hosting sites this year. This free public event offers behind-the-scenes access to many areas that are rarely, if ever, open to the public.

“Open House Chicago gives everyone the opportunity to access hidden gems and learn about the incredible places and spaces that define our City,” said Mayor Emanuel. “The City of Chicago is synonymous with architectural innovation, and the Chicago Architecture Foundation's plans for this year prove our rich architectural history ‎extends to every neighborhood."

For the first time, Englewood is among the 20 community areas hosting sites this year. This announcement builds on recent investments coming to Englewood, including Whole Foods and the relocation of the Department of Fleet and Facility Management headquarters to spur economic development on the South Side.

On October 15-16, residents and visitors alike can visit restricted and uncommonly seen areas of theaters, historic mansions, private clubs, sacred spaces, skyscrapers, professional offices, among others.

“Open House Chicago is such a special event in the way that it showcases the city’s culturally rich communities and encourages locals and visitors to explore new neighborhoods,” said Lynn Osmond, President and CEO of CAF. “OHC does more than open the public’s eyes to Chicago’s world-renowned architecture. It’s an event that raises awareness to the wider community of the role design plays in creating a vibrant and livable city. Chicago is a world-class city and as an organization that strives to inspire people to discover why design matters, CAF looks forward to inviting the public to experience this urban environment in a completely novel way.”

Last year, the fifth annual OHC event attracted more than 85,000 guests that represented 90 countries and all 50 states, generating an economic impact of $7.9 million for Chicago.

The Yale Apartments, 6565 South Yale Avenue, is a landmark featuring suspended walkways and a sky-lit atrium. It is one of the sites in Englewood and will be open to the public during the OHC weekend.

OHC invites visitors to take self-guided visits throughout the following Chicago neighborhoods and surrounding areas:

Bridgeport / Back of the Yards
Bronzeville
Downtown
Edgewater
Englewood
Evanston
Garfield Park / North Lawndale
Gold Coast/Near North Side
Hyde Park
Jefferson Park / Portage Park
Lakeview
Lincoln Park
Near West Side
Oak Park
South Loop / Prairie Avenue
Rogers Park
South Shore
Ukrainian Village
West Town
Uptown/Ravenswood

Using a printed event guide or openhousechicago.org, OHC guests can select the sites and neighborhoods they want to explore and create their own self-guided experiences.
OHC 2016 features more than 200 sites, including:

The Yale Building Colvin House
Stony Island Arts Bank Wood Street Farm
Nichols Tower (original Sears Tower) Columbia Yacht Club
1807 W. Sunnyside (Airstream Trailer) The New Regal Theater

For a complete list of participating sites, visit www.openhousechicago.org. Get the latest news and fun facts about OHC too by following Chicago Architecture Foundation on Facebook (facebook.com/chiarchitecture) and Twitter (@chiarchitecture). You can also sign up to receive the OHC newsletter for updates on venues and the latest information on special programming.

Access to OHC sites is free and does not require a reservation, but participants are encouraged to sign up to receive event newsletters and last-minute announcements. Sites will accept visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition to free access, OHC offers activities in various sites all weekend long, including cultural performances, lectures, workshops and more.

Become a CAF member at architecture.org to receive a “CAF Member Priority Access Pass” which grants you preferred access to OHC sites. Similar to last year’s event, there are a select handful of Members-Only Sites. Consider volunteering over the weekend. It’s fun, easy and provides special benefits including priority access to all OHC sites!

OHC is a celebration of Chicago’s neighborhoods and communities. The community partners helping make OHC 2015 happen are: 47th Ward Alderman Ameya Pawar’s Office, 48th Ward Alderman Harry Osterman’s Office, Archdiocese of Chicago, Bronzeville Area Residents and Commerce Council, Building Owners and Managers Association, Chicago Loop Alliance, Chicago Park District, Chicago’s North Shore Convention & Visitors Bureau, City of Evanston, Design Evanston, Downtown Evanston, Edgewater, Chamber of Commerce, Edgewater Historical Society, Evanston Chamber of Commerce, Evanston Community Foundation, Evanston History Center, Foundation for Homan Square, Glessner House Museum, Greater Englewood Community Development Corporation, Jefferson Park Chamber of Commerce, Lakeview Chamber of Commerce, Magnificent Mile Association, Northwest Chicago Historical Society, Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation, Pleasant Home Foundation, Public Media Institute, Quad Communities Development Corporation, Rogers Park Business Alliance, Rogers Park/West Ridge Historical Society, Six Corners Association, South East Chicago Commission, South Shore Chamber, Inc., Theater Historical Society of America, Ukrainian Village Neighborhood Association, Uptown United, Visit Oak Park, West Loop Community Organization

OHC is presented by the James S. Kemper Foundation. Additional support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts and ComEd. OHC partners include Choose Chicago, the Chicago Transit Authority, Divvy and Open House Worldwide. Media sponsors include the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Magazine and WBEZ. Oak Park’s participation in Open House Chicago is sponsored by Vantage Oak Park.

Open House Chicago is part of the worldwide Open House movement and modeled after popular programs in 32 cities, including New York, London, Vienna, Oslo and Tel Aviv.

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The Chicago Architecture Foundation (CAF) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring people to discover why design matters. As an education leader in design, architecture and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), CAF offers tours, programs, exhibitions, field trips, curricula and online tools that are part of a dynamic learning journey for all ages. Proceeds from CAF’s tours and gift shop support this educational mission. For more information, visit architecture.org or call 312.922.3432.