Mission, Work, and History

Who we are and what we do

Urban Habitat Chicago (UHC) formed in 2004 to demonstrate the viability of sustainable concepts and practices in urban environments through research, education, and hands-on projects.

UHC staff and team members are a talented, multidisciplinary team of people that work on a volunteer basis to develop and apply unique solutions to the many challenges presented in cities.

We work at the intersections of urban agriculture, the built environment, materials recovery and reuse, and emerging local industries - focusing on creating seamless transitions in the cycles of resources at all scales.

Our work

Past projects include the adaptive reuse of an 1890’s carriage house, the deconstruction of the 1954 home of a Japanese watercolor artist, and a do-it-yourself method of vegetating derelict urban sites.

Ongoing projects include outreach and advocacy with several working urban gardens, a lecture series and presentations for the benefit of our members and the public, research into alternative construction materials, and a building-integrated food-producing roof at True Nature Foods at 6034 N. Broadway Avenue in Chicago.

Future projects will include other urban agriculture, biological remediation, and materials recovery and reuse work, development of the prototype Chicago 2175 House, collaboration with Conservation International for biodiversity surveys of Chicago green roofs, and more extensive outreach and advocacy with The ReUse People of America for deconstruction as an alternative to demolition in Chicagoland.

Meetings and events

Meetings generally occur bi-monthly and involve hands-on building projects and discussions of upcoming events.

Please see Events for more information on current projects and upcoming events.

Organization

UHC is a nonprofit organization in the State of Illinois and is seeking its 501c3 nonprofit status.
We are guided by a Board of Directors, which generally meets twice monthly. Attendance by members is optional and meeting minutes are available upon request (if you want us to be all fancy).

How you can help

We need you in order to help make our region a better environment.
UHC is an Illinois nonprofit organization that needs your encouragement and support.
To find out how you can help, and to learn more about what we do and why, keep looking around our website and visit us often.