By Michael H. Brownstein

“This was a viable neighborhood, but then the Chicago Board of Education purchased almost two blocks of land to build a new Langston Hughes Elementary School,” David Shelton, a neighbor of the Langston Hughes School, said, “and then everything changed.”

Langston Hughes Elementary School is located at 226 W. 104th Street in the Roseland community. The two blocks north of the school are now fenced in empty lots.

“The Board of Education bought two blocks of residences,” Debra Stigler, the Local School Council Chairperson for Langston Hughes, said. “People who lived there twenty-five, thirty years were moved out of their homes, but nothing was done. The houses were left vacant. The area became an eyesore and a hazard for both the children and the neighborhood.”

According to Stigler, drug addicts began to use the vacant properties to both use and sell drugs. Other illegal activities began to flourish behind open doors and broken windows.

“I was very active in trying to get a new school built,” Alderman Carrie Austin from the 34th Ward said, “but when they decided to purchase almost two blocks of houses to build a new Langston Hughes, they destroyed an entire neighborhood because nothing happened. The houses were not torn down.”

“A lot of us were angry because of the way the city and the Board of Education ignored the neighborhood,” said Shelton. “It was like we were throw aways. Suddenly an entire area was abandoned and left open to crime and violence.”

“I worked with the City of Chicago’s Building Department and the Board of Education to get everything secured,” Alderman Austin explained. “The houses were vacant and this made for a dangerous situation. No one cared. Finally we took a busload of concerned people to a meeting at Farragut High School. Then the properties were torn down and the area secured. But why did it have to take all of that?”

Earl Ware, principal of Langston Hughes, said. “The Board purchased property behind our school in 2001. I believe they also appropriated money to build a new school. It’s been four years and nothing has happened.”

“OK,” said Shelton, “at least now everything is secured. Nonetheless, there has not been a ground breaking for a new school. All that has happened is the city chopped down a lot of the trees and built a fence around the area. Oh, and they posted signs about the future of the project.”

On the fence surrounding one of the vast vacant lots that used to be filled with homes north of Langston Hughes is a sign that reads: “Neighborhood Alive! 21 -- Hughes/Davis Developmental School. For information about this project call 773-553-3121.”

A call to the phone number on the sign had the following response: “We cannot give you any information on the project. You have to contact the Office of Communications.”

The Office of Communications could not confirm where the money came from to purchase the homes or where the money came from to tear them down. Nor could they explain why the buildings were allowed to remain vacant for so long.

A second call to the same number received a different response. “I’ll connect you to real estate.”

Above: All of the land for more than two full city blocks between Langston Hughes Elementary School and 103rd St. was cleared of housing, then fenced in. After destroying more than 40 homes, the Chicago Board of Education did nothing for six years, leaving the community stripped to the condition shown above in a January 2, 2006 photograph. Substance photo by George N. Schmidt.

The representative from real estate could only state that the property was owned by the Board of Education, it was not for sale, and it was going to be utilized for a future project.

“Can you let me know the status of the project?”

“We do not have any information at this time.”

“I believe this is racially motivated,” Stigler said. “I feel the Board is thinking why should we help this neighborhood. They don’t care. They didn’t live here when the houses were left vacant and unsecured for over a year. They didn’t have to live with the crime and the destruction of a neighborhood.”