Wabash Avenue YMCA
Why it's listed
Wabash Avenue YMCA is a building at 3763 S. Wabash Avenue on Chicago's South Side. Records give its dates as 1911 to 1913 and name Robert C. Berlin as architect. It was nominated as part of the Black Metropolis Thematic Resources, a group of nine properties in Cook County, Illinois, that also included the Jordan Building, Overton Hygienic Building, Chicago Bee Building, Eighth Regiment Armory, Victory Sculpture, Unity Hall, the Chicago Defender Building and the Liberty Life/Supreme Life Insurance Company building. The YMCA's level of significance is marked as local, and Criterion A is checked, which relates to association with important historical events or patterns. The surviving file contains only a map key, a review listing, a data sheet and a locator card. The locator card records that the entire folder is missing, so the building's description and the detailed reasons for its listing cannot be read here. It was entered in the National Register on April 30, 1986.
Significance in brief: The surviving pages are mostly cover, map and status sheets, with no Section 7 or 8 text. They show the YMCA was nominated as one of nine properties in the Black Metropolis thematic group and was marked as locally significant under Criterion A. The folder is listed as missing, so the full argument for significance is not available.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86001095, listed April 30, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence low).
Key facts
| Address | 3763 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago |
|---|---|
| County | Cook County |
| Listed | April 30, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86001095 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1911-1913 |
| Architect / builder | Berlin, Robert C. |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Chicago Park Boulevard System Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.82568, -87.62432 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 86001095.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3564923
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.