Garfield Market

In a dramatic example of adaptive reuse, the early-20th-century horse sheds in Garfield Park have been transformed into Garfield Market, a garden- and arts-oriented retail complement to the park’s immensely popular Conservatory, which draws visitors from around the world. Anchoring the Market is a newly built 10,000-square-foot Garden Center greenhouse that sells a huge array of plants, herbs and garden elements. Across from the Garden Center is the 600-foot-long horse shed structure, half of which has been rehabilitated by restoring the original exposed brick walls of its adjoining bays and adding a low-pitched roof, new doors and windows. Awnings, lighting and decorative signage enliven the renovated façade. The blond brick sheds and their adjacent alleyway, once used only by tradesmen and laborers, now house artisans selling their handcrafts, antiques, and other art objects. In addition, The West Side Arts Council showcases the work of local artists, and an open-air farmers’ market provides fresh produce and foodstuffs. Garfield Market—like the Conservatory—is bringing new life to the East and West Garfield Park neighborhoods. In fact, the impetus for using the sheds as a way to stimulate the local economy first came from local residents participating in planning meetings. Today the Market provides jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for residents and is becoming a foundation stone in the revitalization of the West Side of Chicago.