Muddy Waters house renovations get city funding

The Commission on Chicago Landmarks has approved the Adopt-A-Landmark application for the Muddy Water House. Located at 4339 S Lake Park Avenue in North Kenwood, City Council approved its landmark status back in October 2021. Built in 1891, the brick two-flat sits on a traditional Chicago residential lot and is site midblock between E 43rd Street and E 44th Street. It was home to Muddy Waters between 1954 and 1973.

Conditionally awarded the funding in December 2021, the money will go towards the renovation of the home into a museum dedicated to telling the story of Muddy Waters. Owned by Shandra Cooper, the project is expected to cost $267,000 for phase one of the project. The approved Adopt-A-Landmark grant will cover $250,000 of those costs.  

With Bauer Latoza Studio as the architect, the house museum will need an extensive list of repairs and renovations before it can open to the public. Work will include repointing the face brick, cleaning paint, replacing the turret funnel, working on the bay window, adding a new entry door on the back of the house, repairing the main front door, and installing new storm doors that will be replicas of the ones that existed while Muddy Waters lived there.

Work is expected to begin once funding is secured and finalized, with a projected starting time frame of Summer 2022. The owner is considering the purchase of the adjacent vacant lot to expand into the future phases of the museum.