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A Cairo housing complex makes the list of the Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois

The Connell F. Smith Sr. building in Cairo
Brad Palmer
The Connell F. Smith Sr. building in Cairo

Landmarks Illinois has announced its 2023 Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois, one of which is the Connell Smith Senior Building in Cairo, which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development plans to tear down.

It will be the fifth public housing complex in Cairo closed in recent years by HUD.

The move will displace 60 residents in Illinois’ southernmost city and eliminate an opportunity to reuse the 1968 building in a community that is already experiencing a severe housing shortage.

The annual Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois is Landmarks Illinois’ effort to boost advocacy efforts and build support for each property’s eventual preservation.

You can learn more about all nine properties on the list by clicking here.

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