Recent UChicago study shows uptick in violence around schools shuttered in 2013 Chicago Tribune
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Matthew Henson Elementary School, Chicago
Thirteen years after students left 1326 South Avers Avenue, boarded windows, damaged grounds, and stalled reuse turn a former community anchor into a case study in the consequences of institutional abandonment.
Matthew Henson Elementary School
1326 South Avers Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60623
Precision: Exact
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Quick Take
- Henson closed in June 2013 as part of Chicago's closure of 50 public schools.
- The building remained vacant through July 2026 despite earlier goals to sell, reuse, or remove closed properties.
- New research reports an association between long-vacant school buildings and increased nearby gun violence, strengthening the case for reuse planning before closure.
Email updates for Matthew Henson Elementary School.
Why It Matters
Henson was more than classroom space. Schools organize daily movement, recreation, adult contact, and neighborhood identity, so their closure removes a social center as well as an educational program.
Its thirteen-year vacancy makes the building a durable record of what happens when closure policy is separated from funded reuse. Boarded windows and neglected grounds create a visible dead zone in the middle of a residential community.
The 2026 research does not prove that one vacant building alone causes violence, but it adds measurable public-safety stakes to preservation, maintenance, and prompt repurposing.
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Research Narrative
From School Closure To Long Vacancy
Chicago closed Henson in 2013 during the largest single wave of public-school closures in the country. Students and staff left, but the building remained embedded in North Lawndale.
By 2026, plywood, peeling paint, damaged basketball equipment, graffiti, and an untended garden marked the difference between an empty property and an actively stewarded community asset.
A Building In The School-Closure Study
Researchers examining Chicago closures found that violence rose near school buildings that stayed vacant, while successful reuse could mitigate that pattern. Henson became a visible example in reporting on the findings.
The policy lesson extends beyond one address: any future closure plan should include maintenance, interim use, community participation, and a funded reuse timeline from the beginning.
Public Actions
Campaign / Petition Record
Ordered oldest to newest.
2013
School Closure
Chicago Public Schools closes Matthew Henson Elementary
by Public record Previous
Henson was among the buildings left by the 2013 mass closure.
July 2026
Research Publication
New study highlights public-safety effects around long-vacant schools
by Public record Current
Henson is documented as a thirteen-year vacancy in coverage of the findings.
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Latest Google News
Latest 3 stories
Matthew Henson Elementary School, Chicago, Illinois
After CPS Closed Schools, Buildings Sat Empty — And Gun Violence Rose, Study Finds Block Club Chicago
Open StoryCPS finds buyers for 3 closed schools, but repurposing remains a challenge Chicago Tribune
Open StoryResearch article pages show a recent coverage slice. Paid subscribers can use Signals inside the workspace for longer results and additional follow-up tools around the place.
Watchlist Blog
Related Updates
1 published update is linked to this article.
Watchlist Blog
July 23, 2026
Thirteen years of vacancy make Henson a warning about school closure
New research linking long-vacant school buildings with nearby violence gives North Lawndale's boarded Henson school a wider policy...
FAQ
Is Henson currently reused?
No. Reporting in July 2026 described the school as vacant and visibly deteriorated thirteen years after closure.
Sources
Source Trail
Chicago Public Schools: School Repurposing
institution
Official closed-school disposition and repurposing framework.
Washington Post/AP: Vacant Chicago schools and gun violence
news
Current condition, former principal testimony, and study findings.
Place Snapshot
- Place
- Matthew Henson Elementary School
- Location
- 1326 South Avers Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60623
- Coverage
- Exact
Key Facts
- Region
- Chicago, Illinois / Midwest
- Location type
- Former public elementary school
- Closed
- June 2013
- Current status
- Vacant
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