National Public Housing Museum

Level-1 delivered low-voltage infrastructure for the first U.S. museum dedicated to the legacy of public housing.

For years, we’ve done work for the Chicago Housing Authority, giving us not only technical fluency but a deep understanding of the historical precepts behind public housing. That legacy of engagement made our involvement in this project both a joy and an honor. 

Located at 1322 West Taylor Street in Chicago, the National Public Housing Museum (NPHM) is the only museum in the United States dedicated to preserving and interpreting the history and legacy of public housing. The site, formerly part of the Jane Addams Homes built in 1938, has undergone a $16.2 million adaptive reuse transformation that converted a long-vacant building into a vibrant civic institution, community gathering place, and center for participatory storytelling. 

The project blends historic preservation with forward-thinking programming focused on housing justice, civic engagement, and the right to a dignified home. Exhibits include restored public housing apartments, digital archives, oral histories, interactive installations, and artist-led spaces that engage with themes of race, policy, and community resilience. 

Level-1 Global Solutions is proud to serve as the technology and security systems designer for the Museum, partnering with Landon Bone Baker Architects. We delivered the low-voltage infrastructure that supports the Museum’s storytelling mission. Working within the architectural and preservation constraints of the historic Jane Addams Homes structure, Level-1 designed the building’s core technology infrastructure to meet the demands of a modern, digitally driven museum. 

What We Delivered 

• Comprehensive structured cabling design to support secure data, voice, and video transmission across exhibit spaces, offices, and community areas 
• Network systems specification and planning, ensuring resilient and scalable connectivity for digital exhibits, multimedia archives, and public programming 
• Integrated Wi-Fi coverage engineered to support high-capacity visitor traffic and seamless mobile engagement across all levels of the facility 
• Telephone system design to support Museum operations and administrative workflows 
• Physical security and access control layout, including surveillance points and credentialed entry zones to protect the Museum’s infrastructure and collections 
• Schematic-level drawings and construction documentation for coordination with the broader project team and contractors 

The National Public Housing Museum is a living, participatory space where stories of public housing residents and advocates shape policy discussions and cultural understanding. From digital oral histories and interactive timelines to remote-access archives and hybrid event spaces, the technology systems Level-1 designed form the operational and experiential foundation for these initiatives. 

As a Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) in Chicago with deep experience in mission-driven and cultural sector projects, Level-1 brings a shared commitment to the Museum’s values of equity, inclusion, and access. We are honored to support this groundbreaking institution as it reclaims space, memory, and public imagination, and as it challenges our collective understanding of housing, history, and justice.