Arsenal Courts Historic District

Arsenal Courts, also known as Century Woods, is a nationally recognized historic district located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. It is an apartment complex built by the United States Housing Authority from 1940 to 1941 to house defense workers at the Rock Island Arsenal. Its construction was an emergency measure brought by the onset of World War II.[2] They were designed by the Rock Island architectural firm of Cervin & Stuhr. As time went on and the workers at the Arsenal moved elsewhere the area became known for its high crime rate.[2] The city bought the complex in 1980 and planned to tear it down. They lost a class-action lawsuit and agreed to renovate the buildings and to replace the Rock Island Housing Authority with a new management firm. However, the low point for the complex occurred in 1993 when only 78 of its apartments were rented and a majority of the windows were boarded up.

Arsenal Courts Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Location	1400 Fifth St. Rock Island, Illinois
Coordinates	41°29′49.5″N 90°35′30.3″W
Architect	Cervin & Stuhr
NRHP reference No.	100004851[1]
Added to NRHP	January 6, 2020

Originally, the complex included 52 one- and two-story brick buildings with 305 units. Eleven of the buildings were torn down in 1995 to reduce density in the complex. The number of units has been reduced to 230.[2] That same year, Arsenal Courts was renamed Century Woods. The Millennia Companies of Cleveland, Ohio acquired the complex in April 2019 after managing it for several years. A $14 million-plus renovation of the complex began in May 2019. There is also an administration building that includes a community room for the residents' use. The historic district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.[1]

References

1. "National Register of Historic Places Program: Weekly List". National Park Service. January 31, 2020. Retrieved 2020-02-11.
2. Alma Gaul (October 20, 2019). "Arsenal Courts seeks national historic status as it undergoes $14 million renovation". Quad-City Times. Davenport, Iowa. Retrieved 2020-02-11.