Emma C. Kennett was a female architect and real estate developer in Chicago. (1885-1960)

Between 1910 and 1920, there was an apartment building boom in the Rogers Park Community of Chicago. Many of the spacious apartments in buildings on Sheridan Road and Estes, Greenleaf, and Lunt Avenues were built at that time. Some had two bedrooms, many had three bedrooms, and some even had three baths.

Emma Kennett was born in Chicago in 1885. She worked in a builder's office before marrying James Kennett, a Chicago building contractor. She reentered the building profession when the marriage ended to support her young family. She founded the Kennett Construction Company in 1923 and began developing apartment buildings in Rogers Park.

Kennett was the active head of the Kennett Construction Company of Chicago, who, with a Black partner, Joseph Frederick Rousseau, built more than 80 buildings in the Howard-Jarvis-Ridge areas of Chicago's Rogers Park community. She designed the buildings in Gothic, French, and Spanish styles. By the mid-1920s, she was worth five million dollars ($89 million today).

Kennett designed and built apartment buildings, townhouses, and commercial properties. She was known for her innovative designs and her commitment to quality construction. 

FIRM HISTORY

Kennett Construction Company, 1923-1952 

Kennett Realty Company, 1952-1960. 

Kennett's buildings were known for their eclectic architectural styles, which reflected the popular trends of the time. She used Tudor Revival, Italian Renaissance Revival, and Spanish Mission Revival styles, among others. She also paid attention to the details of her buildings, using high-quality materials and finishes.

Normandy Apartments, 2300 West Farwell Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 1920s.

Kennett was a successful businesswoman and a pioneer for women in the construction industry. She was featured in several articles in the Chicago Tribune, which noted her success as a woman in a male-dominated field. She was also a member of the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects.

2320-22 West Farwell Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 1928.

Kennett continued to develop buildings in Chicago until the early 1950s. She died in 1960 at the age of 75. Her legacy is one of innovation, quality, and perseverance. She was a role model for women in the construction industry, and her work helped to shape the city of Chicago.

2326 West Farwell Avenue, Chicago, Illinois, 1920s.

Most of Kennett's buildings still stand today and are a testament to her talent and vision. Kennett designed all her buildings, assisted only by local architects, including Arthur C. Buckett and Herbert J. Richter, to ensure the correct technical details. 

A PARTIAL LIST OF KENNETT PROJECTS:

• 1141 West Devon Avenue, Sun Parlor Apartments, Chicago, Illinois
• 2020 West Jarvis, Chicago, Illinois
• 2029 West Jarvis, Chicago, Illinois
• 2114 West Arthur Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 2300 West  Farwell (Normandy apartments), Chicago, Illinois
• 2308-10 West  Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 2314-2316 West Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 2320-22 West Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 2326 West  Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 2332-2334 West  Farwell, Chicago, Illinois
• 6644 North Artesian Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7339 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7349 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7351 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7352 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois - razed
• 7354 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7355 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7356-58 North Robey (Damen Avenue today), Chicago, Illinois
• 7358 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7359 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7360 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7360-62 North Robey (Damen Avenue today), Chicago, Illinois
• 7361-7363 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7440-42 North Hoyne Avenue, (Chateau Le Mans), Chicago, Illinois
• 7441-43 North Navarre Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 7446-48 North Hoyne Avenue, (Maison Louviers), Chicago, Illinois
• 7447-49 North Hoyne Avenue, (Barcelona apartments), Chicago, Illinois
• 7452-54 North Hoyne Avenue, (Chateau Beauvais), Chicago, Illinois
• 7453-55 North Hoyne Avenue, (Valencia apartments), Chicago, Illinois
• 7536 North Seeley Avenue, Chicago, Illinois
• 1065 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1070 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1111 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1144 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1221 Estate Lane, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 136 Custer Avenue, Evanston, Illinois
• 1416 Fairway Drive, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 1433 Fairway Drive, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 810 S. Ridge Road, Lake Forest, Illinois
• 960 S. Ridge Road, Lake Forest, Illinois

Compiled by Dr. Neil Gale, Ph.D.