Sears' crumbling former headquarters have been transformed into affordable housing - take a look

Two years ago, Sears' former headquarters were a mix of dilapidated and abandoned buildings.  

Today, those buildings are a growing community hub. This 55-acre complex, formerly the main offices of Sears, Roebuck and Co., is now home to a mix of affordable housing units, community centers, and a high school. 

Sears tested its products and printed the famous catalog in this complex in Homan Square, a neighborhood on the west side of Chicago. But in 1974, the company moved to Sears Tower (now Willis Tower), and these buildings were left deserted for 30 years.

In that time, Sears went from being on top of the world to being one of the most distressed American brands.

Since then, developers have been working on transforming the brand's first home. Keep scrolling to see what it looked like then, and what it's looking like now.