Historic YMCA/YWCA becomes apartment building
CEDARst Companies announced this week that their latest historic renovation project, The Duncan, had begun two phases of opening as of July 1. The complex, which served as a YMCA/YWCA regional headquarters from 1907 to 1931, will stretch two blocks and feature 260 units of studios and 1-bedroom apartments. Studios start at $1,146 and 1-beds at $1,430.
The Duncan, which will be managed by FLATS, features more than 120 floor plans and includes in-unit washers and dryers. The studios and 1-beds will open first, along with the lobby. A communal work area, restored basketball court, fitness center and sauna will also open. An open lawn, with fire pits and snacks from a hotdog cart, will debut for residents later this year.
Big names accompany Greenlining Realty’s groundbreaking at Woodlawn Pointe
In a virtual groundbreaking video for its first major development in the Woodlawn neighborhood last month, development firm Greenlining Realty featured speakers such as Pete Buttigieg, Martin Luther King III and Rev. Al Sharpton.
“I am incredibly honored to be breaking ground on the Woodlawn Pointe development, a critical step in reversing the negative effects of redlining in our communities,” said Lamell McMorris, founding principal of Greenlining Realty USA. “While this is a historic moment for our community, it is also an incredibly special time for me personally as we lead this important work in my own hometown and embark on a new path forward for Woodlawn.”
McMorris, who is a native of the West Woodlawn neighborhood, founded Greenlining Realty in 2016 to help reverse the effects of redlining on minority communities.
“Greenlining is doing such important work to help reverse the historically damaging and continuing effects of redlining and to build greater racial and economic equality,” said Pete Buttigieg, former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate. “Tackling issues of systemic racism and correcting the inequities that have existed in this country for far too long is a defining issue for the American project in this century.”
Martin Luther King III, a human rights advocate and the oldest child of Martin Luther King, Jr., referenced his father’s well-known trip to Chicago to highlight inequality in housing. “Over fifty years ago my father came to Chicago to address the issue of housing: affordable, fair and public housing. I want to compliment Lamell and the team for continuing in the tradition of creating a scenario where the community can truly realize its dream,” he said.
One Chicago representative among a dozen finalists selected for ULI award
An adaptive reuse project that aims to preserve one of the original Sears, Roebuck & Co. buildings is a finalist for the Jack Kemp Excellence In Affordable and Workforce Housing Award. Created by the Urban Land Institute’s Terwilliger Center for Housing to honor outstanding developments in areas such as affordability, innovative financing, advanced building technologies and quality of design, the chosen developments ensure housing affordability for households earning less than 120% of the area median income.
Mercy Housing’s The Lofts on Arthington was included in the finalists for the first category, representing large-scale developments of 100 units or more. Located in North Lawndale, the project turned a blighted structured into 181 affordable homes for over 400 residents.
Chicago’s first multi-story mass timber project in 50+ years
Last month, general contractor Summit Design + Build LLC announced the completion of its new headquarters building at 1040 W. Fulton, representing the first heavy timber construction project in the city in more than 50 years. The five-story building is set up for ground-floor retail and features a green roof. Adam Miller, president of Summit Design + Build, described the project as “an example of what is possible in the modern age of wood construction.”
The firm chose wood for the construction to match the other buildings in the historic neighborhood. “The project really echoes the neighborhood’s history when it was a meatpacking district and the majority of the buildings were made of raw milled heavy timber construction,” said Miller. “Given this history, it only felt right to use similar materials.”
Alcove Wicker Park condos complete
Late last month, Vermillion Development and its sales and marketing firm, @properties Developer Services, announced that they’d finished construction at Alcove Wicker Park, a 43-unit luxury condo building that also features 12 townhomes.
Located between Division and Paulina Streets on Milwaukee Avenue, the development will offer both single- and two-story condos with a variety of layouts and sizes. Every condo will also include a balcony, and the two-story designs will have private entrances. Prices range from $600,000 to $1.15 million. The 4-level townhomes will have 2,895 to 3,475 square feet of living space, including 3 bedrooms, a den, 3.5 baths and a 3-car garage. Each will also have a penthouse room with access to a private deck, with prices starting at $1.135 million.
“Alcove Wicker Park answers the renewed call among city homebuyers for larger living space and access to private outdoor areas,” said Kerry Dickson, director of residential real estate at Vermilion Development. “Flex space in particular has become an absolute necessity as today’s buyers are prioritizing home offices, playrooms and fitness areas.”