Construction progress continues on the two buildings that make up the first phase of the Encuentro Square development in Logan Square. The six-story and four-story structures are both topped out and windows are in place, with façade work partially completed on the exteriors.
A joint development by the Latin United Community Housing Association (LUCHA) and Evergreen Real Estate Group, Encuentro Square Phase I will deliver 89 affordable rental units to the neighborhood, located immediately north of the western terminus of the Bloomingdale Trail. Ceremonial ground was broken for these back in August of last year, after three permits in total had been issued to begin construction work.
Encuentro Square construction progress looking northwest. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
1844 N Ridgeway Ave, east façade. Photo by Daniel Schell
1844 N Ridgeway Ave. Photo by Daniel Schell
1844 N Ridgeway Ave looking southwest. Photo by Daniel Schell
Window detail, 1844 N Ridgeway Ave. Photo by Daniel Schell
The first permit, issued on November 1, 2022, was for the six-story, 57-unit building at 1844 N Ridgeway Avenue. Next came a permit on June 1, 2023 for a 46-space off-site parking lot at 1836 N Hamlin Avenue, which is the next block west of the residential buildings. The third permit, also issued June 1, 2023, was for the four-story, 32-unit building with 11 more parking spaces at 3759 W Cortland Street. Leopardo Construction and All Construction Group are sharing the general contracting duties.
3759 W Cortland Street, looking southwest. Photo by Daniel Schell
1844 N Ridgeway taken from Cortland Street. Photo by Daniel Schell
3759 W Cortland St. north façade. Photo by Daniel Schell
3759 W Cortland St. west façade along Hamlin Avenue. Photo by Daniel Schell
West façade of 1844 N Ridgeway, taken from Hamlin Avenue. Photo by Daniel Schell
Both buildings of Phase I were designed by Canopy Architecture + Design, and occupy the northern portion of the construction zone. Phase II will include a third building towards the south end of the site. This is the site of the former Magid Glove factory, demolished in 2021. A demolition permit was issued for a frame multi-unit residence at 1842 N Ridgeway on February 3, 2021. McDonagh Demolition took care of both demo jobs.
Now-demolished 1842 N Ridgeway via Google Street View
The former Magid Glove factory via Google Street View
Residents of Encuentro Square will have three CTA bus routes within a half-mile walk. The Route 73 is a quarter mile north, the Route 53 bus is a third of a mile west, and the Route 72 bus is about a half mile walk to the south. And the 606 Trail, at the south end of the development site, allows cycling and inline skating access to transit options to the east.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
These look so damn good.
To the racist goons that have bugged this development on previous discourses, for shame.
The moment we finally stop dehumanizing the various social classes, the moment our society can start building each other up.
Now if only they would start allowing mix-income housing along the 606 again. Affordability enclaves are only as good as the continuous supply keeping the market healthy. Forced affordability is not sustainable nor fair for the general public.
I think we all obviously love the density and development – but personally, I can’t stomach the per-unit build cost. It was budgeted at $766k/unit – all affordable housing development is pricey and I think YIMBYs should be pro-density policies that work with the free market (i.e. zoning) rather than brute force tax dollar utilization. At least for my brand of YIMBYism (environmental and housing cost), I’m more of a neo-liberal than anything else
And see THAT is a valid criticism to many of these projects.
Per many of the infill projects happening all over the city, developers are able to deliver units under the 500k mark.
Denser stuff is going to have more costs but the number of units should be able to balance things out.
Many of the “affordable” projects to come to light in the past decade have just been dumps of public money on some projects delivering barely 100 units.
I really hope JB’s cut the tape initiatives start allowing more free form development that can be seen in Austin.