A groundbreaking ceremony has been held for the upcoming mixed-use development at 2907 West Irving Park Road in Irving Park. Located near the south end of Horner Park, the project will replace a large vacant lot with the city’s first Native American affordable housing building. The effort is being led by Full Circle Communities and Visionary Ventures.
Rendering of Jigzibik by Canopy Architecture + Design
Designed by Canopy Architecture + Design, the seven-story structure will be called Jigzibik, which is the Potawatomi word for “at the river’s edge.” We previously reported on the project when it received its building permit earlier this year. Now, the local alderwoman has joined Indigenous community members to bless the land and kick off construction.
Floor plans of Jigzibik by Canopy Architecture + Design
The building will feature a sawtooth design on both of its long sides, concealing some balconies and creating a river-like façade element. The ground floor will be set back from the streetfront and will include a 3,500-square-foot commercial space, residential lobby, bike parking room, and 16 vehicle parking spaces in a rear lot.
Rendering of unit within Jigzibik by Canopy Architecture + Design
The upper floors will contain 45 residential units, made up of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom layouts. All units will be affordable for individuals and families earning between 15 and 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). Three units will be reserved for members of the community experiencing homelessness.
Rendering of rooftop community space within Jigzibik by Canopy Architecture + Design
Residents will have access to a rooftop fitness room, art-making space, outdoor deck, and a large gathering hall to be shared by the community. The multi-million-dollar project is being funded in part by housing bonds, low-income housing tax credits, donations, and other sources. Construction is expected to take approximately 18 months.
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Congratulations to our city for finally providing this much needed housing for our Native American families.
Why are we building segregated housing? How is this concept even legal? Someone explain it to me like I’m 5. Feel free to use crayons.
Hi E.E. The project isn’t explicitly only for natives, but the developer is aiming for it to serve predominately Natives who are often left out of the conversation around affordable housing. They are also partnering with local organizations and designing the amenities to serve the community. Chicago has the third largest urban Native population in the nation that will serve.
Think of it like a Chinese restaurant. You should expect to find Chinese cuisine/theme, but you don’t have to be from China to eat there.
No one is stopping a redheaded Irish man from cutting his cut at an African hair salon. A CEO could spend the night at a homeless shelter. A Southern Baptist preacher is allowed to attend a Korean Christian Sunday service. Anyone can shop at a Middle Eastern bazaar even if nothing is in English.
You will stand out in community-specific establishments, but it’s not forced exclusion. You don’t see anyone screaming about the men’s-only hotel in the South Loop or women’s shelters scattered about. There are far worse offenders of race-based prioritization. Chaintown has had its run on the practice, and Pilsen has been known to antagonize “outsiders.”
You’re adult enough to make this judgment yourself, and it’s a bit embarrassing on your part to dumb this sincerity down with crayons.
Is he dumb though? Imagine building a White Heritage affordable housing complex and then the insanity that would ensue. This city is a circus populated by clowns.
But, it’s not called that, and no one else has built anything like that.
You are creating a hypothetical and ensuing fake rage bait. There are support homes all over for LGBTQ youth. No one is going to assume your sexuality and couldn’t care less if you’re a cis heterosexual, but they will lend support if needed.
If you are purposely trying to poke the beehive with a stick, then build your private development of racist housing. And if any public money is used in the financing, then you bet your butt we’re going to protest.
Thats just called a trailer park
Perhaps it should be referred to as a Native Amercan “Themed” project. I too was concerned that the project was restricted to Native Americans but I was afraid to ask for fear of snarky replies.
You’re 100% allowed to ask questions. Just be respectful and avoid being antagonistic in the process. Do the opposite of E.E.’s entire comment.
Being confused/unaware is much different than being ignorant/boorish.
Drew, you are the one who is unaware. Somewhere in your identity based political view of the world you failed to recognize your own false perceptions and insane reactions to phantom racial oppression and class hierarchies is antagonistic to the majority of people who dont view the world through your muddy, distorted, ignorant lens, the same majority that pays the bulk of the taxes. Thankfully your perverted leftist movement is fizzling out and stupid identity based projects like this will be thing of the past. Hopefully we will find out which leftist NGOs are grifting off this BS and people will finally go to jail. The clown Show is coming to end.
Sure Jan.
Epstein coverup, who? Tariffs one second, double another, and decimated trust of allies a week later.
How many scam products sold by a political figure will it take to prove the Cheeto couldn’t care less about your culture war and it’s all a grift?
Typical. You don’t engage in a dialogue; you don’t supply any justifications; you don’t present a cogent argument; just name calling.
Beautiful design and the indoor space concepts are unique. Congratulations to the Native American Community.
I like the project in theory, but how do units which are costing more than $700K each to build meet the threshold earning the moniker “affordable housing”?
They are heavily subsidized housing. Which is OK, we need it – but a little more honesty and transparency about the true costs and who is paying them would be nice. YIMBY is good for many reasons, but if you think housing gets more affordable by building taller on a lot, that is a ln economics fail. The more FAR you allow, the greater the value of the land and the more desirable it is to tear down the old and build new. Which is why the construction cost is relevant. What is needed is overhauling the building code and streamlining the whole process, and removing pointless obstacles that were placed there on the behest of trades unions to ensure more work for their members.