Funding And Land Sale Approved For Affordable Housing Development At 3401 W Ogden Avenue In North Lawndale

The Community Development Commission has approved funds and the land sale for a new mixed-use development at 3401 W Ogden Avenue in North Lawndale. Dubbed the Grace Manor Apartments, the new project on the corner of W Ogden Avenue and S Homan Avenue replaces a parking lot used by the nearby police station with a colorful new affordable housing structure. Co-developers East Lake Management and Jerusalem CDC tapped local architecture firm JGMA for the design of the low-rise hoping to help anchor a new wave of growth for the neighborhood.

First floor plan of Grace Manor by JGMA

Having received approval from the Chicago City Council in February 2022, the completed project will deliver a six-story, 72-foot-tall structure with plenty of ground-floor outdoor space on the 26,792-square-foot lot. Accompanying a large plaza on Ogden Avenue, the first floor will contain a large fitness room, amenity space, laundry room, and bike room for residents, as well as a 1,630-square-foot cafe and community center open to the public with outdoor seating spaces. Users will also have access to 18 vehicle parking spaces located in the rear and covered by the building above.

Second floor plan of Grace Manor by JGMA

The remaining floors will consist of 65 residential units of which 46 residences will be leased as affordable for those making at or less than 60 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), made up of 22 one-bedroom and 24 two-bedroom layouts. It is worth noting that the AMI for North Lawndale is roughly $28,327 per year, with 46 percent of the neighborhood making less than $25,000 per year compared to 24 percent for all of Chicago as stated in a 2021 study by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. The remaining 19 apartments made up of nine one-bedroom and 10 two-bedroom units will be offered under the Chicago Housing Authority.

Rendering of Grace Manor with front plaza by JGMA

The modern prairie-inspired structure with inset balconies and covered in a multi-colored metal panel facade will be receiving $5.5 million in Tax Increment Financing from the approval towards its eventual construction. The remaining money will come from the Department of Housing, Chicago Housing Authority, and Department of Planning and Development. Although the land sale is also approved, a construction timeline and formal groundbreaking have yet to be announced.

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