The Chicago City Council has approved ‘Sarah’s on Lakeside,’ a residential housing development for homeless women located at 4737 N Sheridan Road in Uptown. The developer behind the project is the non-profit organization Sarah’s Circle with Perkins + Will as the architect for the new structure replacing an empty lot on the corner with W Lakeside Place.
As previously reported, the mission of Sarah’s Circle has been to serve women encountering homelessness as well as those who are in need of a safe space since 1979 in Uptown.
The building will rise five floors and will provide 28 single room occupancy (SRO) units as well as on-site office space for Sarah’s Circle. The facility will house a large meeting room, a demo kitchen, a computer lab, as well as laundry rooms for residents. The offices will be on the second floor and will include a conference room with an adjourning outdoor terrace. Plans indicate the presence of six parking spaces alongside the alley.
The SRO units will be approximately 350 square feet and will feature appliances including a refrigerator, range, microwave, and individual HVAC unit. Each unit will be fully furnished with a bed, dresser, nightstand, and dining set. The organization will provide all residents with essentials like linens, dishes, and cutlery.
The backing for the $16 million project includes $4 million in multi-family program funds from the Chicago Department of Housing, as well as roughly $3.85 million in IHDA Supporting Housing Program Funds. An additional $1.35 million was secured through IAHTC proceeds, some $3.1 million come by way of ARO fee-in-lieu funds from the 4600 N Marine Drive development, $2.1 million in IHDA grant money, and $2 million in Sarah’s Circle equity.
The final funding has been secured for the development which means that construction should begin soon. The Sarah’s Circle website indicates a timeline for completion as sometime in summer 2023. Permits for construction have been filed and are awaiting approval.
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…this girl needs a face-lift already. Perkins & Will can do better than that.
(this was not meant to be sexist….I think the program is noble. The building lacks any personality, character, or attempt to make it a “HOME” for those who need one….it looks like an IRS office.
Agreed J. The need is there but the building definitely does not say Welcome Home (unless you are one of the women who will benefit from the development).