The Chicago Committee on Zoning has approved the elderly residential development at 5300 S Calumet Avenue in Washington Park. Sitting on the corner with E 53rd Street, the proposal will replace a vacant lot across the street from another property owned by its developers The Renaissance Collaborative (TRC).
Site context map of 5300 S Calumet Avenue via Google Maps
Set to rise six stories tall and roughly 78 feet in height, the development is being designed by local architecture firm Moody Nolan and submitted for zoning in September. Once completed it will go by the name ‘Abrams Intergenerational Village’ and focus on grandparents raising grandchildren, while also serving independent seniors.
Rendering of 5300 S Calumet Avenue by Moody Nolan
Inside the project will be 71 affordable residential units for those making 60 percent AMI or less. These will include 25 two- and three-bedroom apartments for families, 39 apartments for independent seniors, and seven studios for homeless college students who will act as resident assistants. There will also be a communal rooftop terrace for all.
Site plan of 5300 S Calumet Avenue by Moody Nolan
The building will include various spaces for residents including community rooms, fitness room, library, a computer room, and more. The grounds themselves will hold a 24-vehicle parking lot along with a small entry plaza, accessible gardens, as well as a playground. Residents will also have access to on-site case managers, transportation, activities, and off-site trips.
Rendering of 5300 S Calumet Avenue by Moody Nolan
Previous reports for the project call for a $36 million budget of which the developer has secured around 97 percent of it in the form of grants, loans, and tax credits. With plans fully completed and zoning approved, the project will be reviewed by City Council today in order to receive its final approval. The development team expects to break ground this coming spring.
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$507,000 per unit. Better than most publicly sponsored projects, but still about 70% more than a comparable privately funded project (based on a $350,000 per unit cost).
Further proof that affordable housing funds are being wasted in wholesale amounts.
Unit cost breakdown per unit is not the best way to assess whether or not this is a good use of money because it ignores:
– Land development cost of a vacant lot
– Cost of new utilities that need to bring service at that location
– Building MEP, structural, fire protection and security costs
– The current inflated cost of construction in general due to raw materials still being relatively expensive (blame that on building product manufacturers who are STILL keeping costs skyhigh to maintain high margins).
When you factor in those items AND others that I may have forgotten, it makes more sense.
Also, where are you getting the $350K private development unit cost? That is WAY too low to begin with.
Please stop with all the colors and cheap metalish clading! This will age terribly. Why not build decent brick builds. Stop with the colors on these developments.
The colors are a result of using newer insulating panels. They should be more energy efficient than brick.
If these are housing tax credits, the soft cost is what drives these prices up (attorneys, layered financing, tax credit syndicators, and using Davis Bacon and Union labor. It has nothing to do with new utilities, MEP, etc. It’s the cost of using government money that does this. I’m in agreement with the cost of private development vs. using public funds. $350K is about the average cost of building a condo or apartment unit.