All four levels are in place for the future Tiny Giants Early Learning Center at North California and West Montrose Avenues in the Horner Park neighborhood of Irving Park. The four-story building will include 24 residential units on the upper two floor, with the school occupying the ground level and second floor.
LG Group Construction, which got a full building permit in February of last year, has the structure topped out. As walls are enclosed, some of the windows have been installed on the upper levels of the east and west façades. First-floor windows in a variety of shapes and sizes for the classroom spaces will be set low, allowing students a view of the outside world. SEEK Design + Architecture is the design architect.
Rendering of Tiny Giants Early Learning Center by SEEK Design + Architecture
The east façade along California Avenue. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
The building occupies the southwest corner of Montrose and California Avenues. Photo by Daniel Schell
The north wall facing Montrose Avenue. Photo by Daniel Schell
Looking southeast from Montrose Avenue. Photo by Daniel Schell
The learning center will be on the first floor; school offices and residential support services will anchor the second floor. The crook of the L-shaped building will hold 23 surface parking spaces accessed from the north-south alley and from California Avenue. The two levels of apartments are expected to include a mix of one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units.
A curb cut here on California will lead under the building to the parking lot. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
Tiny Giants Early Learning Center by SEEK Design + Architecture
The surface parking area from the alley. Photo by Daniel Schell
The west façade from the alley. Photo by Daniel Schell
Photo by Daniel Schell
The development replaces a trio of now-demolished buildings along California Avenue, most notably the Ruby’s Cleaners facility on the corner with Montrose Avenue. All three were permitted for demolition in 2024, with work wrapping up in January of last year. In its planning stages, an opening of early 2026 was anticipated for both the school and the dwelling units; no updated completion date has been announced.
2801 West Montrose. Photo by Daniel Schell
2801 West Montrose Avenue, demolished for redevelopment. Photo by Daniel Schell
4336 and 4346 N California Avenue, demolished for redevelopment. Photo by Daniel Schell
The school and apartments are located across the street from Horner Park and its many recreational activities. For transit, the Route 78 CTA bus has stops on the intersection of Montrose and California. Four blocks south at the south end of the park are stops for the Route 80 bus at Irving Park Road. For north/south travel, just over half a mile east are stops for Route 49 and X49 buses at Western Avenue. The Francisco Brown Line elevated train station is just under one-half mile to the northwest.
Site context of 2801 West Montrose Avenue, via Google Maps
Neary transit options, via Google Maps
The school and apartments are located across the street from Horner Park and its many recreational activities. For transit, the Route 78 CTA bus has stops on the intersection of Montrose and California. Four blocks south at the south end of the park are stops for the Route 80 bus at Irving Park Road. For north/south travel, just over half a mile east are stops for Route 49 and X49 buses at Western Avenue. The Francisco Brown Line elevated train station is just under one-half mile to the northwest.
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I don’t see ugly buildings too often. But when I do, I drink Dos Equis
I do see ugly buildings too often. I should drink more Dos Equis
It looks like they have scrapped the teal portico on the SE corner of the 4th floor.