Apartments at Lawrence & Austin
Published Wednesday, May 1, 2024
ABOUT THE PROJECT
- Project Type: New multifamily project featuring two new four-story buildings with a total of 48 units for veterans, persons with disabilities, and families.
- Unit Size: Average unit is 721 sq.ft.
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Performance: 2020 NGBS Green Certification – Silver Level (Apr. 2023)
- Website: Apartments at Lawrence & Austin
Download Full Case Study as PDF
VERIFIER VOICE
"We are honored to have helped Full Circle Communities, and the first-rate design and construction team that they put together, meet their green building goals. The whole team did a tremendous job. Everyone involved should feel proud that future residents will have a healthier, more comfortable, and more energy efficiency place to call home."
- Jamie Carr, NGBS Green Master Verifier & Partner of Excellence Recipient, Eco Achievers
Overview
Located at the corner of Lawrence and Austin Avenues, the development provides affordable housing for veterans, families, and people with disabilities. Apartment rents are affordable to households earning 30%, 50% and 80% of Area Median Income.
Design themes focus on the relationship between indoor and outdoor spaces, family-oriented design elements within the dwelling units, and overall climate resiliency through Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system and envelope design. Each high-quality unit offers ample storage and closet space with thoughtful layouts which are accessible or adaptable for persons with disabilities.
The buildings, framed in light-gauge metal, have wood floor trusses, elevators, and CMU walls at the elevator shafts and stair towers. The exterior walls are clad with fiber cement panels featuring continuous exterior insulation in addition to dense pack cellulose in wall cavities. Exterior material selections are a nod to the Illinois prairie landscape, choosing earthy tones to represent a new spirit of affordable apartments in the Jefferson Park neighborhood. The project aesthetic seeks to reflect the context of the site being located at the edge of the Chicago city boundaries.
The nearly $20 million development received tax credit financing and funding from the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), The National Equity Fund, Inc., ComEd, Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago, and Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust.
The development was completed in March 2024.
Green Features/Practices:
Lot Design & Development:
- Walkable community with shopping and amenities, transit accessible with CTA bus stops and Jefferson Park CTA and Metro Rail Stations, and car-sharing locations nearby
Water & Energy Efficiency:
- High efficiency VRF HVAC and water heaters
- ENERGY STAR dishwashers and washing machines use less energy and water and 95% ENERGY STAR lighting
- Water-saving faucets and toilet
Health & Wellness Features:
- Lack of combustion equipment ensure healthier indoor air quality
- Verification plan to monitor water and energy use post-occupancy to ensure building is high performing as expected
- Universal design features in apartment
- Continuously-exhausting bath fans and range hoods vented to outside
- Outdoor recreation areas
Amenities:
- Community rooms, laundry facilities, a computer lab and library, a children's activity room, bicycle storage and dedicated parking onsite, and a central courtyard
A BETTER PLACE TO CALL HOME
"This long-vacant site has been an eyesore and nuisance, and we are thrilled to revitalize the site with high quality housing that serves the wide range of families that call Jefferson Park home. We think this is an incredible opportunity to build on our community relationships and continue our year's long work of bringing affordable housing options to Chicago's Northwest Side."
- Joshua Wilmoth, President & CEO, Full Circle Communities