Mayor Brandon Johnson was joined by city officials and community leaders this week in a groundbreaking ceremony for a new affordable housing complex in West Humboldt Park. With a cost of $34 million, the 750 N. Avers development will feature 60 units of affordable housing and two commercial units in the neighborhood under the city’s Build Better Together program.
“This project provides members of this community exactly what they need to thrive,” said Mayor Johnson. “We’re bringing the resources necessary to have access to economic mobility, and we’re doing it while embracing the rich culture that’s already established in the area.”
The four-story building will include 13 accessible units for people with disabilities, including four designed for those with sensory impairments. The development aims to meet Passive House Design standards, making it the largest building in Chicago to do so, according to officials.
Funding for the project includes $8.2 million from the Department of Housing, $7.1 million from the Department of Planning and Development, and $18.7 million in Tax Increment Financing. The city is also contributing four parcels of land, each sold for $1, to help move the project forward.
“The economic impact of affordable housing can ripple throughout a neighborhood, and we will see that here once this development is complete,” said Department of Housing Commissioner Lissette Castañeda.
Department of Planning and Development Commissioner Ciere Boatright noted that the development is part of a broader push for investment on the West Side. “We have more than $100 million in new investments within a few miles of this project,” Boatright said. “We are proud this project took less than 30 days to go from proposal through the Planning Commission, a level of efficiency that’s been made standard through Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Cut the Tape initiative.”
The building will be developed by 548 Development and designed by the Lamar Johnson Collaborative. It’s meant to offer not just affordability, but sustainability and accessibility.
“We believe that people with disabilities can live anywhere in the City, and today’s groundbreaking furthers this commitment,” said Rachel Arfa, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities.
Ald. Emma Mitts of the 37th Ward celebrated the momentum. “Thanks to our mayor, Mayor Johnson, we have been cutting ribbons and breaking ground across the 37th Ward,” Mitts said. “This is an area that needs investment, and this project will help uplift the entire community.”
A.J. Patton, CEO of 548 Development, said the project reflects the values of the Build Better Together initiative. “We’re delivering quality housing to those at or below the median income of the area, reducing monthly utility costs for tenants, growing jobs, and preserving the neighborhood’s identity at the same time.”
Elias Vavaroutsos of the Lamar Johnson Collaborative added, “By incorporating Passive House standards, we’re setting a new bar for sustainable development in Chicago and creating a building that instills pride in residents and the broader West Humboldt Park community.”
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