Evergreen Real Estate Group recently celebrated the groundbreaking of two co-located housing and library projects it is developing in partnership with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, the Chicago Housing Authority and Chicago Public Library. City and elected officials joined community residents and development partners to mark the beginning of construction.
“We are grateful for the vision of Mayor Emanuel, Chicago Housing Authority chief executive Eugene Jones and library commissioner Brian Bannon and humbled by the opportunity to collaborate with them and other community stakeholders who have been instrumental in getting us to this exciting milestone,” said David Block, director of development for Evergreen Real Estate Group.
One of the projects, the Independence Apartments and Independence Branch at 4022 W. Irving Park Road in the Irving Park neighborhood, was designed by John Ronan Architects. The 65,000-square-foot hybrid library/housing project features a two-story library and 44-unit multifamily building. The second floor of the library will look out over a vegetated roof covering the parking area below, serving as an outdoor amenity space for residents.
“Evergreen was thrilled to work with the West Walker Civic Association, the Old Irving Park Association, Greater Irving Park Neighborhood Association, Friends of the Independence Library and aldermen from Chicago’s 45th, 39th, 35th, and 33rd wards to help realize the vision for a brand-new Independence Branch library coupled with much-needed affordable senior housing,” said Block.
Designed by Perkins+Will, the second project is Northtown Apartments and Northtown Branch at 6800 N. Western Avenue in the West Ridge neighborhood. It too will include 44 senior apartments—30 public housing units and 14 affordable residences—integrated with a 16,000-square-foot library.
“We also were honored to have the opportunity to work with the West Ridge community and the library advisory committee, which was led by 50th Ward Alderman Debra Silverstein, to help bring vibrancy to this important corner across from Warren Park with the new Northtown Branch library,” said Block. “The project is a creative solution for a mixed-use, mixed-income development that addresses multiple neighborhood needs in a single project.”
