Near West Side, Chicago, IL

2012

City Gardens is a mixed-income community located on the block at Jackson Boulevard, Van Buren Street and Maplewood Avenue. An initial challenge for the planning of the project is that the site is bounded only by three streets due to grade changes for an elevated rail line at the now defunct Rockwell Street. To accommodate the density desired to create a viable, dynamic community, a new private fire lane was created on a North/South axis through the site making an 80 residential unit development of three story buildings feasible.

The organizational design approach included orientating buildings along the three streets to connect them to the neighboring site. A community building is located in the center of the development and by restricting vehicular traffic and creating a public plaza at the fire lane, anchors the development. This central core will include community gardens, recycling and composting centers, play areas, and grilling stations that blend community, education, play, and energy sustainability.

Buildings will be designed with an energy efficiency consultant to select the best building systems based on affordability, maintenance and life cycle costs, and available local materials and products. They will utilize geothermal heating systems, solar panels, and thermally advanced building shells. The project will exceed the City of Chicago’s Green Housing Initiative requirements, be Energy Star Certified and the community building is being designed to receive LEED certification.

Brinshore Development L.L.C.
The Michaels Development Company

Linn Mathes, Inc.

Kouba Cavallo Associates (Energy Efficiency)
RTM&Associates (MEP)
Virgilio & Associates Ltd. (Structural)
Prism Engineering (Civil)
McKay Landscape Architects

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