After enduring controversy that included a lawsuit from local NIMBYs, an upcoming mixed-income housing project is entering the home stretch at 5150 Northwest Highway in Jefferson Park.
The seven-story complex from nonprofit developer Full Circle Communities and architect Cordogan, Clark & Associates broke ground in 2019 and has reached its final height at the intersection of Northwest Highway and Milwaukee Avenue.
Jay Koziarz/Urbanize Chicago
The building will soon deliver 15 market-rate and 60 affordable apartments offered in studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom floorplans. One-hundred percent of the units will be prioritized for veterans and persons with a disability, according to the development team.
The plan also includes parking for 40 cars and 5,500 square feet of commercial space that will be leased by nonprofit Friendship Community Place for offices and space for community events.
Despite its proximity to mass transit, the Jefferson Park neighborhood has seen few multifamily developments in recent years. The Northwest Highway project received considerable pushback from some community members and was arguably a contributing factor in former Ald. John Arena losing reelection.
In 2017 Arena responded to a lawsuit filed against him and the city by residents unhappy with the plan. "We won't be bullied or discouraged from fighting for safe, accessible, reasonably priced housing for people with disabilities and those who bravely served our nation," he wrote on Facebook.
The apartments at 5150 Northwest Highway are currently on track to open later this year. Starting today, Full Circle Communities is offering applications for prospective tenants on its website.
