New Homes for Chicago
Type of Construction:
New construction
Type of Development:
Single family homes and 2-flats, providing new affordable housing for Chicago residents
Completion Date:
December 2010
Square Footage:
Approximately 45,000 square feet
Number of Units:
23 (16 single family homes, 7 two-flats)
Sustainable Design Features:
- Photovoltaic power systems
- Renewable and recycled-content materials
- Regional materials
- Energy Star
appliances and windows - Low-VOC paints
- Rain gardens and bioswales
- Energy efficient HVAC systems
- Infill Development
- Transit-oriented development
- Integrated building envelope
Types of Funding Received:
- City of Chicago Department of Housing: New Homes for Chicago program
- City of Chicago Department of Environment
- Federal Home Loan Bank: Affordable Housing Program
- IHDA Trust Program
- Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Community
- ComEd Production and Incentive Program
Social Benefits:
- Vacant lots replaced by affordable housing in a South Chicago neighborhood
- Last phase of homes were documented to be 33% better than Energy Star standards
- Solar panels provide approximately one third of the homes' energy needs
- Dramatically improves air quality and natural light compared to similar buildings
- 2-year community planning process will include residents and design professionals
- Utilize local residents and local contractors (as available) for construction work
Awards:
• 2005 runner-up of the national Home Depot Foundation’s Award of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly in the award’s inaugural year
• 2005 Richard H. Driehaus Award for Outstanding Not-Profit Neighborhood Real Estate Project at the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards, sponsored by LISC Chicago
Quotes from Architects or Developers:
"We congratulate Claretian Associates … for demonstrating how green practices can be incorporated into affordable housing design and construction. Using creative solutions to design quality, low-maintenance housing can work to strengthen, improve, and maintain the physical and economic aspects of a neighborhood." --John G. Markowski, Commissioner of Department of Housing in 2005
Challenges & Lessons Learned:
- When working with low- to moderate-income buyers, energy efficiency is more important than sustainability. Many homebuyers are still unfamiliar with the difference between those things.
- The area is known for having vaulted sidewalks (i.e. the sidewalk and street elevation is 6’ to 15’ higher than the building lots). Each home had to have a specially designed walkway to connect the front porch to the sidewalk.
- Close proximity to the local water table created the need for a more intricately-designed sewer system
- The project faced opposition from the union for utilizing local workers instead of union workers
- Existing original utility lines created a need to replace with new.
- Installed and monitored three separate HVAC systems to ascertain the most energy-efficient scenario
Contacts:
Owner/Developer: Claretian Associates
Contacts:
Current Contractor: Fragoso Construction & South Chicago Workforce
Contacts:
Environmental Advisor & Testing: Paul Knight, Domus Plus Location:
9108 S Brandon Ave.
Chicago, IL, 60617United States
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