Chicago-based Habitat, a leading U.S. multifamily developer and property manager, joined Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, local and federal officials, project partners and current residents on Sept. 19 to commemorate two significant milestones at OC Living, a new mixed-income community in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood located within the $200 million Ogden Commons mixed-use project.
Attendees first gathered to celebrate the grand opening of OC Living, the project’s first residential building, which was completed this summer, and consists of 92 units, 90% of which are affordable apartments with the remainder market rate. After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, a groundbreaking then took place for OC Living Phase A2, the community’s second residential building.
“This is really about reversing the legacy of disinvestment and that’s the core of our work,” said Mayor Johnson, during his on-site remarks, pointing to the city’s $9 million investment in the upcoming Phase A2 building and 23% of the project’s total development costs being covered by Chicago TIF funds. “My administration believes that every single human need is a human right, especially when it comes to housing. Furthermore, we believe that housing is crucially necessary to achieve safety, equity and vitality. These investments are critical because it’s going to deliver more residential homes for North Lawndale and CHA support for 62 more affordable units.”
Other administrators and stakeholders who attended and gave remarks included Charlton Hamer, senior vice president, Habitat Affordable Group; Dr. Ngozi Ezike, president and CEO, Sinai Chicago; Chris Nash, senior vice president, Bank of America; Lissette Castañeda, commissioner, City of Chicago Department of Housing; Willie Burton from the Office of U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (IL 7th); Kristin Faust, executive director, Illinois Housing Development Authority; Tracey Scott, CEO, Chicago Housing Authority; and Alderman Jason Ervin (28th Ward).
“Today we celebrate three important investments in North Lawndale that collectively comprise the Ogden Commons complex and represent over $100 million of investment in the area since 2020,” said Habitat Affordable Group’s Jeff Head, vice president of development, who emceed the event. “Bringing this project from concept to reality is a testament to the unique public-private partnership and collective vision where accessible healthcare, diverse housing options and community amenities come together to support a vibrant community.”
Located at 1325 S. Washtenaw Ave., the recently completed four-story OC Living building includes a mix of 23 studios, 60 one-bedrooms and nine two-bedroom apartments just steps from Ogden Commons’ 45,000-square-foot commercial building that marked Phase 1 of the 10-acre development. Completed in 2021, the three-story commercial building is home to Sinai Chicago’s One Lawndale Community Care and Surgery Center, a Wintrust Bank branch, La Catedral Cafe & Restaurant and Momentum Coffee.
Developed by Habitat, along with Sinai Chicago, Alecko Capital and the city of Chicago, Ogden Commons is among the city’s largest opportunity zone projects and was conceived to bring much-needed housing, retail and critical outpatient health services to Chicago’s historically underserved West Side. Upon completion, the development will consist of 120,000 square feet of commercial and retail space and over 350 mixed-income housing units.
“It was over 15 years ago that Sinai had a vision to replace the vacant buildings and empty lots along Ogden Avenue and address health equity through inclusion, innovation and investment in our community,” said Dr. Ezike. “Habitat shared Sinai’s mission and purpose to create a lasting positive impact in the neighborhood and make sure the needs of North Lawndale were served not only with healthcare but also with economic opportunity and increased quality of life. Together, we’ve done just that – we have brought, not only the first new outpatient surgical facilities to the area in more than two decades, but also new restaurants, a bank, office space, and now, much-needed affordable housing, as well as something much more than buildings – we’re providing dignity, care and hope.”
OC Living residents have access to outdoor amenities such as an enclosed rubber-surfaced children’s tot lot with play structures, bike racks, a lighted on-site walking path, landscaped lawn and 110 parking stalls. Indoor building amenities include a package and mail room, management and social services offices, resident lounge, fitness center, bike room and on-site laundry facilities. Resident units are Wi-Fi accessible and cable television-ready, and feature open floor plans, walk-in closets, fully equipped kitchens with energy-efficient all-electric appliances and quartz countertops, FOB access entry doors and programable digital thermostats.
The three-story OC Living Phase A2 building will consist of a mix of studios, one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms and include a similar amenity package to OC Living’s first residential building. The third phase of OC Living residential buildings will consist of townhome and multi-flat units, which will have larger floor plans designed for families.
Ogden Commons is bordered by Ogden Avenue to the south, Fairfield Avenue to the west and Rockwell Street to the east. McHugh Construction and Bowa Construction are serving as general contractors for the development, which is being built over multiple phases. Bank of America is among the development’s other partners.
Founded in 1971, Habitat is a full-service residential real estate company specializing in property management, acquisitions and development. One of the largest residential property developers and managers in the United States, with over $3 billion in assets and more than 16,000 units under management across three states, the company’s portfolio spans a range of property types, from mid- and high-rise condominium, apartment and adaptive reuse developments to senior and affordable housing communities. Headquartered in Chicago, with more than 800 employees throughout the United States, Habitat is dedicated to improving the communities it serves through innovation and a commitment to excellence.
