City Homes of River Village
Chicago, Illinois

Located in the heart of Kingsbury Park, the redevelopment of the former Montgomery Wards campus along the Chicago River, the City Homes design needed to provide lower cost housing options that would blend market rate townhomes with affordable housing units to meet City of Chicago Affordability and CHA requirements. The final plan utilized a unique thought process in developing an “urban townhouse” concept. All cars were eliminated from the site and its five buildings were organized around a central common “Green” with parking tucked underneath. The townhomes were arranged side-to-side and front-to-back, providing a significantly higher density and smaller, more affordable units. Extra large glazing was provided on the front façade, flooding the units with light, and the rear bedroom on the second floor was provided with a raised, sloped roof with clerestory glazing. This roof feature, also expressed in corner towers, gives City Homes its unique look. The arrangements of the buildings provide for a strong, urban street presence as well as ample common green space promoting social interaction among the homeowners, furthering the integration of the Affordable and CHA units into the community and providing a unique, affordable living experience.