The Oak Park Housing Authority has recently entered into an agreement with Interfaith Housing Development Corporation and Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago to redevelop the former Comcast building at 820 Madison into a mixed-use commercial and residential building [Nonprofit moving forward with affordable housing, News, April 28]. Parking for the renovated building will be provided in an adjacent lot at 832 Madison. This proposed project will shortly be going before the Oak Park Plan Commission for approval as a planned development.
The commissioners of the Oak Park Housing Authority believe that this is an exciting project that will offer significant benefits to the village. The project will take a deteriorated commercial building that is currently an eyesore and restore it to productive use. The building will remain on the tax rolls and will pay all customary property and sales taxes, generating revenue for the village and potentially creating new jobs in the community.
Our construction plan calls for the renovation of the ground floor into about 6,000 square feet of commercial space that will be offered for lease to prospective retail or other commercial tenants. The building’s large ground-floor windows will offer bright and attractive commercial spaces with high ceilings. Our plans also call for the selective demolition of the rear chimney and penthouse of the building, and enhancement of the sterile northern facade with new windows matching those on the south and western elevations. We also plan to develop 51 loft-style one-bedroom units of permanent supportive housing on the building’s upper floors. This will include the current second story and a two-story addition to the building creating third and fourth floors on the Grove and Madison fronts.
The supportive housing will be offered to single, low-income individuals who either live or work in Oak Park and earn less than $26,400 per year. It is anticipated that this will include a variety of tenants such as veterans, persons with disabilities and people with developmental disabilities who are capable of living independently. Catholic Charities will be the social-service provider to these residents, and will design a social-service plan for each prospective resident. The management team will also conduct an individual assessment of each person’s previous housing history, along with a criminal background check of each prospective tenant.
Supportive housing is a well-established form of housing that has been successful in many communities across the country, and is in desperately short supply. The Oak Park Housing Authority currently has more than 400 names of single, low-income individuals on its waiting list, including more than 200 who live or work in Oak Park.
Over the course of the next several months, the community will have a thorough opportunity to review our plans for the Comcast building. Interfaith Housing will also be offering tours of similar supportive-housing buildings that it has developed. Tours will be offered on July 24 and Aug. 14. Interested parties may contact Interfaith Housing at 312-274-8200, ext. 27, to schedule a tour.
Edna Chapman and Linda Hill
Commissioners, Oak Park Housing Authority