It is now three years since Grove Apartments — a 51-unit affordable apartment building — opened at the corner of Grove Avenue and Madison in the Village of Oak Park. An unsightly, boarded-up two-story building was converted into an inviting four-story brick structure that helps revitalize a portion of Madison Street ripe for change.
The community is attracted to the first floor commercial space that houses Sugar Beet Food Co-op, a high-quality grocery store and café that occupies the first-floor Madison frontage of this structure. In September 2016, this co-op celebrated its one-year anniversary of providing fresh, high-quality groceries to local residents. Sugar Beet has now topped 1,500 owners; a clear indication the community has fully embraced their new local grocer.
Beginning back in 2009, Interfaith Housing Development Corporation, a nonprofit affordable housing development company, in partnership with the Oak Park Housing Authority, faced its fair share of input and upfront opposition from well-organized neighbors during the rezoning process. Concerns voiced both before the Oak Park Plan Commission and the Village Board of Trustees included inadequate parking, the population targeted, lack of demand for new commercial space, and a widespread impression that property values would decrease in the neighborhood.
None of those concerns has materialized.
Parking. This has not been an issue. Only one-third of 51 households own cars, easily fitting into the adjacent parking lot, with many others taking advantage of the ample public transportation options in the immediate area. Residents and Sugar Beet shoppers can park in the lot when the store is open, but only residents can park in the lot after 9 p.m. and prior to 7 a.m. Employees of the two entities park in nine spaces off the alley.
Target Population. The building is fully occupied, with the majority of current residents being original tenants at the building’s opening in October 2013. As promised, over 70 percent of the current residents either lived and/or worked in the village of Oak Park prior to occupancy. None of the horror stories told six years ago has materialized. As a fully accessible building with an elevator, the building has successfully served many persons who could not live in the vintage walk-up apartments that are common in the village.
Commercial Demand. Sugar Beet has occupied the entire commercial space after a very tasteful buildout. High-quality retail has returned to what previously was a desolate section of Madison Street.
Decreased Property Values. The beauty of the building speaks for itself. Property values are enhanced with the addition of this architectural gem.
Speaking of beauty, Grove Apartments, designed by Weese Langley Weese Architects, received the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence in Community Design at the 2015 Annual Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards. The original 1927-era building, a Cadillac and La Salle car dealership, conceived by American master of industrial design Albert Kahn, featured only two floors. In 1981, the building was converted to a service center for a cable TV company by covering the red brick in faux stucco panels.
Dennis Langley, the architect chosen by Interfaith, was pleasantly surprised to uncover much of the original façade, albeit damaged. He figured out a way to repair the façade while adding two additional compatible floors with special-order brick, Indiana limestone per the original plans, and architectural concrete restoration, all matching and preserving Kahn’s original building.
The naysayers clearly had it all wrong! A high-income community such as Oak Park benefits from economic diversity that results from affordable housing. In fact, the village of Oak Park believes in this mission so much, they created and fostered the growth of two affordable housing entities like the Oak Park Housing Authority and the Oak Park Residence Corporation, which Interfaith was able to work with to bring this project to fruition. Quality retail space can prosper with the right tenant. Concerns about adequate parking do not need to doom new development.
Interfaith Housing Development Corporation, which next year will celebrate 25 years, touts 16 successful affordable housing developments. Their approach to affordable housing — beautiful architecture, ample natural light, space, and air — has a proven track record in a wide variety of neighborhoods in metropolitan Chicago. For more information and to see other developments, visit IHDC.org.
Perry Vietti is president of Interfaith Housing Development Corp.