4400 Grove in Bronzeville breaks ground Feb. 20th

CHICAGO, Feb. 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Elected officials, developers and other stakeholders will celebrate the start of construction for the long-awaited 4400 Grove, an innovative mixed-income development in Bronzeville. The groundbreaking event will be at Bright Star Church, 735 E. 44^th Street, on Wednesday the 20^th at 10:00 AM.

The 4400 Grove construction plans include brick and cast stone facades that reveal an 84-unit mix of affordable and market rate apartments, along with street level retail space, a public plaza, and a beautifully landscaped park space. The new complex is the result of a successful partnership of public and private entities that include the Chicago Housing Authority, co-developers Brinshore Development and Michaels, U.S. Bancorp and other lenders. City of Chicago support includes $7.2 million in Tax Increment Financing, $1.9 million in Low Income Housing Tax Credits that will generate $17.8 million in equity, and $783,000 in donation tax credit equity.

To commemorate this new vision for the area, speakers at the event will include Ald. (4^th) Sophia King; Chicago Housing Authority Board Commissioner Francine Washington; Brinshore Development Senior Vice President Peter Levavi; Michaels Regional Vice President Greg Olson and Assistant Director of Project Management with U.S. Bancorp, Jeanne Gieseke. An invocation will be given by Nichole Carter of Bright Star Church.

The 4400 Grove site is located on the west side of Cottage Grove Avenue, between 44^th and 45^th Streets, only 4.5 miles south of downtown and 1.25 miles east of the Dan Ryan Expressway (I-90/94). When completed, the new development will create an almost entirely new city block that had sat empty since 2002, when the Washington Park Homes were demolished. "4400 Grove represents a fresh start for the community," said Michaels Regional Vice President Olson. "This Tuesday we'll begin to shine a bright light honoring the rich history of this area and spark excitement for the future of the Cottage Grove corridor in Bronzeville."

Plans include two four-story buildings with 21 units reserved for CHA residents, 34 apartments affordable to households earning up to 60 percent of Area Median Income, and 29 market rate apartments. The development will include 8 studios, 24 one-bedrooms, 42 two-bedrooms and 6 three-bedrooms. In addition to the outdoor plaza and landscaped park, common area amenities for residents will include a large community room with kitchen, a fitness and yoga room, a shared work center with computers, and indoor bicycle parking.

The development was designed by the renowned architecture firm of Pappageorge/Haymes. According to Pappageorge/Haymes' Greg Klosowski, "Our intent was to create a streetscape that looked like individual facades or buildings that evolved over time and not one large development." General contracting duties for the development will be shared by McShane Construction and UJAMMA Construction. First occupancy at the development is expected in Spring of 2020.

SOURCE Michaels