Chicago Construction News staff writer
A groundbreaking ceremony launched construction a new senior housing development and community center in Leyden Township, West Suburban Cook County.
The project, which is part of the Moving Mannheim Forward initiative, will include the 80-unit Leyden Senior Apartments—a four-story building designed to provide comfortable, accessible housing for local seniors.
Carl Fiorito Senior Center, a one-story community space, will complement the apartments and offer a variety of programs and services tailored to older residents of Leyden Township.
“This community reflects our commitment to addressing the challenges faced by seniors in Leyden Township,” said Leyden Township Supervisor Rocco D. Biscaglio. “The new housing and senior center will provide essential resources to improve the quality of life for our senior residents and enable them to age in place within our community.”
Designed by Weese Langley Klein Architects and scheduled for completion in mid 2026, the development is a collaborative effort involving Leyden Township, Evergreen Real Estate Group and F.H. Paschen, the project’s general contractor.
“This development represents a profound moment for Leyden Township,” said Jim Blair, CEO of F.H. Paschen. “It showcases how public-private partnerships can create housing solutions that allow seniors to stay in their local communities as they age.”
The 2.8-acre site, located at the intersection of Mannheim Road and Nevada Avenue in Franklin Park, will not only provide housing for seniors but also contribute to the revitalization of the Mannheim Road corridor. The project is part of an effort to transform a vacant parcel of land into a community asset.
“This is a leading example of how public-private partnerships can improve communities,” said David Block, director of development for Evergreen Real Estate Group. “This development meets a critical need for senior housing in the area, and it is a testament to the vision of Township Supervisor Biscaglio and the Board of Trustees.”
The combined development is funded through multiple sources, including the Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA), Bank of America, Hudson Housing, Leyden Township, and the Cook County Department of Planning and Development. Mesirow Financial played a key role in underwriting the project’s financing.
According to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, the number of seniors aged 65 to 84 in the Chicago metropolitan area, including its suburbs, is expected to double by 2040, and the number of residents over 85 is projected to triple.
In Leyden Township, the percentage of seniors (18.1%) exceeds the countywide average (16.1%), with that number expected to continue to rise in the coming years.
