Chicago Construction News staff writer
Officials held a joint ribbon-cutting and groundbreaking ceremony last week for 43 Green, an $81.8 million INVEST South/West two-building project that will bring equitable transit-oriented development to Chicago’s historic Bronzeville area.
While the ribbon-cutting celebrated the opening of 43 Green’s Phase I, a $37.8-million 10-story building at 43rd and Calumet Avenue, the groundbreaking marked the start of construction for Phase II, a $44-million 10-story building at 43rd and Prairie.
The city’s investment in Phase II building features 80 units, with 44 made affordable to those at 60 per cent AMI and below, as well as 3,600 square feet of retail space on the ground floor.
Both projects, located on previously city-owned land and will include fitness centers, bike storage spaces, rooftop terraces, on-site laundry facilities, and surface parking.
Phases I and II were developed by The Habitat Company and the emerging BIPOC-led P3 Markets. Phase I was designed by architecture firm Landon Bone Baker Architects (LBBA), and Phase II was designed by LBBA along with Moody Nolan, and the minority-owned BeeHyyve. BIPOC-led general contractor Bowa Construction worked on both projects.
“43 Green Phase II is a continuation of a vision to re-populate, re-vitalize and continue this catalytic ETOD development in the heart of historic Bronzeville on the south side of Chicago,” said P3 Markets LLC principal Phil Beckham.
In addition to bringing more affordable units to Bronzeville, the buildings were designed with sustainable features including Energy Start Certification and reduction of building energy use by 15 per cent from the baseline, high-performance glazing and building envelope, on-site stormwater management, and a green roof system.
“Most recent developments in the community have focused on single-family lots or smaller multifamily projects,” said Maureen Vaughn, VP of Marketing and Communications for Habitat. “We are confident 43Green will appeal across multiple income levels and serve as a catalyst to the neighborhood by driving new investment opportunities and long-term economic growth closer to the Green Line station.”
Bronzeville is a historic neighborhood located on the South Side of Chicago. The area is known for its rich Black cultural heritage, as it was once home to some of the most prominent figures of Chicago’s Black Renaissance in the 1930s and ‘40s
P3 Markets is based in Bronzeville and has a long history of community engagement there. Multiple public meetings with area residents were held in 2019, which introduced the 43 Green project, receiving overwhelming approval by the community.
