4400 Grove
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Project Description & Impact: 4400 Grove consists of two 4-story buildings, each with approximately 7,631 square feet of commercial space on the ground level along South Cottage Grove Avenue, 42 residential units on floors 2-4, and park space and an outdoor public plaza to complement the retail.
Client: Brinshore-Michaels; a joint venture by Brinshore Development, L.L.C. and The Michaels Organization
Financing Tools Used: Construction financing, CHA Moving to Work Loan, Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credits (allocated by the City of Chicago) to U.S. Bank, Seller Financing, LIHTC equity, CHA Section 9, etc.
The Story Behind this Project
4400 Grove is part of a two-phase project, 45th and Cottage Grove Avenue, in the heart of Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Combining retail and residential construction, Phase I of this dynamic new development created 84 mixed-income rental apartments (21 units of which are set aside for public housing residents) and 15,200 square feet of commercial space, including 12 retail stores. The development includes a plaza adorned with public art and green features that will host public gatherings, farmers markets and outdoor retail dining, along with a fitness room, community room, in a four-story elevator building and three-story walk-ups featuring thoughtfully appointed, well-designed, eco-friendly apartments. Additionally, in the North building there is a management office and bike room, and in the South building there is additional building amenities, including a lounge and fitness rooms.
The Project was constructed by McShane Ujamaa Joint Venture, and provided new jobs during the construction period. Bright Star Community Outreach Corporation, a long-standing nonprofit organization in the community also provide a range of supportive services to residents of the Project. Services include:
- Child & Family Services: Equipping children and families with the resources and skills needed to meet their physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, educational, and economic needs.
- Parenting Education: Provide families with the skills needed to provide a stable and healthy home for their children.
- Mentoring: Provide children and youth with positive adult role models that will help them make positive decisions and engage in healthy behavior.
- Counseling: Improve mental health conditions in the community and provide education to minimize the stigma and create access to care.
- Advocacy: Empower youth to have a voice in critical issues impacting them in their community.
- Economic Development: Equip families with the skills and opportunities needed to create an economically stable home and community.
Phase II of the larger 45th and Cottage Grove Avenue Project consists of three 3-story masonry walk up buildings containing 50 units with a variety of facades and unit types and sizes along E. 45th Street and S. Evans, and six 3-story masonry walk up buildings containing 24 units on E. 44th and Langley.
The 45th and Cottage Grove Avenue redevelopment vision aims to restore the historic character of Cottage Grove Avenue with a vibrant mix of residential, retail, community services and green space, creating a model for continued development. As a centerpiece for revitalization, the development is envisioned as one that restores the historic street wall along Cottage Grove between 44th and 45th Streets, taking inspiration from the remaining vintage buildings present on Cottage Grove as well as the surrounding streets. Utilizing a mixture of vintage and modern styles and a traditional palette of brick and stone, the buildings frame a public outdoor plaza that serves as the celebratory front yard for this mixed use development and is programmed as a centerpiece for neighborhood activity. With the proposed 45th and Cottage development, Brinshore-Michaels is committed to honoring the historic integrity of the community and embracing and integrating the cultural nuances of the people who love and work in the Bronzeville community.
