The first phase of redevelopment at the former LeClaire Courts public housing complex will cost $127 million. Two six-story buildings in southwest Chicago will contain 183 apartments, about 90% of them designated as affordable.
The first-phase funding package has been approved. Reports by Chicago YIMBY and Urbanize Chicago say the project will also include a childcare center, retail space and landscaped public areas. The broader 32-acre site is planned as a mixed-income, mixed-use neighborhood.
The two buildings will sit on the west side of Cicero Avenue between 44th and 45th streets. They will contain studios and one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. One building will have a 10,000-square-foot early childhood center on the ground floor. The other will include a community room and about 2,200 square feet of retail space. Plans also call for a green area between the buildings and a 134-space garage behind them, along with two playgrounds, walking paths, gathering areas and fitness centers.
About 90% of the first 183 apartments will be affordable under income and rent restrictions. Some will be reserved for households using Chicago Housing Authority vouchers. The remaining homes will be rented at market rates.
The financing package combines city funds, Chicago Housing Authority loans and private investment. Sources include a $43.7 million senior construction loan, a $24.5 million CHA loan and $33.7 million in Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity. Building permits have been filed, and construction is expected to begin in late 2026.
The wider redevelopment plan envisions up to 700 homes, significant commercial space and public open areas. The Chicago Housing Authority demolished LeClaire Courts in 2011, and much of the site remained vacant for more than a decade.