On September 16th, developer The Resurrection Project (TRP) celebrated the groundbreaking of NEF-syndicated Casa Durango. The 53-unit new construction affordable housing development will be located on two separate parcels approximately 0.5 miles away from each other in the Pilsen neighborhood of Chicago. The development will consist of a five-story 37-unit residential building at 1850 S. Racine Avenue and a three-story 16-unit residential building at 2008-2012 S. Ashland Avenue. Of the 53 apartments, five will receive Section 811 rental subsidies and be set-aside for individuals with disabilities earning less than 30 percent of the Area Median Income. Both buildings will have tenant lounges, laundry facilities and elevators.
The designs for these new constructions draw from the context of Pilsen. The exterior of 1850 S. Racine will be designed with a mix of masonry and metal materials with a glass storefront surrounding the first-floor community room – the first floor will contain about 620 square feet of community spaces. The innovative design of these buildings to match the area’s architectural context is an excellent example of community-focused development. TRP’s goal is to support the current inhabitants of Pilsen, as CEO and co-founder Raul Raymundo said at the groundbreaking, “We welcome newcomers, but we also want the families who have been here for many years to benefit from the prosperity of neighborhood development.”
NEF President and CEO Matt Reilein also spoke at the Casa Durango groundbreaking, saying, “This [Casa Durango] is a true example of public, private, nonprofit, public sector partnership that is truly going to deliver and benefit at a local level.” NEF has been partnered with TRP since 1996, working to expand and reinforce the affordable housing options in Pilsen, a primarily Hispanic community in Chicago that has been battling against gentrification at some of the fastest rates nationwide. We continue to stand up and stand together with our partners in the fight to keep residents in their homes for the long term, at rates that remain affordable so the Pilsen community can continue to thrive. It was all the more powerful that the groundbreaking occurred during Hispanic Heritage Month, and specifically fell on Independence Day for several Latin American nations, as we share the belief that sustained independence is truly reinforced by having a place to call home. You can watch the ABC 7 video and read the article about yesterday’s celebration at Casa Durango here, and learn more about the history of Hispanic Heritage Month here.
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