Construction Progress: McCrory Senior Apartments joins the community

McCrory Senior Apartments construction progress as of September 18thJust west of Union Park at the SE intersection of Washington and Paulina, McCrory Senior Housing is taking shape amongst a myriad of neighbors.

 

Aerial drone shot of McCrory Senior Apartments' site and surrounding context after groundbreakingWithin the four blocks that meet at this corner, you can find historic mansions, contemporary 2- to 4-flats, apartments, condos, a learning center, and elementary school. McCrory’s community development partner, the First Baptist Congregational Church, sits next door.

 

Site plan of McCrory Senior Apartments showing ground floor and vegetation

Despite a limiting factor such as a small urban infill site, McCrory responds to the needs and social desires of the residents with varied interior and exterior community spaces.

 

Catherine Baker, Josh Mings, McKay Landscape Architect, and Tyler Brown at McCrory Senior Apartments groundbreaking

The design team, composed of Catherine Baker, Tyler Brown, and Josh Mings, looked to surrounding context for cues on creating a building that would feel like it always belonged within a walkable and transit-oriented neighborhood.

 

3D rendering of McCrory Senior Apartments exterior

Emulating residential bays typical in Chicago’s vernacular, the team shifted the massing and designed the façade to emphasize the building’s vertical proportion.  Decorative highlights, material choices, and other details pay respect to the historic architecture immediately surrounding McCrory and its significance to Chicago and the community.

 

Diagram showing stained glass with zoom call out and stained glass inspired pattern

An abstracted quatrefoil pattern engraved in sections of cast stone and a mural inspired by stained glass also reference the church’s historic features. Once complete, McCrory will offer seniors an affordable housing option that keeps them in the neighborhood as they age and gives them more freedom to live independently.