LUCHA Humboldt Park Residence was originally designed by LBBA in 1996 as a 68-unit single-room occupancy (SRO) building for unhoused individuals and those at risk of becoming homeless. Innovative in its approach to affordable housing, Humboldt Park Residence marked the first SRO building constructed in Chicago in over 50 years. Built at a time when SROs were being shuttered at an alarming rate, the building preceded a 2014 city ordinance aimed at preserving remaining SROs after many had been purchased and converted into luxury housing. Prioritizing efficiency, the original design included LBBA’s custom Knothead furniture throughout the common spaces and units.

Over two decades later, LUCHA and LBBA once again partnered to rehab Humboldt Park Residence. Converted from 68 units to 65 units, the building underwent comprehensive renovations in 2021 to better serve its residents. Each compact, efficiently designed unit now features a modern kitchenette and a private bathroom. The ground floor provides thoughtfully planned common areas, including a management office, community gathering space, and a welcoming public lobby that opens onto an exterior garden. Twenty percent of the units and all common spaces meet accessibility requirements, with elevator access throughout the building. During the rehab, LBBA was able to preserve the custom Knothead furniture in the common spaces.

Humboldt Park Residence continues to fill a critical need for affordable housing as Chicago confronts the lasting consequences of its lost SRO buildings and as the Humboldt Park neighborhood navigates the pressures of ongoing gentrification.