LGBTQ-friendly affordable housing development cleared to rise in Logan Square

CSA Partners Ltd.

A triangular, seven-story affordable-rate apartment building known as the John Pennycuff Memorial Apartments at Robert Castillo Plaza is ready to break ground in Logan Square. Slated for the northeast corner of Milwaukee and Campbell avenues, the transit-oriented project will include ground floor retail, 18 parking spaces, and 88 studio, one-, and two-bedroom apartments targeted towards LGBTQ tenants.

Developed by the non-profit Metropolitan Housing Development Corp. and designed by CSA Partners, the Logan Square apartments represent Chicago’s second and largest LGBTQ-friendly affordable housing building to date. The concept builds off of the earlier success of Lakeview’s Town Hall Apartments which opened in 2014.

In June, the Chicago Housing Authority board authorized $12.5 million for Pennycuff’s construction. Last month, the Chicago City Council voted to support the project with $16 million in Multi-Family Housing Revenue Bonds plus $564,000 in Low Income Housing Tax Credits that will generate $5.7 million in equity.

For a closer look at the development, check out this recent short documentary video by Daniel Tomei featuring interviews with community activist Robert Castillo, 1st Ward Alderman Joe Moreno, and architect Cyrus Subawalla.

• New construction permit at 2025 N. Milwaukee Avenue [Chicago Cityscape]
• LGBTQ-friendly housing development for Milwaukee Avenue [Curbed Chicago]
• Previous Logan Square coverage [Curbed Chicago]