Affordable Accessible Housing Planned for Lincoln Park

• A proposed five-story affordable housing development at 754 W. Belden Ave., Chicago, Illinois would replace an existing two-story building and parking lot in Lincoln Park.
• Led by nonprofit Over The Rainbow (OTR), the project would create 30 fully affordable one-bedroom apartments for adults with physical disabilities earning 30 percent of area median income.
• The 58-foot-tall building is designed by Weese Langley Weese and would include accessible features such as wheel-in showers, along with a community room, shared laundry, patio and lobby.
• If zoning approval and HUD coordination stay on schedule, construction could begin next summer, with completion expected in late 2028.

What The Lincoln Park Project Will Provide

Plans are moving forward for a new affordable residential development at 754 W. Belden Ave., at the intersection of West Belden Avenue and North Halsted Street in Lincoln Park. The site sits across from the DePaul School of Music and currently contains a two-story structure and an on-site parking lot. The proposal would replace the existing building with a new five-story, 58-foot-tall residential structure. The development is being pursued by Over The Rainbow, a local nonprofit that owns and operates the existing property. OTR focuses on providing affordable and accessible housing for adults with physical disabilities. The new development would allow the organization to expand that housing capacity while incorporating accessibility into the building's design from the start.

 

What The Apartments Will Offer

The new building will contain 30 residential units, all configured as one-bedroom apartments. Every unit is planned to be affordable to households earning 30 percent of area median income, putting the project among the deeply affordable housing developments proposed in Chicago. Accessibility is a central part of the project. Planned features include wheel-in showers and other design elements intended to make the apartments easier to use for residents with physical disabilities. The majority of the residences will be located on the upper floors, while the ground floor will contain several apartments along with shared spaces for residents.

 

What The Building Will Include

The ground floor is planned with a small lobby, community room, shared laundry facilities and a patio. These spaces will provide residents with areas for gathering and everyday activities beyond their individual apartments. The removal of the existing parking lot is also intentional. According to the project plans, most of the residents served by OTR do not drive, allowing the organization to use more of the site for housing instead of vehicle storage. The result will be a more residentially focused property with shared amenities and accessible outdoor space.

 

What The Design Will Look Like

Weese Langley Weese is designing the new building. Updated renderings show a contemporary five-story structure that occupies most of the property while maintaining a pedestrian-oriented relationship with Belden Avenue and Halsted Street. The design is being developed specifically around the needs of the residents, with accessibility incorporated into the apartments and common areas rather than treated as an afterthought. The project's location also places residents close to public transportation, neighborhood businesses and educational institutions in Lincoln Park.

 

What Comes Next for The Development

The project still needs to move through Chicago's zoning approval process, while OTR and its development team continue finalizing details with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). If approvals remain on schedule, construction could begin next summer, with the new affordable housing community targeted for completion in late 2028. For Lincoln Park, the development would add 30 deeply affordable homes while serving a specific population that often faces limited housing options: adults with physical disabilities who need accessible residences at an affordable price.