Lawson House

Supportive Housing in the Jewel of the Gold Coast

Lawson House, Chicago’s historic YMCA, occupies the northeast corner of Chicago and Dearborn in one of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods. Built in 1931 as the tallest structure in Chicago, the building became a “city in a block,” with 583 sleeping rooms, two gymnasiums, an indoor pool, cafeteria, barber shop, and many period-themed amenities.

The project’s 28-month transformative rehabilitation provides dignified living conditions in 409 low-income single-room occupancy (SRO) units, approximately 1/3 of the City’s new online units. The project’s modernization marks the only complete renovation of units since the building's opening.

The building was designed for LEED Gold Certification but is stretching for LEED Platinum. The biggest impact will be on the owner’s utility bills: both water and electric bills are designed to a 37% reduction in usage. Considering the high-intensity usage of SROs, that difference saves ~$215,000/year. 

This monumental historic renovation received the largest single allocation of LIHTC (Low Income Housing Tax Credits) funding in Illinois history.

Client: Holsten Real Estate Development

Location: Chicago, IL

Role: Architect of Record

Size: 250,000 GSF

Completion: 2024

Project Cost: $122,000,000

The Building’s Hub: The hotel-like lobby emphasizes natural light and materials and rich colors in an Art Deco style. Staff can casually perform wellness checks on residents as they advance from street to elevator.

The Building’s Hub: The hotel-like lobby emphasizes natural light and materials and rich colors in an Art Deco style. Staff can casually perform wellness checks on residents as they advance from street to elevator.

Salvaged and Reimagined Event Hall: The project infilled the pool for safety reasons, but the design allows for a completed reversal of the process to bring the pool back at any time.

Salvaged and Reimagined Event Hall: The project infilled the pool for safety reasons, but the design allows for a completed reversal of the process to bring the pool back at any time.

Historic Barbershop Turned Laundry Room: Clad in vitrolite, a reflective black glass tile, the former Barbershop will house the hygienic function of laundry moving forward and still allow people to congregate.

Historic Barbershop Turned Laundry Room: Clad in vitrolite, a reflective black glass tile, the former Barbershop will house the hygienic function of laundry moving forward and still allow people to congregate.

Dignified and Accessible Living: Walls and ceilings are painted the same color to enhance the natural light and make the 150 SF footprints feel large.

Dignified and Accessible Living: Walls and ceilings are painted the same color to enhance the natural light and make the 150 SF footprints feel large.

“This housing has been preserved in one of the most unaffordable neighborhoods in Chicago.

It is a reminder of how affordable housing is needed everywhere and shows a model of how to develop it in amenity-rich and highly desirable areas.”

—Jackie & Peter Holsten

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