Lake & Kedzie Urban Arboretum

Lake & Kedzie is a mixed-use, transit-oriented development and landscape framework proposed as part of Chicago’s Invest South/West initiative. Located at the intersection of Lake Street and Kedzie Avenue—directly adjacent to the Kedzie Green Line Station and near Garfield Park—the project positions housing, commerce, and landscape as interdependent civic infrastructure.
The proposal centers on a six-story, 52-unit affordable housing building with active ground-floor commercial uses, including a neighborhood restaurant, laundromat, and café. Inspired by the Garfield Park Conservatory and Chicago’s historic Emerald Necklace, the design reframes the building as a living conservatory: a shared winter garden runs vertically through the structure, replacing conventional corridors with a naturally lit, planted social spine that supports everyday encounters, health, and learning.
Beyond the building, the project advances a broader vision of neighborhood conservancy living. Streets become urban arboretums, corners transform into public gathering spaces, and green infrastructure extends ecological care into daily urban life. Landscape strategies emphasize biodiversity, stormwater management, tree canopy expansion, and pedestrian comfort, reinforcing a 15-minute community model rooted in environmental and social justice.
Developed in close collaboration with community partners, the proposal aligns affordable housing delivery with local business support, workforce development, and long-term stewardship. Lake & Kedzie is conceived not as an isolated project, but as an initial seed—capable of catalyzing future development while restoring dignity, access, and ecological resilience to East Garfield Park.