Chicago, IL, 60616, USA: The Archer Courts townhouses were built on 1.143 acres of land surrounding a rehabilitated "towers in the park" public housing complex in Chicago's Chinatown neighborhood. Of the 43 townhouses, 34 were sold at market prices to moderate-income residents, five were sold by lottery to low-income local families, and four were donated to the housing authority in exchange for the land. The 2-3 bedroom units, built from modular elements, feature alley-fed single car garages and rooftop decks. All units are adaptable for full accessibility, with wide interior doors and stairs, zero-step ground floor entries, and ground floor bathrooms. An innovative financing model used TIF funds and tax-exempt municipal bonds to access low-cost capital. The development won the 2005 Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Award for Architectural Excellence at the Chicago Neighborhood Development Awards.
Credits: Photo: Payton Chung; architect: Landon Bone Baker