Our 4 unit attached single family house project in Highland Park is has been occupied for about a year now. The landscape has matured, the kinks have been worked out and we are pleased to announce that it was just named a design award winner by the Association of Licensed Architects.

Pedestrian walkway to primary unit entries

It has been years in the making and it wasn’t an easy process. Through the death of both my development partners, three different design schemes, Covid 19 and the associated supply chain issues, reduced construction worker staffing, astronomical and labor material increases, its was a miracle that I am able show the completion of this remarkable project. It was exhausting, but in the end rewarding to have persevered.

The site is located between two unattractive multifamily structures on a narrow site considered to be unremarkable by several past attempts by other developers to envision a successful project. The long and narrow proportion of the site made it necessary to orient the project toward the long side of the project, facing the south and one of the neighboring buildings. This was no doubt a marketing challenge due to privacy concerns during pre-construction and the construction process, but by designing a “green wall” of columnar Arbor Vitae trees on the property line and additional landscape screening within each private courtyard, would over time, eliminate the issue. Convincing potential buyers that this would be the case was challenging to say the least.

One of the ideas of the design was to create a small community of homes with private, compact walled gardens that were manageable for the residents and an extension of the interior living spaces. The primary user group was imagined to be empty nesters looking for a manageable property, however, these homes also work for families with children with K-12 schools within 2 blocks of the site. The site is also a short walk from downtown Highland Park and the Metra commuter train to Chicago. In the end, 3 of the 4 homes were purchased by empty nesters, and the 4th home was purchased prior to the start of construction by a couple that are lovers of the modern aesthetic.

Another idea that reinforced the need to accommodate the “aging in place” community was accessibility. The primary bedroom suite is located on the first floor as is the laundry and of course, living and dining spaces. Each unit is accessible from the street with ADA compliant thresholds as is access patios overlooking private courtyards. Primary showers have curbless entries and wood blocking within walls were installed in the event that grab bars are needed. All first floor doorways are wide enough to accommodate wheelchair access. Despite all of these measures,, these units do not feel institutional in any way, but the accommodations are there if the need arises. Other bedroom spaces are located on the second floor and in the basement to serve children, grandchildren of the Owners, or home office needs.

These houses include many of the design features that are the hallmark of NDC’s projects; abundant natural light, indoor-outdoor space connection, orientation that allows sunlight to be minimized to be controlled in the summer and maximized in the winter.

Stair from ground floor Patio to Roof Deck

Special thanks goes out to Gavin Bardes and Christina Giordana from NDC and Dave Smith and Mike Kelly from Kelly - Smith Construction

Peter Nicholas

peter@nicholasdc.com