Elevated Ellis aims to unify Woodlawn, a predominately Black neighborhood in Chicago’s South Side, by blending architectural innovation with social impact. Inspired by African and African American textile arts, the project weaves together affordable and market-rate residential, live/work spaces, pop-up entrepreneurial space, and Illinois’ first Black-owned restaurant and brewpub into a finely grained, vibrant street level experience.
The building design echoes the motifs of quilting with subtractive stepped massing, checkerboard grids, and textured facades to create a visually dynamic and community-focused development. Its commodious cast-in place concrete facades, with pre-cast panel systems, balance efficient construction with aesthetic versatility, ensuring durability. The design provides ample natural light and ventilation, while the stacked bond brick surround of the storefront live/work units recalls the neighborhood’s two- and three-flat vernacular, an icon of Chicago architecture, fostering a pedestrian-friendly, human-scale presence.
The six-story, 73-unit development also contains 11 live/work units that provide entrepreneurs with affordable opportunities for business growth, supported by street access and tax credits. The ground floor’s mix of civic spaces and commercial uses transforms the 63rd street corridor into a bustling neighborhood where residents can access daily essentials within a 15-minute walk.
Elevated Ellis will be a catalyst for revitalization in Woodlawn. It will activate the streetscape, connect local public transit systems to future developments like the nearby Obama Presidential Center. By prioritizing sustainability, inclusivity and community-wealth building, Elevated Ellis embodies a vision of opportunity and revitalization for the neighborhood.
Selected as a finalist in Woodlawn’s pipeline of future developments, Elevated Ellis is a symbol of the stitching together of history, culture, and opportunity into a new landmark for Woodlawn.
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