South State St. & East Roosevelt Rd., Chicago
Single Family Prairie Homes
Client: MCL Construction

Our client, MCL, felt that there was a market for single family homes in Dearborn Park II Development located south of Chicago's downtown on a former rail yard. We believed that these homes would only attract buyers if they were perceived as a unique opportunity and offered features that were otherwise unavailable in the marketplace.

FitzGerald Associates' response was to create a plan that would subdivide the block into smaller, more intimate streets flanked by 3-story homes on lots that were wider, but less deep, than typical city lots. This enabled us to build homes that differed markedly from competing projects but incorporated all of the critical features that city buyers were seeking.

The homes have rusticated limestone bases typing the buildings into the site with a combination of stepping walls and entry stairs that recall Chicago's early 'Prairie' aesthetic. Further 'Prairie' gestures help to subtly create individuality through the use of horizontally "layered" elevations, hip roofs, urns, front entry porches with arches or columns, divided light windows and large street front bays. Front loaded driveways allowed us to provide each home with a private rear yard and attached parking while maintaining an urban 'city house' feel.