The Chicago Plan Commission has signed off on a five-story residential expansion next to the former Our Lady of Lourdes School in Uptown, paving the way for a 78-unit building at 4641 North Ashland. The approval moves developer Honore Properties one step deeper into its multi-phase overhaul of the block, which already saw the old school turned into apartments.
Plan Commission Sign-Off
At its November meeting, the commission approved the second phase of the project, allowing construction on the vacant parking lot just north of the schoolhouse. The vote clears a key bureaucratic hurdle for Honore Properties and Kennedy Mann Architecture as the team shifts from pure adaptive reuse to new infill construction, according to Chicago YIMBY.
Design Tweaks And Neighborhood Safety
After neighbors weighed in, the proposal was reshaped to better match nearby buildings and to cut down on traffic conflicts. One big change moves the parking entrance to Ashland so drivers dropping off or picking up will not tangle with crowds headed to or from nearby Chase Park. The developer has also committed to a slate of sustainability features, including dark-sky-compliant lighting, a solar-ready roof, a fully electrified building, and an expanded bike room sized for both electric and cargo bikes, per Urbanize Chicago.
Units, Materials, And Timeline
The new building is planned for 78 apartments in a mix of studios, along with one, two, and three bedroom layouts, with 16 of those homes reserved as affordable under the city's ARO requirements. None of the units will have private balconies. Instead, residents will share a compact rooftop lounge and an east-facing deck. The facade is set to use red brick on the lower floors with dark metal panels on the upper levels. The project cost is estimated at about $21 million, and the team is aiming to break ground in mid to late 2026, with completion targeted for the first quarter of 2028, according to Chicago YIMBY.
From School To Apartments
Phase 2 builds on Honore's earlier work, converting the adjacent Our Lady of Lourdes school into 42 apartments and renovating the separate convent after the Archdiocese put the properties up for sale. Reporting by the Chicago Sun-Times has also detailed the sale and the mixed reaction from parishioners and neighbors as the property shifts from institutional use to a residential complex.
What Comes Next
Even with aldermanic backing and the Plan Commission's blessing, the development is not fully home free yet. Honore Properties still needs rezoning approval and final votes from the Committee on Zoning and the full City Council before building permits can be issued. If those fall into place, the developer expects to coordinate amenities between the converted school building and the new infill structure, according to Urbanize Chicago.
