After years of sitting empty at one of Pilsen’s most-watched corners, the city-owned lot at 18th and Peoria is finally getting a plan. The Resurrection Project will put up a seven-story affordable housing building on the long-vacant site, with 76 permanent apartments that include studios plus one-, two- and three-bedroom units, along with a ground-floor early-childhood center aimed at keeping families in the neighborhood. TRP says the project is the first phase of redevelopment for the six-acre parcel and is slated to begin construction in 2027.
The announcement and partners
In a press release, The Resurrection Project said it will partner with Chicago Commons to run an on-site child care center and will work with the City of Chicago Department of Housing to deliver the homes. The city framed the project as part of a larger round of awards under its Qualified Allocation Plan that directed roughly $300 million toward a dozen affordable housing developments across Chicago. Homes.com notes the QAP funding is intended to pair federal low-income housing tax credits with city subsidies for projects selected in 2025.
What the building will include
According to local reporting, the development, referred to as Casa Nayarit in early materials, will offer community amenities such as a multipurpose room, laundry facilities, bike storage, an outdoor play area and a rooftop deck. Block Club Chicago reports the ground floor will house an early-childhood center operated by Chicago Commons, a longtime local provider. The Resurrection Project’s announcement also highlights the group’s ongoing role in building family-oriented affordable housing in Pilsen.
Where it fits in the neighborhood plan
The 18th and Peoria parcel is the largest undeveloped site in Pilsen and was folded into a city framework plan approved in 2023 that envisions roughly 432 new units across the six-acre site. The city acquired the parcel in recent years, and the larger framework was adopted by the Chicago Plan Commission. Chicago Leader reviewed that approval and the plan’s phasing. The 25th Ward has posted materials about the framework and ongoing community meetings tied to the multi-phase redevelopment process.
Timeline and approvals
Local coverage says The Resurrection Project’s formal proposal for the 76-unit building will be considered at the 25th Ward zoning advisory board’s April 13 meeting before moving through standard city design and zoning review. 25th Ward materials outline the larger five-phase plan and the city’s community engagement to date. Block Club reported that TRP estimates the Casa Nayarit build could cost about $48 million and may take up to two and a half years to complete once construction starts in 2027.
Why this matters
Neighborhood advocates have long pushed for affordable housing on the 18th and Peoria lot as a way to slow displacement in Pilsen, and the city and developers say the new units and on-site child care are meant to help families remain in place. TRP has moved other family-focused projects in Pilsen in recent years, including Casa Yucatán, which broke ground in 2025 and underscores the nonprofit’s continued focus on family housing. ABC7 Chicago covered that earlier Casa Yucatán milestone.
“Working together, now we have an opportunity to address the affordable housing crisis in the neighborhood,” TRP leadership said in local reporting, framing the 76-unit proposal as the community-serving start of a much larger redevelopment plan. The zoning review in mid-April will be the next public test of whether the vision for the six-acre site moves forward on the timeline TRP and the city are outlining.
