New apartment building for people with disabilities coming to West Chicago

West Chicago will soon have apartments specially designed for individuals with developmental disabilities or mental health needs.

A new 24-unit apartment building is under construction at 487 Main St., immediately east of West Chicago City Hall.

The project, called Main Street Lofts, is a collaborative effort between Villa Park-based developer North Arrow Partners and the Association for Individual Development in Elgin.

"We are slated to be done by the end of the year, as long as mother nature cooperates," said Lore Baker, president and CEO of AID.

Baker praised the West Chicago location because it is relatively close to the Fox River Valley, where AID offers most of its services and support.

"We have clients and people we support who need access to affordable housing," Baker said.

Most of the funding for the project comes from the Illinois Housing Development Authority, Baker said. She added that residents will have to prove their income eligibility to apply for one of the units.

Baker stresses that the building is not a group home. It will have individual apartments to allow for more independent living.

North Arrow Partners functions as a develop-design-build firm dedicated to creating affordable and permanent supportive housing throughout Illinois.

According to North Arrow Partners, the Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant building will have 21 one-bedroom units, including two handicap-accessible units and one sensory unit for a deaf or hard-of-hearing tenant. There will be three two-bedroom units, including one that is handicap accessible.

Other amenities will include a 24-hour security service, an in-building caseworker office, in-house laundry facilities and a multipurpose room.

Baker said all the units are designed to be adaptable if a future need arises for additional handicap or sensory changes.

"It's all right there," said West Chicago Mayor Ruben Pineda, touting the building's proximity to the Metra Station, grocery stores, pharmacy and the city's downtown.

Pineda said the Main Street Lofts will help the city achieve a goal of bringing up to 400 new apartment or condominium units to its downtown.

"Hopefully, this will be a spark to bring new life to our downtown," Pineda said.