For Rada Doytcheva, principal of RADA Architects and RADA Development, there is no better place than Cabrini-Green for a “green” building.
“I find this is a fascinating area,” said Doytcheva. “Cabrini-Green represents a huge chunk of land in the city that is underdeveloped and changing.” With Clybourn Point, a six-unit condo building with eco-friendly features like a green roof and photovoltaic cells that will power the common areas, the architect and developer is hoping to lead the neighborhood — and the city — toward a greener future.
“A building right on the fringes and on the gateway into downtown is a tremendous location to exhibit ideas,” said Doytcheva. As old public housing high-rises give way to new, multi-million-dollar developments, she hopes to see a change in the way developers approach construction. “With Cabrini-Green development, the city should really do a lot of eco-friendly stuff and force developers to do that.
“We’re not getting a lot of educated buildings out there,” Doytcheva said. “If we plant the seeds, there will be more people doing it. There will be more companies producing some of the components like PV cells, and they will become cheaper if there is more demand. Right now, they are not cheap.”
Clybourn Point, located at 1322 N Clybourn Ave, exhibits RADA Architects’ commitment to what Doytcheva calls “sensitive, sustainable design.” In addition to the photovoltaic cells and the green roof, which helps conserve energy and reduce the “urban heat island” effect, the building will feature an “eco elevator,” a traction unit designed to consume 60 percent less energy than a conventional hydraulic elevator and avoid the disposal of hydraulic fluids. Low-energy light-emitting diodes (LEDs) will be used for outdoor lighting, and Doytcheva said she is hoping to build the outdoor decks with plastic lumber made from recycled milk cartons.
Many of the building materials use recycled content, and construction waste is sorted and handled by a special waste hauler. RADA has registered the building for LEED certification, Doytcheva said, and is still awaiting the designation.
Inside, the three-bedroom condos will have a clean, modern aesthetic with 10-foot ceiling heights, bamboo floors throughout, contemporary flush-panel cabinetry with xenon lighting, granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The master bathroom has a rain shower with body sprays and a separate tub with air jets and chromotherapy lights. There is also a common deck on the roof and commercial space on the ground floor.
The four remaining units at Clybourn Point are priced from the $640s to the $690s, and heated garage parking is an additional $28,000 to $35,000. Construction is underway now, and deliveries are planned for late April or early May.