Skender Starts Construction on United Yards, a Three-Building Affordable Housing Development in Chicago’s Back of the Yards Neighborhood

Skender, as general contractor, recently started construction on United Yards, a new master-planned affordable housing development in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. The sustainable, three-building project is a joint venture partnership between developers Celadon Partners and Blackwood Group. Designed by architect DesignBridge, the project consists of a new 45-unit, six-story apartment building with a ground-floor business entrepreneur hub and youth programming space at 4703 S. Justine Street, plus two three-flat modular apartment buildings at 1639 and 1641 W. 47th Street.

The project is a product of former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s INVEST South/West initiative, which aims to bolster community vitality and bring more jobs, better housing and necessary amenities to 12 commercial corridors on Chicago’s South and West sides.

The 62,925-square-foot Justine Street building is designed as a cast-in-place concrete building with a mix of masonry, cement panels and metal panel cladding. It will feature unique stepped planters on the façade, EV charging stations, and a multi-purpose amenity space on its top floor. The two 47th Street three-flat buildings, located on a single site, will total 6,804 square feet when four phases of construction are complete. A unique modular design encases the all-electric buildings.

The three-building project is set to be completed in October 2025 and is a continuation of Skender’s successful history with Celadon, which includes other community-focused projects like Maywood Supportive Living in Maywood, Illinois. Skender has also previously collaborated with Blackwood Group, serving as a general contractor joint venture partner for other senior living projects, including the 350-unit Albany Terrace Apartments in South Lawndale.

“We are so proud to work together with Celadon Partners and Blackwood to bring critical new affordable housing to the Back of the Yards neighborhood,” said Afshan Barshan, Senior Vice President at Skender. “Neighborhoods on the South and West sides of Chicago are in acute need of investment. This new development will fill a housing hole while also bringing a new business hub and youth programming space to the area.”

Tandem Ventures is managing regulatory compliance, maximizing community engagement, and creating local employment opportunities on the project. Other project partners include Virgilio & Associates as Structural Engineer and Element Energy as MEP Engineer.