CHICAGO (WLS) — A new development is taking shape on Chicago’s near West Side, marking a significant step towards enhancing the city.
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On Wednesday, a ribbon-cutting ceremony inaugurated the Westhaven Park Station.
This new construction replaces the old Henry Horner Homes, a public housing complex that had been plagued by reports of poor living conditions and violence.
Esther Dorgbefu, who works remotely, now enjoys a stunning view of Chicago’s skyline from her window.
She highlights this view as one of the many advantages of residing at Westhaven Park Station, where she has lived since August.
“There’s a welcoming warmth at Westhaven, a sense of tranquility as you enter. It feels like a place where you can breathe, settle in, and truly belong,” Dorgbefu expressed.
Dorgbefu joined city leaders and Westhaven’s developers to celebrate the grand opening of the twelve-story building.
The grand opening satisfies an affordable housing requirement to replace units that were lost when the public housing project was demolished in 2006.
“Where residents decades ago worked to thrive despite the blight, the residents here today can enjoy this rooftop deck a community room, a yoga room and more,” Chicago Dept. of Housing Commissioner Lissette Castañeda said.
The 96-unit building is across the street from the CTA’s Green Line stop at Damen and Lake.
Developers say the proximity to transportation is the future of housing and to creating a more walkable neighborhood.
City leaders say with the completion of this building, Westhaven Park Station changes what was once a site of neglect into a symbol of renewal.
