Skender Breaks Ground on Chicago’s First Native American-Focused Affordable Housing Project

Mayor Brandon Johnson, city officials, indigenous community leaders and project team members gathered last week to bless the land and celebrate the construction start on Jigzibik (pronounced JEEG-zee-beek), a new 62,000-square-foot, seven-story mixed-use development that will become Chicago’s first affordable housing project centered on serving Native American communities. Located at 2907 W. Irving Park Road in the Irving Park neighborhood, the project will provide Native-inclusive affordable housing, dedicated nonprofit office space, and a rooftop community gathering area.

Jigzibik addresses long-standing housing inequities impacting Native households, offering deeply affordable units for individuals and families earning between 15% and 60% of area median income (AMI). The development was conceived by Visionary Ventures, a Native-led non-profit organization, and co-led by Full Circle Communities. In collaboration with the Native American Advisory Council, Canopy Architecture + Design served as architect and Skender is overseeing construction.

The seven-story mixed-use building will offer 45 residential units between floors 2-6, including 10 studio, 15 one-bedroom, 10 two-bedroom, and 10 three-bedroom apartments. Beyond housing, Jigzibik will include:

• Ground-floor office space for Native American-serving nonprofits
• Dedicated areas for artists and makers
• A computer lab and library for cultural and educational programming
• A rooftop deck designed for meditation, intertribal events, and community gardening

The site was intentionally chosen to ensure residents have easy access to public transportation, parks, trails, grocery stores, schools, and neighborhood amenities—supporting both individual well-being and community connection.

Named Jigzibik, a Potawatomi word meaning “at the river’s edge,” the building was titled by the project’s Native American Advisory Council and pays homage to the Great Lakes Indigenous nations. Its design will reflect themes of environmental stewardship, cultural heritage, and intergenerational connection, including a custom masonry façade accented by a flowing river motif rendered in white and blue brick.

The project is expected to be completed in the second half of 2026.