Groundbreaking ceremony held for mixed income development on Southwest Side

A major step forward for affordable housing on Chicago's Southwest Side.

City leaders held a groundbreaking ceremony at the new LeClaire Courts development in Garfield Ridge.

The project will transform the former public housing site that's been vacant there since 2011.

Construction is set to begin on two six-story buildings along Cicero Avenue — creating about 180 mixed-income apartments.

"The truth is, that people who live in subsidized housing deserve the same range of choices as anyone else looking for a home in this dog-gone city," said Chicago Housing Authority CEO Keith Pettigrew.

Construction on the apartment complex is expected to be completed in 2028.

The project is just phase one of plans to revitalize the entire 32-acre LeClaire Courts site.