The live-work units, designed to provide artists and professionals studio and office space as well as housing, are a novel addition in the $1-billion "Plan for Transformation," which involves replacing mostly high-rise public housing projects with mixed-income developments. "This is the first time someone is doing it," Brinshore Development, LLC senior vice president Peter Levavi tells GlobeSt.com. The live-work units will have large glass openings at the ground floor with either a one-bedroom unit or two-bedroom duplex above, according to Brinshore's plans.

The 213-unit development in 29 buildings will replace former CHA buildings on 10.7 acres in the 1800 blocks of Lake and Washington streets, two blocks north of the United Center. The rental building will include 70 units of replacement public housing, 27 at rents deemed affordable and 30 at market rates. The for-sale units will include 18 qualifying as affordable—no higher than $210,000.

"This is one of the nicest projects we've seen in a long time," says plan commission chairman Linda Searl. The project, to be built east of the Westhaven Park redevelopment, was recently recommended for approval by the plan commission.