Lodge Evanston revived an abandoned church structure in downtown Evanston, Illinois, transforming it with a new addition into 30 apartments a few blocks from Northwestern University and a transit line connecting to downtown Chicago. Straddling the boundary between low-density residential urban fabric to the west and a large-scale commercial and institutional mixed-use zone to the east, the project preserved a key piece of Evanston’s historic fabric while adding housing density with a diverse mix of unit types on an underutilized and transit-adjacent lot.

Retaining the existing church structure and adding a compact addition maximized unit count as well as perimeter wall area for light, air and views. The resulting unit mix of flats and unique bi-level and tri-level typologies provided unexpected layouts and special interior experiences for residents, creating a defining identity for the project, unlike the typical sameness promoted in the new construction marketplace. The building is a model for inclusionary housing, with three affordable units. Three ground floor units provide ADA-accessible flats entered directly off Oak Avenue.

The new construction addition was an exercise in responsive infill. Tightly organized around a central circulation core, the building’s ground floor lobby faces Oak Avenue, with eight parking spaces tucked behind. Rooftop massing adjustments align with the church’s pitched roof and open access to private and common walk-out decks. At grade, an inset reveal and a canted canopy draw pedestrians into the lobby. Clad in black standing seam metal, the addition contrasts with the neutral brick of the existing church structure, clarifying old and new.

A creative approach to interior circulation reconfigured the tall interior volume of the church sanctuary into eight units accessed through a mid-level double-loaded corridor. Four tri-level apartments and four stacked bi-levels at each end are designed to live like townhomes, with bedrooms above and below central living areas. Unit interiors highlight the existing character of the structure, with extra large windows, skylights and original exposed wood trusses at the top level. Interior and exterior common areas flow seamlessly into the public spaces around the building, enhancing neighborhood street life with activity, greenery, and social spaces.