Neighbors Weigh In on New 6-Story Affordable Building Proposed for Long-Vacant West Division Lot

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Humboldt Park · February 26, 2026

A vacant lot on the 3200 block of West Division Street — empty for seven years and still wearing the ghost of an old liquor store sign — could soon be transformed into a six-story, 44-unit affordable apartment building, and Humboldt Park residents have plenty to say about it. CBS Chicago reported this week that the proposal by Hispanic Housing Development Corporation is drawing a mixed but engaged reaction from the community, with some neighbors eager for housing and others pushing for more retail and street-level energy on the west side of Division.

Alderman Jessie Fuentes (26th), who supports the development, has been clear about the stakes: with a waiting list of 300 residents in need of housing in her ward alone, the pressure to act is real. Hispanic Housing CEO Tony Hernandez noted the team is listening — and has already agreed to incorporate 1,000 square feet of retail space into the ground floor at the community's request. If approved, Hernandez expects to break ground next year with the building ready for residents by 2028.

The conversation around West Division's future doesn't stop there. Sisters Michelle and Melissa Gomez are still working toward opening the Tu Casa Project at 2626 W. Division St. — a community center that would offer senior programs, barista training, and a cosmetology school, filling a six-year void since Humboldt Park last had a dedicated Puerto Rican community center. Want to make your voice heard on either project? Attend upcoming community meetings through Alderman Fuentes' 26th Ward office and help shape what West Division becomes next.

Sources:
1. https://www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news/humboldt-park-affordable-housing/
2. https://blockclubchicago.org/2025/03/21/first-puerto-rican-community-center-in-6-years-coming-to-humboldt-park/