Southbridge Keeps Growing: A New 12-Story Tower Just Broke Ground at the Former Harold Ickes Homes Site

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/South Loop · April 28, 2026

South Loop's most ambitious housing story just hit another landmark. On Monday, April 27th, city officials and community partners gathered for the groundbreaking of Southbridge 1C — the third phase of the Southbridge mixed-income development rising on the former Harold Ickes Homes site. The new 12-story building at 2305 S. State Street will deliver 80 apartments ranging from studios to two-bedrooms, along with 1,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, with construction expected to wrap up by June 2027.

The numbers behind this project matter as much as the building itself. Of the 80 units, 44 will be affordable to households earning between 30% and 80% of the area median income, and 29 will be reserved for Chicago Housing Authority households with a right of return — a genuine commitment to the community that once called this land home. Residents will enjoy some serious perks, including in-unit laundry, quartz countertops, a rooftop lounge, a dog wash, and a gym. The location checks every box too: it sits right next to the Cermak-McCormick Place Green Line stop, near schools, parks, job centers, and the cultural richness of Bronzeville and Chinatown. Mayor Brandon Johnson summed it up well, saying "the South Loop doesn't need to be an office monolith anymore." Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd) called it "a winning location for families and singles."

When fully built out, Southbridge will total more than 800 mixed-income homes and 65,000 square feet of commercial and community space — a true neighborhood anchor. Have you been watching Southbridge take shape? Share your thoughts with the Socialhood community!

Sources:
1. https://chicago.suntimes.com/real-estate/2026/04/27/harold-ickes-homes-complex-south-loop-southbridge-80-apartments