Palmer Square's Prettiest Corner Is Getting a Second Life: Local Architects Are Saving a Neglected Two-Flat From Disappearing

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Palmer Square · July 4, 2026

Palmer Square neighbors, here's a story about putting your money — and your drafting skills — where your mouth is. Via Chicago Architects, a local firm with a studio just two blocks from Palmer Square, purchased a neglected two-flat in the neighborhood in early 2025 and is now serving as both architect and developer on a creative restoration project called "Palmer+." The firm is expected to complete the project in 2026, making this one of the most tangible neighborhood transformations happening on your block right now.

The project is a direct response to a very real Palmer Square problem: the slow disappearance of two- and three-flat buildings as they get converted into oversized single-family homes. Rather than just talk about it, Via Chicago is restoring the building's unique exterior — including its iron spot brick with extra-thin "butter joints," ornate wood porch columns, and a signature powder-blue cornice — while fully renovating the interior into a new duplex unit and reintroducing a garden apartment with its own private entry at the lower level. The reborn corner of Palmer and Albany is designed to be, in the firm's own words, a "tangible example of Logan Square's ability to evolve without losing its roots."

This July 4th, as the neighborhood celebrates, Palmer+ is a reminder that the people who love Palmer Square are actively fighting to keep it the place they fell for. Keep an eye on viacago.com to follow the project's progress.

Sources:
1. http://www.viachicagoarchitects.com/project-palmer-plus