WJW Architects

WJW Architects Intentionally crafted, real-world architecture at the intersection of people, place, and purpose.

We are excited to share that construction is well underway on our first two senior affordable assisted living communitie...
05/27/2026

We are excited to share that construction is well underway on our first two senior affordable assisted living communities in Ohio with Evergreen Real Estate Group. WJW attended the groundbreaking ceremonies for Green Oaks of Holland near Toledo and Green Oaks of Canal Wi******er in Columbus this spring. Framing has reached the fourth floor at each location.

These two projects, created in partnership with Evergreen Real Estate Group, are Evergreen's first affordable assisted senior living developments in Ohio. A similar project in Indiana, Green Oaks of Goshen, was completed in 2023. Projects such as these are meeting an increasing demand for high-quality housing for seniors who prefer the independence of a private apartment with the support of a community and 24-hour staffing.

Both Green Oaks of Canal Wi******er and Green Oaks of Holland are four-story, 120-unit buildings, with 67 studio and 53 one-bedroom apartments. Amenities include a commercial kitchen and dining room, fitness room, beauty salon, game room, activity rooms, resident computer stations, a library, and community rooms and lounges. Designed with evidence-based principles for the health and wellbeing of seniors, the sites also prioritize outdoor spaces, and each feature a walking path, gazebo, patio, and custom-designed landscaping.

Congratulations to our project partners, Evergreen Real Estate Group and The Douglas Company, on these two developments!

Applications for our Intro to Architecture Workshop for high school students are still open! If you know a student who i...
05/15/2026

Applications for our Intro to Architecture Workshop for high school students are still open!

If you know a student who is interested in architecture as a career, we are offering a free 5-week hands-on workshop this summer. Participants will learn the fundamentals of architecture, explore design concepts, and create their very own project!

🗓 July 8 – August 5, 2026🕚 Wednesdays | 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgFkEejnsDRUUK_lDjE9bc2JWHS1qSlVj6zkZDZoJKXbOTGw/viewform

We are excited to share that the Cicero Avenue Transitional Shelter received some press attention recently! The project ...
05/13/2026

We are excited to share that the Cicero Avenue Transitional Shelter received some press attention recently! The project was featured on CBS News and in Block Club.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAcQciNK0tI

https://blockclubchicago.org/2026/04/19/southwest-sides-aloha-motel-to-become-homeless-shelter-with-55-private-rooms-on-site-programs/

Thanks to funding assistance from the Illinois Housing Development Authority and Cook County, this collaboration with BEDS Plus is moving forward to convert the former Aloha Motel in Chicago into a fixed site transitional shelter. The renovation will transform existing motel rooms, offices, and support spaces. The shelter will include 80 beds and host up to 90 residents at a time, serving individuals and families.

Additional common space will be added through a small addition to the existing building and include a new lobby area, clinical space, business center, and a large welcoming serving kitchen and dining room/meeting space for residents. A small one-story building will be added for staff and resident laundry along with building storage.

Transitional shelter housing is a much-needed bridge between traditional short-term shelters and permanent supportive housing. WJW has been proud to partner with BEDS Plus on the full spectrum of housing, healthcare, and service options for our unhoused community members.

We'd like to take a moment to celebrate the moms of WJW. We have several staff members with young children, and many oth...
05/08/2026

We'd like to take a moment to celebrate the moms of WJW. We have several staff members with young children, and many others who are aunts, godmothers, sisters, and mentors to the young people in their lives. We appreciate all that you do!

Supporting mothers and families shows through in some of our project work as well. One example is Hope Manor II, a multifamily housing development in Englewood that was specifically focused on creating homes for female Veteran head of households and their families. There is a thriving community at Hope Manor II now, including a now-famous Girl Scout troop. Another is Andy's Place II in Jackson, Michigan, which was created to provide supportive housing for women recovering from opiod addiction, providing a safe and stable home for them and their families.

Happy Mother's Day!

WJW was thrilled to attend the recent grand opening of Hamlin Avenue Apartments in Alsip, IL. The event had a great turn...
05/01/2026

WJW was thrilled to attend the recent grand opening of Hamlin Avenue Apartments in Alsip, IL. The event had a great turnout, including Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle, Illinois State Representative Mary Gill, Village of Alsip Mayor John Ryan, officials from the Illinois Housing Development Authority, Cook County Department of Planning and Development, and Sertoma Star Services President and CEO Kelly Berardelli. The event was covered in The Beverly Review: https://www.beverlyreview.net/news/community_news/article_bc1362e0-9a88-4da7-9740-df574b242b1b.html

The two-story permanent supportive housing (PSH) building will offer 25 apartments for people receiving support from Sertoma Star Services, an organization in the southwest suburbs that serves adults living with mental illness or other disabilities, along with their families. The design of the building was made more responsive to the specific needs of residents and staff with information gleaned from post-occupancy evaluations of completed PSH buildings conducted by WJW in 2024.

The building was designed to fit seamlessly into the surrounding suburban residential neighborhood, with a generous front porch and resident courtyard. Its location in the community is ideal, offering residents easy walking and transit access to jobs, education, and other services.

Thank you to our project partners Sertoma Star Services, Brush Hill Development, Blackwood Group LLC, and Crane Construction Company, LLC! Photos of the event courtesy of Sertoma Star Services; exterior and interior photos of the building courtesy Blackwood Construction Group LLC, and Crane Construction LLC.

This April marks WJW's 35th year in business. In April 1991, architect Bill Worn and design industry entrepreneur Diane ...
04/29/2026

This April marks WJW's 35th year in business. In April 1991, architect Bill Worn and design industry entrepreneur Diane Baker had the vision to create a new architectural firm, William Worn Architecture, with both lofty and down-to-earth goals: creating architectural solutions that would advance design for accessibility. That vision has expanded over the past three and half decades as the firm designed housing and residential healthcare for a wide range of underserved populations, creating accessibility, dignity, community and a place to call home.

Today, the firm now known as WJW Architects has surpassed a milestone of working on one thousand projects. Along the way, we have developed and refined our signature approach to the design of affordable housing of many types, senior living, memory care communities, mixed-use development, transit-oriented development, permanent supportive housing, the adaptive reuse of historic buildings, and much more. Our work can be found in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, North Dakota, and Ohio.

WJW begins another chapter in 2026 with Michelle Sablack and Elizabeth Godbold stepping into new roles and joining Mike Jerabek, Todd Wiltse, and Heidi Wang as partners at the firm. We will also be expanding our office space in River North. It's been a terrific 35 year journey and we're excited about what's next.

WJW is pleased to introduce the newest member of our team, Louis Rosner! Louis has a cross-cultural background, having t...
04/24/2026

WJW is pleased to introduce the newest member of our team, Louis Rosner! Louis has a cross-cultural background, having trained in France and at the University of Texas-Austin.

Prior to joining WJW, Louis worked in architecture for four years in France focused on affordable housing projects, and one year in Maine working on the renovation and transformation of a historic mill in Lewiston into a museum and learning center. He is especially interested in senior housing design, and that was the focus of final project for his master's degree at the École Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Paris-Belleville (French National School of Architecture of Paris-Belleville).

Louis also enjoys hiking, cinema, and traveling, and is excited to explore more of the United States.

Welcome Louis, we are delighted to have you join our team!

This Earth Day, WJW is proud to highlight Andy’s Place II, a project that redefines what affordable housing can achieve....
04/22/2026

This Earth Day, WJW is proud to highlight Andy’s Place II, a project that redefines what affordable housing can achieve. Expanding our commitment to supportive housing for individuals and families in opioid recovery, this project also hits a massive sustainability milestone for our firm. Andy’s Place II features the largest solar array in WJW’s 35 year history, designed to generate ~107,000 kWh of energy annually.

The Impact: This array both fulfills the building’s electricity needs for the year and according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data, feeds enough power back into the grid to sustain 5 neighboring Midwest homes for an entire year. We are proud to be a partner on this important project bridging the gap between crucial social infrastructure and cutting-edge environmental responsibility.

Michelle co-presented with Darrin Jolas of Vermilion Development at the Environments for Aging Conference in Phoenix! Th...
04/15/2026

Michelle co-presented with Darrin Jolas of Vermilion Development at the Environments for Aging Conference in Phoenix! Their talk explored how post-occupancy evaluations of the Silver Birch communities shaped smarter design decisions and how thoughtful design can make affordable assisted living just as dignified and enriching as market-rate properties. Thank you, Darrin, for such a meaningful collaboration!

Applications for our Intro to Architecture Workshop for high school students are due this Friday, April 17! If you know ...
04/13/2026

Applications for our Intro to Architecture Workshop for high school students are due this Friday, April 17!

If you know a student who is interested in architecture as a career, we are offering a free 5-week hands-on workshop this summer. Participants will learn the fundamentals of architecture, explore design concepts, and create their very own project!

🗓 July 8 – August 5, 2026
🕚 Wednesdays | 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM

Apply here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfgFkEejnsDRUUK_lDjE9bc2JWHS1qSlVj6zkZDZoJKXbOTGw/viewform

Address

401 W Superior Street
Chicago, IL
60654

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+13126425587

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