Project leaders celebrated a new “pocket neighborhood” featuring 600-square-foot efficiency homes — houses designed to use less energy than a typical home — on Grant Street during a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday afternoon.
City Council approved the 12-home pocket neighborhood at 1915-1917 Grant St. in March 2024, which required an amendment to the city’s zoning code.
Neighborhood developer David Wallach told attendees to “make no small plans,” referencing the famous quote from Chicago architect Daniel Burnham who said, “Make no little plans.”
Wallach said zoning laws have “forced” the construction of certain types of homes, which he said is responsible for the shortage of millions of single-family homes in the U.S.
Residents expressed concern as the city debated approval, and Wallach later had to secure an extension for the approval.
He said he appreciated Council’s support for the project, which he said reflected its commitment to “big issues.”
“There are ways of driving costs down without sacrificing quality,” Wallach said. “If we can get back to the zoning part and give people the opportunity to do it that way, you can start cutting in and start delivering more attainable housing.”
Wallach said the materials used in construction are inexpensive while still resistant to insects and mold, and designed for insulation, which helps lower costs over time. He called it a “better way to build.”
“We talk about this being just a giant Yeti,” Wallach said. “You can heat it with a blow dryer and you can cool it off with a bucket of ice. The utility bills for the homeowners in this long-term value is incredible. If you build better, you can drive the cost of pricing down over the lifespan of the home.”
John Keich, a general contractor for the project, said at the event that the foundations for the first six homes are complete, with the next six starting Monday, and the water system will come next week. He added that work, including on underground plumbing and electricity, has already begun.
He said the simplicity and affordability of the construction process were significant, especially given the current state of the local housing market.
“We struggle with cost and construction and trying to make a house affordable, attainable,” Keich said. “It’s just impossible today on a standard lot in Evanston or anywhere on the North Shore. You’re building ($1.5) million, two million. Everything in Wilmette now starts with a two.”
He highlighted the uniqueness of the project and said he had not seen any similar projects in Chicago and urged other cities to follow Evanston’s lead on zoning.
Miguel Jimenez, also a general contractor for the project, told attendees the materials were easy for his workers to use, and he looks forward to returning to see the finished products.
He added that more people should be aware of how efficiency homes work.
“The reality is that people are not willing to take that unconventional way of building,” Jimenez said. “We want to continue building the same way, having the same problems. Going a different way is sometimes the best.”
In response to theoretical questions by residents about where to store belongings, he said residents could buy a smaller home and pay for an external storage unit.
“You’re paying $250 a square foot to store your Christmas lights when you could go a mile down and pay $30 a foot at a storage facility and not have to build all that waste into your house,” Wallach said.
Linda Levin, senior vice president at Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, shared at the ceremony that interest in the homes is promising. Her realty has sold two of the 12 units without even hosting tours yet, she said.
She added that she believed the project would substantially benefit residents.
“Evanston’s important to me, I used to live here,” Levin said. “What David’s doing is amazing, but it’s amazing not only for us, it’s amazing for the community.”
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Related Stories:
— Grant Street neighbors ‘disappointed’ with small homes’ approval
— City Council sends efficiency home plan back to committee, extending debate
