Highland Park's Newest Neighborhood Will Be Move-In Ready By Spring

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Highland Park officials broke ground on The Bowery of Highland Park Tuesday, a 227-residence for-sale townhome community at the former Solo Cup Company site at 1700 Old Deerfield Road.

The project is a joint venture between M/I Homes and Chicago-based Habitat and will redevelop a roughly 28-acre parcel that has been vacant for about 18 years.

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The development will turn the former industrial site into a residential neighborhood with townhomes, more than 9 acres of preserved open space, landscaped parkways and community amenities. The City Council approved the plan in February, and M/I Homes and Habitat closed on the land acquisition in May.

"We're thrilled that this beautiful townhome neighborhood is going to welcome more than 200 new families to our community. For nearly two years, the city has worked closely with the Habitat team, as this project has taken shape. This vibrant new neighborhood with its special resident and public amenities, open space, public safety, and infrastructure improvements represents a vital investment in our community," Mayor Nancy Rotering said.

The community will also include affordable housing required under Highland Park's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance. The ordinance requires residential developments of five or more units to set aside a minimum percentage of units, typically 15 to 20 percent, as permanently affordable.

Of the 227 homes, 34 will be offered to qualifying low- and moderate-income individuals and families under Highland Park's Inclusionary Housing Plan. According to Amy Rosenfeld Kaufman with Community Partners for Affordable Housing, the affordable units will be more or less identical to the market-rate homes, with minor differences in aesthetics.

When completed, The Bowery of Highland Park will include 48 townhome buildings with three-bedroom and three-bedroom-plus-den residences. The homes will feature three-story floor plans ranging from 1,747 to 2,086 square feet, with prices starting at $749,990.

During the planning process, M/I Homes Vice President of Land Scott Barenbrugge said public feedback shaped the project, including the architecture and the decision to preserve 9 acres of open space.

"There's no level in the municipal government that doesn't care deeply about the history of Highland Park, its future, and how The Bowery fits into that quilt. So I think there were a lot of non-negotiables that came out of that public process," Barenbrugge said.

Construction is expected to begin by October. Sales are scheduled to start later this year, with pre-sales appointments in October. The first home deliveries are expected in spring 2027.