North Lawndale Employment Network

The 20,000-sf structure was originally designed for security, with thick walls, few windows, and perimeter fencing. Now, new windows, a one-story glass addition, and multiple green spaces transform the opaque façade and infuse the site with a sense of transparency and welcome.

A new entrance plaza, converted from a former parking lot, is populated with native plantings, ample seating, and offers much-needed community green space.

On the first floor, the glass addition houses seating for the Beelove Café, which offers local coffee and healthy fresh foods for sale through a partnership with another local nonprofit. The café serves as a central gathering place and a common space between the building’s programs, including a community bank tenant that provides collaborative financial literacy programs for NLEN’s clients.

While the former bank hid its treasures, the design celebrates NLEN’s most important asset, its clients, by showcasing them working for the organization’s social enterprise at the heart of the building. With honey harvested from urban apiaries, clients process and package homegrown honey products in full view of inspired visitors, peering through windows opposite each entry.